GSU has many green initiatives. Panther Dining, which services campus dining halls, is committed to reducing packaging and avoiding food waste; they recycle cooking oil for alternative fuels and have a hydroponic farm built inside a shipping container. Students grow native fruit and veg at the Rooftop Gardens, donating the produce to the Panther Pantry, a GSU food accessibility service. The Sustainable Features Lab, part of the Urban Studies Institute, researches food, energy, and urban management sustainability issues, and welcomes the submission of ideas from anyone – a little-known fact!

The city of Atlanta has received many accolades for its climate commitments, adopting a Climate Action Plan in 2015 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The city has a goal of being powered with 100% clean energy by 2035. The City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Resilience is tasked with embedding resilient and sustainable best practice in government and the community, and is a good resource for information on local sustainability news and events.

The task of tackling climate change can at times seem overwhelming, but it is important that we remain hopeful as we navigate the challenges ahead. The world is full of positive stories that highlight how our creativity, solidarity, and engagement can help change mindsets and move environmental policies forwards. There is power in numbers and successes matter at all levels: whether it is something as big as your university divesting from fossil fuels, or as small as you turning down plastic bags at the grocery store, celebrate them all!

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