Study abroad may get greener
The importance of sustainability may be taken for granted on the Yale campus by this point — but administrators have now set their sights on exporting the concept to Yalies studying abroad.
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- University nears decision on architect for new colleges
- Education Dept. expands investigation into Princeton's admissions procedures
- In twist to decade-old scandal, Lasaga's victim sues Yale
- Shvarts to present new piece at Tate Modern
- Jovin murder investigation takes new twist
- Officials break ground on planned 3.2-acre health facility
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the idea that sending american kids to africa to work in an "eco-village" planting trees can offset their carbon emissions seems off (actually, it seems to pander to eco-minded students). if the students donated the cost of the plane ticket to hire local africans (who live in real villages) it would create so more jobs, and mostly likely the locals could do a much better job planting trees than a yalie who has mostly likely only ever planted some plants at home.
instead, let's not try to justify (or calm our conscience) by thinking we can work off our sins (air travel, yikes!). study abroad is not bad, it's great - it's awesome. and yes, part of that involves getting into an airplane. but we shouldn't all have to go work in eco-villages to do penance.
i think the best bet is for study abroad companies to offer (wealthy) students the opportunity to purchase carbon offsets if they wish.
the idea of a NAFSA committee on sustainability being chaired by a guy whose company sells trips marketed as "sustainable study abroad" seems like a bit of a conflict of interest. it's like asking Sergey Brin to chair the committee on web standards for search algorithms... not that he wouldn't do an awesome job, but, well, he does stand to gain from it.