97 percent of climate experts agree that humans are causing global warming.

This is a well-established fact that is supported by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Chemical Society, the American Geophysical Union, the American Medical Association, the American Meteorological Society, the American Physical Society, The Geological Society of America, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Global Change Research Program, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 

However the issue of climate change isn’t a pressing issue in the media.  This is something that needs to change.  Creighton commits to recycling and has implemented solar panels in the Burt Street parking lot, the roof of the Kiewit Fitness Center, the side of the Pittman building, and a tracking system on the south side of the Lied building. On April 25, the Green Jays even hosted the We Matter Walk, a walk to raise awareness for climate change.

In order to know why we need to care about climate change, we have to know what climate change is really doing to this world beyond generalities.  Only then will we be able to change what we have caused. Furthermore, we still do not yet have any legislation that addresses the problem of climate change.

In the 20th century, the global temperature average has increased by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit. This increase in temperature is largely due to the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, measured in ppm (parts per million). It is estimated that the pre-industrial era carbon concentration was around 280 ppm. Today that number has increased to 400 ppm.

In March 2012, that number was 394 ppm, showing an increase of more than 5 ppm in only two years. Experts agree that the temperature rise should be kept below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, which would require keeping the carbon concentration below 450 ppm.  On our current track, we are heading to 450 ppm of carbon dioxide by 2036, 500 ppm by 2040, and 560 ppm by 2050.

Significant temperature increases will cause many changes in the climates around the world. Many parts of the planet will experience significant droughts, with precipitation occurring sporadically yet heavily.

Many parts of North America, including the Great Plains region where much of the United States’ food is grown, will experience extreme “dust-bowlification”, a process in which the ground is dried and hardened from lack of rain. This causes affected areas to become more susceptible to severe dust storms and floods, due to the ground’s lack of ability to both absorb and retain water. The dryness of these regions will make them incredibly more susceptible to wildfires as well, since there will be little moisture to combat wind-fueled flames.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, extreme precipitation will occur in the upper latitudes. Detrimental effects to crops during flooding include: excess soil moisture above and below ground, increased risk of plant disease and insect infestation, and delayed planting or harvesting due to the inability to operate machinery on this swampy farmland. Furthermore, due to the current melting rate of polar ice caps, our projected sea level will rise up to 6 feet by 2100.  Flooding will ensue at the coasts around the world, thus causing the relocation of millions.

Unfortunately there is not an easy fix to this problem. Recycling, riding a bike instead of driving or buying a reusable water bottle are definitely noble and helpful avenues of action, but we are so far beyond the point where these actions alone will make a significant change. What we need to push for political cooperation and policy changes that not only encourages governments to promote climate-friendly policies, but outlines solid plans of action to reduce emissions worldwide, for the good of all.

These effects will obviously have an impact on our lives, so how should Creighton be involved? Creighton’s Mission Statement proclaims: “Creighton is a Catholic and Jesuit comprehensive university committed to excellence in its undergraduate, graduate and professional programs.”

As a Catholic institution, Creighton is dedicated to the pursuit of truth in all its forms and is guided by the living tradition of the Catholic Church. As a Jesuit institution, Creighton participates in the tradition of the Society of Jesus which provides an integrating vision of the world that arises out of a knowledge and love of Jesus Christ” Catholic social teaching is a cornerstone of Jesuit values.

These teachings have emphasized that each individual is made in God’s image, and as a result, each person deserves equal dignity. This respect for dignity extends beyond that of our own time. Our focus on the common good should expand to making our world habitable for future generations. Efforts need to be made to improve our environment as all evidence indicates severe harmful alterations to our global climate will occur.

We as Jesuits have always emphasized social justice in the distribution of goods and wealth in our world. Social justice is just as applicable to the resources that the earth holds and again should be properly conserved to all humans who follow our generation. Passively standing by as our environment deteriorates goes against all the teachings that we attempt to hold.

Creighton “is directed to the intellectual, social, spiritual, physical and recreational aspects of students’ lives and to the promotion of justice… members of the Creighton community are challenged to reflect on transcendent values, including their relationship with God, in an atmosphere of freedom of inquiry, belief and religious worship. Service to others, the importance of family life, the inalienable worth of each individual, and appreciation of ethnic and cultural diversity are core values of Creighton…” The mission statement is supposed to embody how Creighton makes our decisions and what makes Creighton, Creighton.

We have a Sustainability Council and a student organization, Green Jays, whose focus is on sustainability. Creighton’s President, the Rev. Timothy Lannon, has said the following about this issue “Sustainability is an integral part of campus life at Creighton. We have a Sustainability Council, recycling programs, use renewable energy, offer courses in energy technology and environmental sciences, and much more. We are keenly aware that living green is an important issue for college-bound students as well as current students and staff.”

Saint Pope John Paul II also spoke on this issue and said “Christians in particular realize that their responsibility within creation and their duty towards nature and the Creator are an essential part of their faith.” If we apply what Saint Pope John Paul II said to living as Catholic Jesuits and following Creighton’s mission statement, are we currently doing enough?

Essentially what we are asking is for the Creighton community to be accountable for holding the teachings of the university in conjunction with environmental sustainability. We ask for students and faculty to engage in a discussion and educate themselves about climate change.

This is not an issue for only politicians and scientists, climate change affects every person. The responsibility of this falls not on just lawmakers, but on ourselves, as members of a society that has Jesuit values as well as values education. Living in ignorance only hinders our development of a social conscience, and in order to live up to the ideals of Creighton University, that means learning and caring about climate change and how it affects life around all of us.

Signed, 

Brianna Baca

Roman Shrestha

Scott Murray

Kimberly Thies

Daniel Osborn

Paula Bustamante