A Carbon Neutral UMD

University of Maryland students gathered on the snow-covered McKeldin Mall on Dec. 6 to support a carbon neutrality policy that would affect 11 Maryland universities by requiring the institutions to run their campuses with entirely renewable energy and establish clean mass transportation to the schools.

The "Green Out" rally, organized by student-run group Clean Energy for UMD, took place against the backdrop of 13 wind turbine replicas constructed by the group as a representation of what the students say is one of the many clean energy resources that could be utilized to reduce the school's carbon footprint.

Clean Energy UMD along with other student groups in the Maryland Student Climate Coalition will meet with the University System of Maryland's Board of Regents in mid-February to present their carbon neutrality petition showing the student backing for the policy change.

"This isn't about reaching standards. It's about setting them," said Andrew Friedson, the university's Student Government Association president, in a speech at the rally.

An Indian Student in America

Atrayee Lahiri, 26, is from India and pursuing a Master's degree in broadcast journalism at the University of Maryland. This is her first time in the United States. All her life she experienced American schooling through missionary nuns in India, which made coming to the United States an obvious choice to study international reporting.

This year at the University of Maryland more than 10 percent of the students are international with over 150 countries represented on campus. While the university's Office of International Education Services holds events for the international students throughout the year, Lahiri insists she is happier mingling with the American students and has had a completely positive experience.

"If I wanted to meet more Indians, I would have stayed in India," Lahiri said.