preview

Florida International University: A Case Study

Decent Essays
Open Document

Florida International University (FIU) is a large institution that educates approximately 47,736 students, and provides housing for about 3,600. Although the university provides their students with the education they need in order to pursue their careers, both the university and its students are creating environmental damages along the way. One of these damages are the amount of waste produced. The amount of items thrown away in garages such as: plastic, paper, and organics are a major cause for concern because they are all items that can be prevented from ending up in landfills, but receives minimal attention.
In the natural world there is zero waste. All the food an animal consumes and then discards of provides nutrient to the soil. When …show more content…

In order for food to be cultivated and produced, forest, grasslands, and other ecosystems have to be transformed into farmlands. This alteration destroys the habitat and affects all the animals that once lived there leading to the decline of their population. Secondly, large amount of fresh water (a limited resource) is utilized to produce consumer goods. 70 percent of [fresh] water worldwide is used for agriculture. (Houtman) Consequently, when food is wasted and thrown away, the water that was used to produce it is also being thrown away. Lastly, all the food, and other materials that are not utilized end up in landfills. Not only are these landfills taking up land that can be used for other purposes, but they are also contributing to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Toxic gases such as carbon dioxide, and methane are emitted from landfills into our atmosphere leading to global …show more content…

By implementing a composting program on campus, the university could significantly reduce the amount of waste that is currently being produced. The addition of composting bins in the dorms, and food court areas could encourage students to participate, and follow environmentally friendly practices. Not only can a composting program reduce waste, it can also reduce the need for fertilizer use on the campus’ landscaping. Excess use of fertilizers can lead to eutrophication, which is already a concern for the lakes found on campus. This problem is the reason why the university must add copper sulfate to the FIU ponds, making the water appear bluer. In addition these fertilizers, and other chemicals added to the landscape of the university could lead to nutrient runoffs to canals, and affecting our environment on a greater scale. Nevertheless, the use of compost can replace the use for synthetic fertilizers, and decreasing the amount of organic material that ends up in

Get Access