Dear Editor,

In good weather on my days off, I take a stroll with my little spotted beagle and bask in the benefits of my favorite star the sun. I watch the wind ripple through the tall grass and I marvel at the power of the sun and the wind; wondering why we’re so reliant on dirty sources of energy.

We, as a nation, need to face the facts that relying on fossil fuels is not forever, and that transitioning to renewable energy such as solar is a stable source of eternal energy. We could meet our electricity needs 100 times with solar power alone, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Cities like Greensburg, Kansas; Georgetown, Texas; Aspen, Colorado and Burlington, Vermont are already running on 100 percent renewable energy. Companies like Google, General Motors and Coca-Cola have plans to go 100 percent renewable. We should follow their lead. As a student at UMass Lowell, I think we should start with Massachusetts colleges and universities.

As institutions that train engineers, economists and the civil leaders of the future, colleges and universities are well-positioned to lead the effort.

Let’s get started.

Sincerely,

Emma Hargraves

Emma Hargraves is the Sustainability Student Liaison at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She is an English journalism and professional writing major, graphic design and environment and society minors