Ecological alert! Attention!

Although global warming has been occurring for millions of years, the 21st century is the century in which climate change has become a threat to the planet.

The most devastating manifestations of the effects of global warming in the form of extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts, floods, melting glaciers, loss of biodiversity or its impact on agriculture and food security have led public opinion to progressively increase its demands on the international community to implement global and effective solutions.

As Jimmy Villalobos, an environmental engineer from the University of Cundinamarca and coordinator of the Environmental Management System of the southern node, states, if we all start acting responsibly with the environment and take actions that minimize the negative impact, it is possible to achieve an improvement on the planet.

For his part, Fernando Ortegón, a technician with the Fusagasugá Department of Agriculture, has witnessed a worrying situation in his work as a technical assistant, primarily affecting farmers. He explains that just over 10 years ago, in the southern rural areas of Fusagasugá, such as Batán, Santa Lucía, and part of Guavio, farmers cultivated blackberries, a fruit that provided sustenance for their families. This fruit was planted at altitudes above 17,000 meters, but due to climate changes in recent years, growers are now forced to seek out areas above 2,000 meters to achieve a blackberry harvest, due to the two- to three-degree Celsius increase in this part of the Sumapaz province.

A similar situation exists with bean crops and other products that have had to move to higher altitude lands due to temperature changes in recent years, affecting not only the economy of the sector, but also the life of the planet.

What are we doing to take care of her?

Currently, UCundinamarca promotes a recycling program through an agreement with the Sanar Foundation, which supports the recycling of paper, cardboard, newspapers, and plastic bottle caps. At the Fusagasugá campus, 6 kg of plastic bottle caps were collected in August. At the Ubaté branch, 283.2 kg of recyclable materials were collected and donated. At the Facatativá extension, 148 kg of recyclable materials were collected and donated.

The environmental management system within the framework of the PIGA (Institutional Environmental Management Plan) seeks to promote awareness, ownership, and active participation of the 21st-century generation; through six programs with which it has been carrying out the following actions:

1. PGIR – Comprehensive Waste Management Plan:

• Installation and adaptation of Ecological Points and containers.
• Classification and collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
• Agreements with Tronex where 24 kg of batteries have been delivered since these require proper handling due to the hazardous components they contain and cannot be disposed of in the trash.
• Contract with Descont for transport, collection and final disposal of waste, where 636 kg of chemical waste from laboratories, contaminated and hazardous materials have been collected.
• Agreement with Hewlett-Packard, HP Planet, to whom 102 kg of toner have been delivered.
• Agreement with Tapas Para Sanar, where 431 kg of recyclable material and 9.6 kg of plastic bottle caps were collected and donated to help children with cancer.
• Construction or adaptation project -UTAC- for temporary storage of recyclable and non-recyclable material.
• Proper classification of 100 kg of glass.
• Source sorting; where recyclable material and ordinary waste are separated; obtaining 800 kg of paper and files.
• Management of organic waste, since some waste is recoverable and not everything should go to the trash; 600 kg have been recovered.
• CAR eco container for PET material and batteries; 100 kg of plastic have been collected.

1. PUEE – Energy Efficiency Program: Contributing to savings, generating less impact, and improving brightness

• Use of LED bulbs; a 70% at the University already has this system.
• 176 photovoltaic lamps have been installed in Fusagasugá.
• Implementation of 80 solar panels for energy supply in facilities (halls, offices, common areas and lighting of pedestrian and vehicular paths).
• Preventive and corrective maintenance program for electrical networks.
• Promote the opening of windows in offices to reduce energy consumption from the constant use of fans or air conditioning.

1. PUEA – Efficient Water Use Program:

• Using a pressure washer has saved 50% of water.
• Rainwater harvesting and utilization.
• Preventive maintenance of hydraulic networks.
• Campaigns for saving and using water efficiently.

1. PUEM – Efficient Use of Materials Program:

• Responsible use of materials, for example: paper
• Decreased impressions.
• Increase in digital documents.
• Avoid ordering extra materials from the office that could be wasted or misused
• Digital signature management.

1. PUESE – Program for the efficient use of ecosystem resources:

• Tree planting and living fences.
• Adaptation of green areas approximately 9000 m2.
• Reforestation days, planting of trees and plants, where around 4000 trees have been planted.
• 50 million has been invested in vertical gardens or green facades, in 400 m2.
• Maintenance days.

1. PRAU – University Environmental Project:

• Agreements for the acquisition of bicycles available for the educational community, mainly students, where if the University buys 20, the CAR provides another 20 bicycles.
• Campaigns promoting environmentally friendly mobilization practices.
• Bicycle parking facilities will be provided at all branches, offices, and headquarters. (Soacha has 110 spaces, Facatativá 95 spaces, and Ubaté 120 spaces.)
• Preventive maintenance of institutional vehicles.
• Inclusion programs.
• Research seed group projects.

Tips to contribute to environmental care:

• Always use a reusable bag; with every disposable bag we use, we throw a part of the planet away.
• Don't use straws, they are eternal trash because they are not biodegradable; moreover, birds and marine species are the most harmed by ingesting that plastic.
• Say goodbye to disposable bottles; they require many resources to manufacture, are used for 10 minutes, and take centuries to decompose. Always use a reusable bottle.
• Don't pour oil down the sink. It takes 1000 liters of water for every liter of oil to purify it.
• Decrease meat consumption.
• Plant and grow your own garden free of chemicals and pesticides.
• Support eco-friendly products and companies.
• Don't use aerosols and don't buy products tested on animals.
• Reduce water consumption: turn off the taps while brushing your teeth, collect the water that comes out of the shower while it's heating up, or collect rainwater that you can use for cleaning.
• Try not to turn on the lights during the day and use energy-saving light bulbs.

You might be interested in reading: The greenest and most sustainable Colombian universities in the world

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