Earth Day seems to come and go without as much notice as it used to. It may not be the worldwide call to arms it seemed to be when we were in elementary school, but the day is an occasion to look at how our community respects the environment surrounding us.

An important component of environmental policy is energy production. The university and its partner, Madison Gas and Electric, have addressed this important issue with a proposal to build a clean and efficient natural-gas power plant on the campus’s west side.

Finding the cash for the proposed plant may prove difficult, as the project sits in limbo and faces opposition from neighbors in the Regent neighborhood. Still, the concept is certainly an improvement over the current coal-burning plants and indicates that our utility and university acknowledge the need for clean power.

Conservation also plays an important role in environmental policy, and in this area, our university may be lacking. While the university has made some attempts to increase its energy conservation, students know all too well how many computers are left on each evening in offices and in apartments or dorms.

Additionally, important remodeling projects like Memorial Union have been sidelined as they look for the cash to get started. Such projects could generate energy efficiency that over time would far outweigh the costs of remodeling and upgrades. These projects do not seem to be a top priority at the moment, which is not a good sign for environmentalists.

Finally, transportation issues have an enormous impact on the environment. Our campus already makes excellent use of the Madison Metro bus system, even with its flaws and lack of regional coverage. However, as Madison continues to grow, more regional transportation solutions are needed.

Madison’s new mayor, Dave Cieslewicz, sees a commuter train in our city’s future that certainly has the potential to be environmentally friendly. This requires wide usage and high capital costs, with the potential for ongoing public subsidization. For these reasons, it is important to weigh the true costs and benefits of any transportation plan.

And this should be the case when evaluating any new plan that could affect our environment. Only through the cooperation of residents, business, and government can our university and community create environmentally sound solutions that work.