In response to the growing concerns about environmental problems on college campuses, the National Wildlife Federation has established a program to address greenhouse gases and the global picture on a local level.

The Cool It! program was established on a temporary basis in conjunction with Earth Day 1990, but will continue indefinitely because of the overwhelming response, said Cindy Wilkinson, NWF's administrative assistant to Earth Day.

College students have often been criticized for their materialistic goals and social discontent, but a recent study shows they are concerned about the environment, she said.

"Young people are very concerned and aware about the environment," Wilkinson said. "They can't get away from the fact that the things they do have an impact on environment."

Kristen Brown, northeast coordinator for the Cool It! campaign, said the program has had incredible success, already establishing 170 certified Cool It! programs on college campuses all across the country.

Although 17 colleges in Pennsylvania run these programs, University Park does not have a Cool It! program. Brown emphasized it is not too late to join.

In order to establish a certifiable Cool It! program on campus, Brown said the members must fulfill three criteria:

-- The project must have measurable results, such as a project to decrease the use of fossil fuels on campus.

-- The project must be sustainable so it will not die when the founding members graduate. This is accomplished by working with administrators and underclassmen, as well as seniors.

-- The group has to reach out and pull in many diverse groups on campus, such as minority groups and business groups. This is important because many times environmentalists end up speaking only with other environmentalists, Brown said.

Among the many resources that the national organization can provide to each program is a public service announcement by the rock group REM about hazards of environmental destruction, she said.

Eric Rocereta, chairman for the Cool It! campaign and vice president of the Altoona Campus student government, said the campus has already set up a program as part of the student government. The program is important because it will get people prepared for the time when close monitoring of fossil fuels and large-scale recycling will be a part of everyone's life, Rocereta said.

To accomplish this exposure, the program at Altoona has two main projects underway, he said. A recycling program was begun earlier this year along with an effort to get more trees planted on the campus in the future, Rocereta said.

"People should get out and get involved and not just sit around and watch everything happen," Rocereta said.