If we’re committed to sustainability, why do we still sell bottled water on campus?
We also continue to invest in fossil fuels
The campus has been reeling this semester because over the past few years, the university has publicized its mission to be the most sustainable, but continues to invest in fossil fuel corporations to maintain its endowment.
Controversy really boiled over when an unidentified “vandal” made their point by spray painting “Divest” on A.D. White’s statue on Halloween.
It was a gruesome sight and many students were disgusted by this act. This post on Overheard At Cornell received over 1500 likes.
Among cleaner ways to demand divestment, on Thursday November 12th, the Cornell Independent Student Union organized as part of the Million Student March to fight for causes such as free public education, and added the demand of “immediate divestment from fossil fuel corporations” to their agenda.
If you’re interested in learning more, you can attend “An In Depth Discussion Regarding Cornell University’s Relationship With the Fossil Fuel Industry” event taking place November 18th at 5pm in Snee Hall 2146.
To jump-start your internet research, take a look at this piece from the Wall Street Journal for more about large endowments and other school’s investments in fossil fuel corporations.
And for more about the growth of Cornell’s endowment see this summary of the Fiscal Year 2015 report.
In related news, there is a petition going around to end the sale of bottled water on campus.
Cornell has in recent years promoted “Taking Back the Tap,” but is yet to let go of the commodified version in stores, cafes and vending machines across campus.
With reusable bottles going for around $10 to $20 at The Cornell Store, it would be nice to kick-start our sustainable habit with a free bottle.
For now, we’ll have to be patient, and trust that thanks to the efforts of many, change is coming.
We’ll keep you updated.