Green on paper: school image or true sustainability?
American University is known for its environmental consciousness, priding itself on being the first university to reach carbon neutrality. AU was recently selected as a 2022 U.S. Department of Education “Green Ribbon Schools'' Post-secondary Sustainability Awardee. Admittedly, AU has taken progressive steps in building sustainability plans to achieve groundbreaking goals and milestones. Yet, the impression of a green campus is a narrow, performative illusion that has overshadowed student efforts in maintaining this image. Students demand and deserve more communication, transparency and support from the administration to breed an environmentally sustainable culture involving all contributors, not just the students alone.