The Role Of Students In Realizing A Go Green Lifestyle

Global environmental issues, such as global warming and air pollution, are increasingly
worrying. To deal with this, the "Go Green" lifestyle is one of the important steps that needs to
be implemented at all levels of society, including students. Students have great potential as
agents of change who can educate and motivate people to live this environmentally friendly
lifestyle. Furthermore, this essay will discuss the definition of Go Green, the role of students
in implementing it, concrete steps that can be taken, challenges faced, and its positive impact
on the environment. The writing of this essay is intended to invite students to implement the
Go Green program which can have a positive impact on students and the environment. The
results of the literature analysis show that the Go Green on-campus program can be carried out
well if there is support from various parties, especially the involvement of the campus (students
and lecturers), as well as support from the government.
Go Green is a greening movement that aims to anticipate damage to the earth due to
industrial pollution, vehicle emissions, and leakage of the ozone layer which leads to global
warming. According to Titik Setyowati (2013), Go Green is an effort to restore and preserve
the earth by implementing environmentally friendly behaviors such as reducing pollution and
preserving ecosystems. This movement encourages people to adopt more environmentally
responsible behaviors, such as reducing carbon emissions, using renewable energy sources, and
supporting waste recycling.
As agents of education and social activists, students have an important role to play in
realizing a greener environment. As educated individuals, we as students have great potential
in raising environmental awareness among our campus friends and the wider community. This
can be done by organizing seminars, discussions, or campaigns through social media to
promote or introduce environmentally friendly behavior. By utilizing social media, important
messages can be disseminated quickly and effectively. In addition, students can also provide
direct examples by implementing environmentally friendly lifestyles in their daily lives, such
as reducing the use of plastic bags, supporting recycling programs, and saving electricity in
their respective dormitories, boarding houses, or residences. Through this role, students can
encourage broader behavior change among the community.
Concrete steps to support the Go Green lifestyle can start with students' daily habits.
For example, by choosing to walk or cycle when going to campus because the distance is close,
which indirectly reduces air pollution caused by motor vehicle exhaust fumes. In addition, we
can organize environmentally friendly campus activities, such as planting trees around campus,
cleaning the environment and classifying types of waste, recommending the use of tumblers to
reduce the use of plastic cups, reducing paper usage by switching to digital documents, using

energy-efficient devices such as LED lights and inverter air conditioners, and recycling items
that can still be used. These small steps make a big contribution to environmental preservation
and air quality.
However, while the Go Green lifestyle has many benefits, its implementation is not
always easy. One of the main challenges in realizing this Go Green lifestyle is the lack of
awareness or interest from some students or even the public towards environmental issues.
Many students are still unconcerned about the impact of air pollution and they tend to overlook
the importance of small steps, such as throwing garbage in its place or saving electricity. In
addition, limited supporting facilities are also an obstacle in realizing a green environment. Not
all campuses or universities have facilities such as waste recycling bins, bicycle lanes, or green
energy infrastructure. Support from the campus and government in this case is certainly needed
so that the Go Green lifestyle can run effectively. If these facilities are available, then students
will be more encouraged to implement an environmentally friendly lifestyle.
The implementation of the Go Green lifestyle certainly has a huge positive impact on
the environment and society. One of the main benefits is the reduction of air pollution. Trees
and green spaces play an important role in absorbing air pollutants such as dust particles,
nitrogen dioxide, and ozone. With more trees and green spaces in urban areas, the air quality
will improve, which in turn can improve public health. A cleaner environment can reduce the
risk of respiratory disorders, such as asthma, bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD). This shows how important it is to increase green open spaces and trees in the
environment. Thus, implementing a Go Green lifestyle can create a healthier ecosystem and
improve people's quality of life.
Overall, the implementation of the Go Green lifestyle is an important step in addressing
global environmental issues, such as global warming and air pollution. Students have the main
role as agents of change who can encourage the creation of a society that cares more about its
environment. Students can provide real examples in everyday life, from reducing emissions to
managing waste. Although there are challenges, such as the low awareness of some students
and limited facilities, small steps taken together will have a big impact on the environment.
Therefore, the role of students in creating a Go-Green lifestyle must continue to be strengthened
to create a greener and more sustainable future.