350 Stevens Point Chalks Sidewalks to Gain Attention of Students and Administration

Throughout the Spring semester, the campus organization 350 Stevens Point has written chalk messages in high-traffic areas on campus. 

The messages, which say things such as “divest from fossil fuels,” aim to raise awareness in the student body and to gain the attention of university administration. 

“They’re mainly targeted at the administration,” said Mary Chestnut, a community outreach and public relations officer for 350 Stevens Point. “Raising awareness within our student body does matter a lot because it helps get the message across and have people understand what we’re doing. But ultimately, it’s the university that cares what is written on the sidewalk.” 

The organization aims to persuade the university to divest from fossil fuels. 

UWSP is often regarded as above average in sustainability efforts. 350 Stevens Point finds that message to be misleading. 

“350 Stevens Point thinks it’s a little misleading if we are directly profiting off of fossil fuels and then we claim to be sustainable,” said Lou Flores, a co-president of 350 Stevens Point.  

“UWSP has a non-transparent investment policy,” said Flores. “We [UWSP] partner with the UWSP foundation which partners with the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni association. According to divestment campaigns across the country, approximately eight percent of our endowment funds go towards fossil fuel industries, which for the WFAA means about $362 million going directly towards the climate crisis.” 

So far, the messages have gained attention of administration. The organization met with the vice chancellor’s office.  

350 is a national organization. The name is in reference to 350 parts per million of carbon in the atmosphere, which is a pre-industrial revolution level. Right now, the world is at 420 parts per million level of carbon. 

The vision of the national organization is to focus on fossil fuels and how the world can move away from its reliance on them. 

350 Stevens Point, a chapter of the larger organization, focuses on divestment from fossil fuels at the UWSP campus.  

The group is also advocating for the shutdown of line 5, a crude oil and gas pipeline that runs through Northern Wisconsin, Michigan, and underneath the great lakes.  

Jack Orlando 

News Reporter 

[email protected]