The following is a Letter to the Editor for the Opinions section. 

As a second-year undergraduate attending the University of Denver, I have been more than glad to go from a Zoom college experience to a relatively ordinary college experience, disregarding the masks of course. In the past decade we as students have all been desensitized to the effects of climate change, seeing many news outlets articles and even politicians speak out about its effects. There is such a saturation of this information in the public’s view that it can cause a sense of hopelessness. I am here to tell you that there are still people on campus who are fighting for change. What the university is doing to seem more “green” is not enough and is only distracting us from the fact that they are still investing in fossil fuels.

We as students do have a lot on our plate from the STEM majors to business, and the arts and social sciences. Contradictory to many beliefs, not everyone handles college the same or even has the same experience. That being said, we are all connected through the University of Denver. 

We are all adults now and we all have the opportunity to make a difference to speak up about what we are passionate about. I sometimes do think students forget the fact that many of us have the power, ability and the mental capability to make changes in the world most immediate around us. All it takes is others around us to facilitate this change. 

I personally am super proud and passionate about being a part of Divest DU, an official club of the University of Denver. The club is trying to get DU to divest from fossil fuels and companies associated with fossil fuels. A great resource to read about what we are doing and why we are doing it is clearly stated in this opinion piece in the Clarion. 

Divest DU is gauging how students feel about the university’s recent practices that “seem more environmentally conscious.” Yet, the university is still investing 5% of their endowment on fossil fuels which was stated in a letter to the university’s student government in 2020. However our small group of activists on campus need our community’s help. We cannot walk alone and we are hoping we will not have to either. 

I call upon the many organizations associated with the University of Denver for their support and voices. We want anyone who is passionate about climate change to know there is a place on campus where your voice can be heard and can make a change. 

We are the ones who can make the changes on campus and will not stop until that is done. I would also like to call USG to the forefront of these issues to work as liaisons between us and the university. They are in a position of power to work with us as students. 

To the many networks of undergraduates, graduates and alumni, I encourage you to devote your time and passion to preserving the environment. If that is not possible, students should reach out to talk to these organizations, and create a discourse surrounding these issues we face. We can do the heavy lifting, we just need your support.    

Alejandro Carrillo 

Class of 2024