By Zach Durham
Sustain U’s meeting featured a presentation that focused on the concerns of overpopulation and how it affects climate change.
According to Sustain U’s website, the ASI organization provides workshops and outreach meetings on campus to educate students on sustainability and promote a healthier lifestyle through their actions and choices.
Speaker Mack Andersen, the University Student Union sustainability assistant, said that overpopulation negatively affects air quality, but students can recognize daily practices that are detrimental to the planet’s resources.
“Our goal is to promote sustainability on campus and educate students on how they can reduce their carbon footprint,” Andersen said.
Andersen said that rising levels of air pollution and overpopulation are detrimental to the sustainability of Earth’s natural resources, but practicing sustainability can be especially beneficial in overpopulated urban areas.
Overpopulation has been and will continue to be a relevant issue in the United States and that Americans are draining non-renewable resources such as oil, gas and coal, adding to the global carbon footprint.
University Student Union sustainability graduate assistant Bryan Thomas said Sustain U as an organization aims to reduce Long Beach State’s carbon footprint through renewable energy sources by encouraging students to practice habits that benefit earth’s sustainability.
These habits include walking or riding a bike rather than driving, relying on renewable energy sources like solar power and recognizing our household emissions that can be reduced or eliminated.
Andersen said students can practice sustainability by relying on reusable resources, such as shopping bags, utensils and water bottles and using public transportation rather than driving themselves to help reduce carbon emissions.
“The number one thing is to drive less,” Andersen said. “Long Beach has a very good transportation system, so driving less and reducing the direct emissions that are being put into the atmosphere is the best thing.”
Andersen said that driving less will not only save students money on gas, but they will get more exercise if they walk or bike more frequently and will feel good playing a role in reducing air pollution.
The next events held by Sustain U will be Plant Parenthood at Grow Beach Garden on Nov. 6.
