COVID-19 HAS changed people’s lives in countless ways; however, not all of these changes have been for the worse. The unprecedented halt in global commercial activity brought about by the pandemic has drastically reduced pollution levels around the world. Data shows that the United States has seen a 25.5% reduction in air pollution since 2017*. In India, people were able to clearly view the Himalayas for the first time in roughly 30 years**. COVID-19 has shown that there are definite benefits to scaling back human activity and considering how we live in relation to the planet. But these changes will likely last only as long as the pandemic that has made them necessary. So how can we protect our environment moving forward? At Yonsei University, there are a number of student-run clubs and organizations dedicated to spreading awareness of and solving pressing environmental issues. The Yonsei Annals reached out to members of these groups to learn how they each approach the shared goal of a “green” campus at Yonsei, why it is important, and how students can contribute to its development.

Environmental actors of Yonsei

   The term green campus refers to universities that have made a commitment to raising environmental awareness among students and developing a sustainable environment within their campus community. The sustainability indicators of green campus are energy, water, land use, and material flows, and building a green campus means that the university will gradually see improvement made in these four fields***. Yongreen, the Yonsei Student Climate Action Network (YSCAN), and Cinderlier are all actors in Yonsei University who work towards these goals and all of them encourage non-member students to join them in taking action to solve environmental problems.

   Yongreen is an environmental student club whose name stands for “a green campus that Yonseians work to build.” The club organizes a wide variety of activities ranging from recycling campaigns to upcycling projects and even flea markets that all students on campus are free to take part in. The idea is to find creative ways of reducing waste and teaching students how to live sustainably****. Yongreen also frequently collaborates on these projects with outside parties. The club has previously partnered with The Climate Reality Project, Beautiful Store, and is currently working with E-NERGY of Ehwa University to build green campuses in the Seodaemun district.

   The Yonsei Student Climate Action Network (YSCAN) is a student organization formed in 2017 by students who were interested in climate change and reducing energy use on campus. The current head of YSCAN, Jeon Young-hoo, told the Annals, “We have seen that universities alone were not able to voluntarily reduce their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. So, students’ participation is essential.” As of now, YSCAN is working on campus de-carbonization planning projects to improve energy efficiency of campus building and energy conversion to lower Yonsei’s ecological impact. Apart from this, the organization tries to raise awareness among students regarding global warming and climate change by regularly holding open seminars and sharing environmental news through their social media.

   Cinderlier is a project aimed at creating ashtrays to be installed around campus in order to discourage people who smoke from littering. After collecting these used cigarettes, Cinderlier recycles them by turning the tipping paper and tobacco into a nicotine-based compost and melting the cigarette filters into plastic material. In an interview with the Annals, the team head, Lee Chae-wan, emphasized that through their project, they hope to show people that it is actually possible to reuse cigarette butts in an environmentally friendly manner. By collecting cigarette butts, Cinderlier aims to reduce marine pollution caused by the chemicals and microplastics within the cigarettes which flow into the ocean through the drainage system.

How can Yonseians get involved?

   Lee Eun-byul, the head of Yongreen, emphasized the importance of students’ participation in creating a green campus at Yonsei. She said, “students building towards a green campus will help them develop awareness of their environment and realize the importance of responsible sustainable development. These students will hopefully then become members of society who are considerate of the environment they live in.” To encourage involvement in environmental conservation efforts, all three groups organize enjoyable activities throughout the semester which all Yonsei students are invited to participate in, with regular reminders on their respective social media pages.

   Yongreen, for example, hosts jae-jji-hyang project. The jae-jji-hyang project is aimed at recycling coffee grounds that will otherwise create methane when they are thrown in a landfill and instead use them to make air fresheners. Students can participate in this project by signing up through a Google form uploaded on their social media page and will be taught the manufacturing process of air freshener during an orientation. Yongreen also runs a flea market selling both recycled and upcycled products, including clothes and eco-friendly cup holders, which contributes towards reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.

   Outside of active participation, students should also stay informed about pressing environmental issues. YSCAN conducts lectures and seminars to educate students about sustainable living practices and calls attention to environmental problems. The information about the seminars is uploaded on their social media page, with the topics of previous seminars ranging from “Solution to Pollution” to “A Local Solution to a Global Threat.” Card news is also uploaded regularly on each group’s social media account so that students can easily read about various environmental issues from microplastics in the ocean to climate change, as well as general advice for living in a more environmentally conscious manner.

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   As Eun-byul said, "I think there are a lot of students who want to join in protecting the environment but are not sure how to do it. Start with small things. When small actions by individuals accumulate, they can contribute greatly to environmental protection and make a big impact.” The important thing is whether individuals have the willingness to actively participate in conserving the environment within the campus. Each Yonseian’s participation will help Yonsei University come closer to becoming a green campus. Why don’t you start by taking part in the diverse activities provided within the campus?

*ScienceDirect

**National Geographic

***Greening Universities Toolkit V2.0

****Lifestyle where people try to diminish their use of Earth's natural resources