The environment takes center stage on Earth Day, but for many students and Madison community members, the Earth’s changing climate is a daily priority.
Climate Action 350 UW is a student organization that works to raise awareness about environmental issues, including climate change, and inspire action on campus. The organization is affiliated with the global movement 350.org, which aims to reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Climate Action 350 Steering Committee member Emmy Burns said the organization is in the midst of a divestment campaign asking the UW Foundation to discontinue its investments in companies that develop fossil fuels. According to Burns, the UW Foundation has $1.9 billion invested in fossil fuels.
She said the organization works closely with 350Madison, the city’s chapter of the 350.org movement.
350Madison Co-coordinator Madeleine Para said the organization sent a petition with more than 1200 signatures calling for fossil fuel divestment to the UW Foundation.
Para said many large foundations, such as the UW Foundation, are invested in fossil fuel companies because they have historically been seen as good investments.
But 350Madison wants to put pressure on fossil fuel companies, Para said, because the development of fossil fuels will put the Earth’s ecosystems at risk.
“The consequence of continuing business as usual is pretty catastrophic,” Para said.
According to Climate Action 350 UW member John Zinda, more significant climate change would disrupt agriculture and could lead to price increases in everyday products, which would affect students.
Burns said although students may be more concerned about trying to find a job and the unstable economy, climate change will significantly affect their livelihoods as well.
“Ultimately, if we continue our current trajectory, the job won’t matter if we don’t have clean drinking water, [or] if we can’t breathe the air,” Burns said.
Zinda said he thinks addressing climate change can overwhelm people because it is such a large-scale issue, but getting involved in the 350 movement has given him a sense of agency.
“The cool thing about 350.org is that it’s given me a place to feel empowered, that I’m part of a movement that actually is doing something about it,” Zinda said.
