Thank you for your recent article in Student Life, "Pomona Falls Behind on Renewable Energy." The College has had to play a bit of "catch up" on environmental matters, but I do think the trustees are now far more aware of the issues than perhaps 5 years ago. My generation has caused most of the mess you have inherited. But believe it or not, some of us old folks can indeed look around and admit we made big mistakes by not caring for the planet's environment and are willing to try to make amends.

My hope is that every Pomona College student takes at least one EA class before graduation. In just two years, Dr Rick Hazlett and the core group of professors teaching environmental courses, and the new EA major, have attracted many students underscoring the fact that the College had a big void to fill.

It is vital that your generation does not repeat the mistakes my generation made. The way to do that is for all graduating students to have a solid knowledge of how everything we do affects our environment. Without this awareness and education, we will continue to make the bad decisions of the 20th Century, ones that neglected the environment for the sake of profit and greed.

While we've left you a terribly neglected environment, I have no doubt that if all Pomona seniors graduate with at least some background in the Environmental sciences, the first half of the 21st Century will be shaped by solid, science - based decision making that respects our natural world.

Sincerely,
Stephen M Pauley MD ('62)