After standing before a multitude of people at Capitol Hill to take the oath of office, President Barack Obama already is making plans to improve the environment.

Senior Professor of Biology Roger Boyd said as a largely urban society, the United States takes the environment for granted.

“Everything we depend on for our survival and livelihoods comes from or is supported in some way by the environment,” Boyd said.

So, he said, if it is not functioning properly, people will not have these resources.<br/>Freshman Lauren Nelson believes the environment is an issue of concern. Freshman Lauren Nelson believes the environment is an issue of concern. <br/>"(This is) the only home we have," she said. "(This is) the only home we have," she said.
Freshman Lauren Nelson believes the environment is an issue of concern.
“(This is) the only home we have,” she said.

Nelson thinks if people take small steps now, the need to take larger steps in the future may be eliminated.

One of Obama’s plans is to take action on reducing emissions of air pollutants leading to global warming.

Earth We Are President Justine Greve said as global warming is affecting people, the issue is becoming more apparent and urgent and she believes little changes will have big effects.

Another one of Obama’s goals is to lower carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050.

“I think it sounds good,” Greve said. “I don’t know how practical it is.”

Despite her doubts, Greve said other countries have done it and 2050 is still more than 40 years off.

“It’s a possibility we can make those changes,” she said.

Nelson believes this goal is possible, but only if Democrats and Republicans work together.<br/>She said it will take a variety of legislation because it's not just automobile emissions, but residential and industrial emissions also  are causing global warming.She said it will take a variety of legislation because it's not just automobile emissions, but residential and industrial emissions also  are causing global warming.
She said it will take a variety of legislation because it’s not just automobile emissions, but residential and industrial emissions also  are causing global warming.

Obama’s environmental goals take on economic issues as well. He wants to put a windfall profits tax on oil companies with substantial profits, in order to give families $1,000 rebates to pay bills.

Obama wants to swap a limited amount of light oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for heavy crude oil to help lower gas prices since light oil is easier and therefore less expensive for refiners to process into gasoline and other fuel products.

While Greve liked Ralph Nader the best out of all the candidates, she did like Obama and supported him as the most practical choice. She said he will help the environment more than his opponent, John McCain, would have.

"They both had goals to reducing emissions," Greve said. "But it's more likely Obama will take that issue more seriously."<br/>Nelson believes Obama will do more for the environment than McCain would have.Nelson believes Obama will do more for the environment than McCain would have.<br/>"McCain is more old-school politics," she said. "McCain is more old-school politics," she said. <br/>Nelson believes McCain only addressed the environment because it was a big voter issue, but once in office he would have gone back to more traditional Republican issues.Nelson believes McCain only addressed the environment because it was a big voter issue, but once in office he would have gone back to more traditional Republican issues.<br/>"I personally am thrilled that Sen. Obama was elected," Boyd said. "Sen. McCain does believe in global warming and was interested in doing something about it but was not going to be nearly as aggressive as Obama will be.""I personally am thrilled that Sen. Obama was elected," Boyd said. "Sen. McCain does believe in global warming and was interested in doing something about it but was not going to be nearly as aggressive as Obama will be."
Nelson believes Obama will do more for the environment than McCain would have.
“McCain is more old-school politics,” she said.
Nelson believes McCain only addressed the environment because it was a big voter issue, but once in office he would have gone back to more traditional Republican issues.
“I personally am thrilled that Sen. Obama was elected,” Boyd said. “Sen. McCain does believe in global warming and was interested in doing something about it but was not going to be nearly as aggressive as Obama will be.”