MDC’s J. Padron Campus Could Champion a Climate Change Revolution

MDC’s J. Padron Campus Could Champion a Climate Change Revolution

Combating climate change is at the epicenter of the global sustainable development, and if the skyrocketing levels of greenhouse gas emissions are anything to go by, the need to adopt urgent and more stringent measures cannot be underestimated. Currently, according to the United Nations’ Strategic Development Goals knowledge platform (2019), levels of greenhouse gas emissions are more than 50 percent higher than in 1990. Climate-related disasters claimed 1.3 million lives and left 4.4 billion injured between 1998 and 2017. Climate-related disasters also result in financial losses amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Miami Dade college endeavors to promote “sustainability practices that contribute to a healthy planet.” A “healthy planet” encompasses a harmonious, disaster-free globe capable of effectively sustaining its dependent population. This paper proposes that making MDC and, specifically, Eduardo J. Padron campus a frontrunner in advocating for a “healthy planet” is not only a great way to foster mutual coexistence and goodwill with the society but also a reliable avenue to attracting a pool of students, both nationally and internationally. A recent post by the Scientific American blog details a report by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicting that “global warming is likely to reach 1.5 degrees Celsius between 2030 and 2052 if it continues to increase at the current rate.” (Scientific American Blog). This paper proposes two-fold criteria for addressing this issue. These are; 1) by harnessing the power of our clubs and organizations for community outreach and 2) by using social media to pass the message of global climate change and its ramifications.

Climate change is a global issue. The Scientific American Blog Network presents the case of Greta Thunberg, a Swedish teenager who is transforming the age of response to climate change through social media. The sixteen-year-old has established s strong social media presence, which she uses to advocate for swift approaches. The text also details the consequences of recent global heatwaves sweeping across North Korea to Northern Norway, which only serves to show us how the globe is interconnected, and no one should assume that they are safe when other parts of the global village are in turmoil. Failure to act on these issues threatens to result in irreversible consequences both for us and the community. However, the report asserts that It is not too late to institute mitigating strategies to combat the effects of climate change in the globe. Implementation of these strategies should, therefore, start with sanitizing the immediate community. The most immediate community for Padron campus is the Little Havana neighborhood, a very manageable neighborhood considering the student population of Padron Campus. Implementing community programs requires a united approach, and clubs and organizations are a proven way to unite college students for a unified course. J. Padron Campus boasts of a diverse student population and more than twenty active clubs and organizations. Although not all clubs and organizations in the campus are focused on sustainability, and an administrative nudge to considering the issue of climate change could be all it takes to transform their outlook. Campaigns such as tree planting to improve tree cover, advocating for alternative renewable sources of fuel, among others, will serve to not only improve the climate of Little Havana but also create a positive image of the campus within the community.

Combating climate change involves the globe, and it is for the globe. According to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) knowledge platform (2019), the quest for global sustainable climatic conditions could still be considered a “pipe dream,” considering that annual global greenhouse gas emissions keep increasing over time, reaching a new high in 2017. The report, however, details good progress in terms of the commitment of global states to contribute towards combating climate change. More than 180 parties have ratified the Paris agreement meant to, among other things, strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change. Global climate fiancé flows have also increased significantly, recording a 17 percent increase in the period 2015–2016 compared with the period 2013–2014. The text calls for a more concerted approach to addressing the whole issue of climate change, a step which could go a long way if institutions, like MDC, would be at the forefront in civic education on the importance and the framework for implementing community-centered approaches to combating adverse climate changes. The American Scientific blog’s case of the Swedish teenager transforming climate change response using social media is a great inspiration for institutions to harness this huge power to create impactful transformations. Utilizing the power of the student population together with a widely literate population in Little Havana is likely to create moving social media campaigns to help sell the idea of climate change not only to the entire nation but potentially to the entire globe.

Both the reports from the Scientific American Blog Network and the UN Sustainable Development Goals knowledge platform give an overview of the need to adopt strategies to combat adverse climate change by highlighting the consequences of failure to do so. Climate change is a sensitive issue requiring maximum attention due to the weight of its consequences. Addressing climate change and preservation of the ecosystem is at the epicenter of social responsibility. It is especially the responsibility of institutions to implement strategies focused on promoting the wellbeing of communities in which they are based. This way, harmonious coexistence is achieved, which in turn results in smooth operations and an improved public image of the institution. While inclusive and systematic measures to combat climate change may require funds channeling, the costs usually outweigh the benefits in the long run. Most institutions consider social responsibility as a strategy for the future, where the results of such projects tend to give them an edge over their competitors. Cohesive unity and coexistence with the community is also a priceless benefit accruing to institutions that promote social responsibility.

MDC’s Eduardo J. Padron campus is built on the framework of sustainability and incorporates a rich diversity of cultures and nationalities. By embracing climate change mitigation techniques and focus, the campus will inevitably relate to the shifting global preference for environmentally friendly product and service offerings. The modern world, especially the educated, tend to mind a lot about the standpoint of their preferred college pertaining to social responsibility, relationship with the immediate community, and their sustainable environmental practices. Incorporating these aspects will build a unique selling proposition and subsequently give the campus an edge over other similar higher education institutions. Moreover, demonstrating tangible projects and efforts in mitigation of adverse climate change is convincing social proof of the sustainability of the campus and its devotion towards a cleaner and a safer world. Moreover, harnessing this resource to promote the course of climate change will potentially ripple to the entire Miami Dade county and, subsequently, Florida state would be “greening up.” The massive amounts of dead fish deposits in Florida beach shoreline out of sea toxicity late last year is a testament that combating climate change is no longer a luxury but a necessity if we are to achieve global sustainability and to give the promise of hope for the future generation.

Works Cited

“Goal 13 .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform”. Sustainabledevelopment.Un.Org, 2019, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg13.

Russell, Cristine. “A Scary Year For Climate Change”. Scientific American Blog Network, 2019, https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/a-scary-year-for-climate-change/.