As a student of Ohio State University and a passionate advocate for sustainability, I am confident in my ability to reduce my impact on the environment. But more importantly, I am incredibly encouraged and excited by the power we have as a campus to elicit positive change on a large scale. In light of the COP21 climate change conference in Paris, one thing is crystal clear: we are not doing enough to combat global warming.



At OSU, our University Dining Services holds the key to our campus carbon footprint. Did you know that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations declared animal agriculture to be the biggest contributor to climate change, responsible for 18% of carbon emissions? While Dining Services offers an array of food choices - an applaudable feat for a campus our size - it is passing up an incredible opportunity.



By slightly altering its purchasing habits, our Dining Services could prevent over two million grams of carbon emissions every single year, save over two million quarts of water and over 29,000 sq feet of land every single year. More than 500 schools across the country (including Yale, Harvard, Rutgers, University of Connecticut & University of Wisconsin) have clocked on to this initiative, which involves partnering with the food technology startup Hampton Creek. The company developed the eggless products Just Mayo and Just Cookies, far more sustainable - yet invariably delicious - versions of their conventional counterparts.



Why would we pass up an opportunity like this, when the future of our planet is at stake? Fellow students: please join me in urging OSU Dining Services to implement this simple change that would reduce our campus carbon emissions by over two million grams per year.