When it comes to the other Big Ten schools, we are competitors on the field. We sport our Illini pride in the presence of the Hoosiers, Hawkeyes, Wildcats and all other Big Ten opponents, and we like to think we are the greatest school in the Big Ten — which, of course, is our own completely biased opinion.

Off the field, though, we have the potential to be one team — a team where all 14 Big Ten universities can unite and work toward one effective project. That is the hope of one University of Maryland student, Ori Gutin. He proposed an idea for a Big Ten Students Sustainability Association that would allow these schools to “share ideas, collaborate (and) get feedback” from each other regarding sustainability initiatives. 

Being from a university that takes tremendous leaps and bounds when it comes to making environmentally-friendly choices, we would love to see a program of this magnitude encompass the efforts of all 14 Big Ten schools. Currently, 11 have committed to the project, according to The Daily Illini.

Looking close to home, the University has scored highly in green initiatives, particularly in efforts relating to climate change and energy, food and recycling, transportation and administration, which is in reference to sustainability policies and plans. Our school continues to make new strides with various ongoing green projects.

As Gutin noted, bringing together the various sustainability groups that each campus has would essentially allow for a broader, collaborative conversation where each school could work toward a larger environmental issue and solution.

This is something we hope transpires. Christina Cilento, the Associated Student Government vice president of sustainability at Northwestern noted that while some sustainability projects might differ from campus to campus, there are also similarities among some of these initiatives. 

We can see these unique differences even through our own campus’ University Housing Coffee Ground Repurposing Project, for example. 

But we also imagine that many of the Big Ten schools have similar sustainability goals in mind, and we look forward to the potential outcomes of these schools coming together.

While we might often be packaged together as athletic competitors, we can acknowledge the fact that all 14 Big Ten schools have their strengths. If we could channel some of that strength into one cohesive project, we open up the possibility to make immense positive changes. And maybe in the future we can see some of these changes take place in arenas beyond sustainability.