Acorn

Issue date: 2/1/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Michelle Caffrey Professor of Economics Fred Curtis spoke last night about Drew's efforts to increase sustainability.

Drew University was recently one of 1600 groups nationwide to put the spotlight on global sustainability. A number of on- and off-campus groups sponsored the "Climate Change Teach-In: A Focus the Nation Event" to further educate college and public residents about environmental awareness.

First-year graduate student Samuel Laurent began the meeting by explaining the goal of the Drew Sustainability Committee-to advocate programs on campus and obtain input from the community on future solutions. He also alerted the audience of an important meeting in March. "You will be talking and we'll be the ones taking notes. We want to know what issues to work on and how we should go about it."

Assistant Professor of Biology, Jennifer Fox spoke about the International Panel on Climate Change and shared some statistics with the audience. According to a report released in the fall of 2007, the average global temperature has risen 1.5 degrees in 100 years and will climb to 12 degrees if the trend continues. "The panel is outstanding in not only understanding but getting that information to the public and the policy makers," she said.

Associate Professor of Sociology of Religion Laurel Kearns, who describes herself as an "eco-nut," took the stand flaunting her "Spirituality for Sustainability" T-shirt. She discussed how religious groups are finally uniting in order to raise awareness and incite change, though they appear to be battling against those on the scientific side of the issue, who describe global warming as a theory-"something one can have 'faith' in or not."

"What kind of world are we leaving to those who inherit the earth?" Burns said. "Halting further climate change is about changing how we live and what we value…We're all in this together."

The corporate community is finally pushing for legislation now-regulations have been promised by 2012-but is urging Washington to get much more involved. "If we don't have a functioning ecosystem, we don't have an economy," Curtis said. "Many economists don't seem to realize that."

Professor of Political Science Phil Mundo added his political standpoint with regards to the upcoming election. "Policy needs to add an aspect of persuasion-the constituents aren't so willing to make changes," he said. Out of 162 political interviews, 2,830 questions have been asked, only four of them relating to global warming.

Kristin DeValue ('09) reached out to students, excitedly publicizing RecycleMania, the environmental studies major in the works, and the construction of the new dorm.

"We need to take concrete steps to make our college a better place," she said. "It's our voice- we can ask where our money is going."

The session concluded with a series of questions from the audience, sparking the issue of recycling on campus. Panel members explained that if too many papers or cups make it into the recycling cans, the entire load goes to the trash. The committee is making efforts to add more receptacles on campus, the same way the New Jersey legislator is for the state. "This state is a laboratory for environmental problems, and, eventually, solutions," said Mundo.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools