To begin, the student groups on campus who have been advocating 100 percent renewable energy have never once asked for an immediate switch. Rather, we’ve been advocating a transition that can take place in an aggressive and achievable timeline that moves MSU off of coal and fossil fuels in general and to 100 percent renewable energy.

To be clear, this aggressive transition I speak of is not the university’s Energy Transition Plan. The university’s plan lacks any form of accountability, which would hold them to their promise of 100 percent renewable energy.

The fact that there is no goal for ending the use of coal on campus says as much. The fact that both the recent editorial and the university claim that “the technology isn’t here” says as much. The fact MSU chose the consulting firm Black & Veatch to do an energy analysis of MSU’s potential for renewable energy, a company deeply invested in the fossil fuel energy, says as much.

The facts are this: the technology is here, and it has been here for some time. Look anywhere across the country, across the world — in all latitudes and longitudes — and you’ll see. Renewable energy is being utilized in full force. The technology is here, and by committing to the continuance of 19th century energy — which was exactly what happened at the Board of Trustees meeting last Friday — we effectively are making our future transition to 100 percent renewable energy more expensive than it needs to be.

Fossil fuel energy sources are increasing in price every day. So if beginning the investment in a transition now is cheaper, then why are we celebrating the more expensive plan?

Talya Tavor, english senior and president of MSU Beyond Coal