AURORA -Perched high on the top of a hill, sandwiched between Cayuga Lake glistening in the sunlight and a dense wooded area, Wells College and its leaders made a commitment Friday to protect its nearby natural resources and save the earth's climate.
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
Lisa Marsh Ryerson, president of Wells College, signs the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment during a ceremony on campus Friday afternoon. The commitment is to have a comprehensive plan in place within two years to make the college climate neutral.
Lisa Marsh Ryerson, president of Wells College, signs the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment during a ceremony on campus Friday afternoon. The commitment is to have a comprehensive plan in place within two years to make the college climate neutral.
Wells College President Lisa Marsh Ryerson signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, an agreement among higher education institutions to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions, and accelerate research and educational efforts to ultimately re-stabilize Earth's climate.
She pledged that within two years, Wells will have a comprehensive plan to combat global warming and achieve climate neutrality. And during those two years of planning, the college will be acting to reduce its own greenhouse emissions.
“I am honored to help place Wells firmly on the path to a more sustainable future - for the college, the nation and the world,” she said. “But for this initiative to be a success, we will need the vision and commitment of the entire Wells community. I have already seen that we're a community committed to sustainability in a great number of ways, and I have great confidence that together we will make Wells College a leader in environmental responsibility.”
Wells students Matt Borrella, 20, of Rochester, and Ryan Zaleski, 20, of Syracuse, are already excited for what may be in store for the college.
“It's good that Wells finally got on the path, because a lot of colleges don't have these natural resources around them,” Zaleski said, referring to the lake and the woods.
Borrella believes the college's commitment to halting climate change could also reach into the classrooms with more classes focusing on the environment, “how to help it out and how to make Aurora and Wells and the world a better place to live.”
Ryerson first learned about the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment from faculty and students, who advocated for Wells to sign on.
“If a small school can do it,” Zaleski said, “a big university can do it.”
She pledged that within two years, Wells will have a comprehensive plan to combat global warming and achieve climate neutrality. And during those two years of planning, the college will be acting to reduce its own greenhouse emissions.
“I am honored to help place Wells firmly on the path to a more sustainable future - for the college, the nation and the world,” she said. “But for this initiative to be a success, we will need the vision and commitment of the entire Wells community. I have already seen that we're a community committed to sustainability in a great number of ways, and I have great confidence that together we will make Wells College a leader in environmental responsibility.”
Wells students Matt Borrella, 20, of Rochester, and Ryan Zaleski, 20, of Syracuse, are already excited for what may be in store for the college.
“It's good that Wells finally got on the path, because a lot of colleges don't have these natural resources around them,” Zaleski said, referring to the lake and the woods.
Borrella believes the college's commitment to halting climate change could also reach into the classrooms with more classes focusing on the environment, “how to help it out and how to make Aurora and Wells and the world a better place to live.”
Ryerson first learned about the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment from faculty and students, who advocated for Wells to sign on.
“If a small school can do it,” Zaleski said, “a big university can do it.”
