Essay (Theme: Humanity)

Actually, this is another of my handwriting. I just red announcement about a writing competition in my college. there are some topics then I choose Humanity, because of this topic is quite wide for me to expand my idea. this competition actually around mother's day, I want to write about mother especially woman, but I just hurried by the deadline so I choose the wider theme. Thanks God, Alhamdulillah.. Although there's some mistakes, I got the 1st place of my essay :))

Lead the Campus Society into Green Living Habits

                The issue of global warming is booming in era of millennium. The issue becomes hotter in earlier of 2000. It is not a newest issue anymore, but people still talks about it nowadays. People already know about the causes of global warming and the way to reduce it anyway. But, the issue would only be an issue to talk if there is no endeavor to reduce the global warming effects. We should realize and try to do some little things to support the action of reducing the global warming and save the earth. As college students, we must be critical of facing that issue by making changes start from a little action in our environment, in this case, campus. Not only talk, but do more action in participating effort to decrease the damaged environment. It is about understanding the reality by looking forward behind the reality itself. According to Edmund Husserl, the philosophic that introduced Phenomenology to the world, there are 3 phase to found the true reality behind the reality. Do we need to understanding the true reality behind? Why it can be the Global Warming that damaged the earth slowly? Are we realize that the causes is from  our habits ? We do not need to discuss it, but we only need to change it, change what we have done to our earth. Next, campus is a large area which consists of great buildings that need big energy of electricity. The exploitation energy of electricity is one major cause of global warming, because energy is one of irreplaceable sources. Furthermore, campus streets are always busy by the traffic of vehicles that cause pollution around campus environment. Meanwhile, few of its sides are covered by trees. So, every campus should plan to commence the concept of environment-friendly campus, which is dubbed an “Eco Campus”. There are the three major reasons why our campus society must change into Green Living Society. 

            First reason, Eco Campus would immediately reduce the pollution in campus environment. The first action is promoting the green campus concept through the students, lecturers and the staff of the campus itself. The program are planting more trees around campus complex that would create a little forest inside campus area and maximize the benefits of its. The little forest is the lung of the campus that can reduce the polluted air. On the other side, the little forest can help to reduce the usage of the Air Conditioner (AC). If there are a lot of trees, the fresh air (O₂) produced by the trees would increase. So, people could breathe the fresh air without using AC anymore. And then, if there is no Air Conditioner in every building of the campus, the electricity usage could be decrease. Actually, one of the universities in Surabaya is already conduct this concept, Institute of Technology Sepuluh Nopember reducing the AC usage in several faculty building which is surrounded by big trees. Thus, not only contribute to reduce the pollution in campus by creating a little forest but also save the energy as one concept of Eco Campus. 

            Second, the Eco Campus concept would directly lead people to use non fuel vehicle. The campus road is always busy at the morning until evening. In fact, the lecturers, students and the campus staff prefer to use car or motorcycle to go to campus. It’s just a part of hedonism lifestyle. While it means the value of usage of the products has changed. The consumption is not only for the use and exchange, but also to show their social status. This situation in people’s mind described that the sign value vitally more important. Furthermore, because of the exchange meaning there is some popular culture that lead people become fetish and consumptive. And then, because of a lot of vehicle come and out in every hour, sometimes there is traffic in main street such as at the gate and at the parking lot of the campus. This aspect also needs to be focused in the Eco Campus concept. The program is reducing the number of the vehicles as the concept of Eco Campus living. For example, if the campus is near, it could be reached by walk or bike that can prevent us trapped in jam also makes our body healthier. In addition, use non vehicle fuel means save the energy because the gasoline is one of the irreplaceable sources. If the number of the vehicles decreases, it could solve the traffic jam problem in campus street especially in class over time and reduce the pollution too. Next, the fetish and consumption culture could be decreasing. People could realize that consuming product as the result of culture is an act and meaning reproduction. Because of culture consists of idea, habit and product that its characteristic is political and ideological. So, people would prefer to use non fuel vehicles to support the environment-friendly campus as an act of non hedonism society, save energy for the next generation and for a short term is reduce the pollution. 

            The last reason, the concept of Eco Campus will promote the name of campus as “Campus of Eco Living”. It’s usual if a campus got an achievement based on their quality or capability of produce many intelligent scholars. So, it is quite unique and interesting if the campus well known as an environment-friendly campus. The program is executing the Eco Campus concept to compete with the other university. Not only in aspect of quality and quantity in education, but also in other social aspect that useful for human being. There are several benefits if this program is successfully done by the campus society. The campus name would be known as the campus that leads people to green living and caring nature habits, also persuade people to contribute on effort of reducing the global warming effects. So, Eco campus concept if successfully done will increase the rank of the campus in society’s perception. 

            Fourth, Eco Campus habits would immediately affected in our daily lives outside the campus. Restating the statement above, throwing the mineral water into the garbage is one example of green living habits. But, the problem is because of every people has different ideological that lead into different assumption or paradigm which it would create a different epistemology and science fields. Although all the paradigm won’t be left behind end ended in a big conclusion until the end of world, at least that is an effort from the human to take a chance of better life than before in every era. Thus, the Eco Campus habits would lead people to care with the nature, consume it wisely and promoting the Eco campus habits is the new popular culture. 

            Finally, Eco Campus gives many benefits in many aspects such as reduce the pollution that can damage the ozone, lead people to use non fuel vehicle to go to campus and promoting the campus name in social aspect as the environment-friendly campus. In addition, the Eco Campus concepts means participate to save the irreplaceable sources such as electricity, gasoline, soil, and so on. That is all the reason why every campus should begin to use the Eco Campus concept. After all, the purpose is lead campus society into green living habits to save the earth.