The Green New Deal (GND), a supposed environmental conservation plan proposed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez D-NY, has become increasingly popular among college students and professors.

I, however, a student at the University of Hartford in Connecticut, believe that not only will it be worse for the environment than our current system, but it will also drastically affect our economy in a negative way.

Many young people have been led to believe that the GND is necessary to save our planet, but they have been convinced of this through fear-mongering. It has become so bad that even the American Psychological Association has an official term called “eco-anxiety,” defined as a “chronic fear of environmental doom.”

The author of the GND, however, admits that it has less to do with the environment than it does with the economy. The Washington Post reported that Saikat Chakrabarti, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s former Chief of Staff said: “The interesting thing about the Green New Deal is it wasn’t originally a climate thing at all.” “Because we really think of it as a how-do-you-change-the-entire-economy thing.”

This is a shocking revelation when you truly think about it. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez continues to push the GND as a savior of humanity via environmental conservation, but conveniently leaves out the sweeping economic changes the GND would bring about. Chakrabarti believes the GND is about creating a more “equitable” future, and many people see this as a positive. However, according to Heritage Foundation the GND would raise national electricity costs by 12-14%. Electricity costs are already high as it is, the last thing that struggling people need is higher electric bills.

As a college student and someone who loves and wants to protect the environment, I strongly oppose the Green New Deal.