A change of lifestyle

Replikk til notisen «Miljøvennlige studenter» i Universitas, 17. februar.

I was pleased to read about Studentsamskipnaden i Oslo (SiO) and Studentboligene’s new environmental campaign, «Hverdagshelt», recently launched to promote more recycling and less energy consumption in student housing. Such initiatives are positive. However, I am disappointed to see that the trend has not caught on at the University of Oslo (UiO) campus. The lack of recycling facilities on campus, combined with a widespread lack of everyday environmental awareness on the part of UiO students, is disturbing. Look at the canteens on campus, for example. How miljøvennlig, not to mention økonomisk-lønnsomt, is it really to buy an individually packaged slice of brunost or individual-sized kaviar tube, only to throw away this superfluous packaging into the garbage straight afterwards?

The university neither seems to encourage environmental awareness amongst its students.