The Voice - Student Newspaper

War on global warming comes to GCC campus

"Teach-In" educates students, staff on global warming issues "You people are different from anyone that ever came before you. You actually care about the environment."

Dr. Jim Reed, head of the Language Department, hit the proverbial nail on the head with this assessment, delivered on Feb. 5, the second day of the National Teach-In on Global Warming Solutions.

The Teach-In, hosted by the Green Efforts Committee and the Student Environmental Club, was comprised of 11 events geared toward raising awareness about global warming and getting students and faculty talking about how to make GCC a sustainable campus.

"We're trying to make it safer for people around us and for the environment," said Courtney Clark, president of the Student Environmental Club.

The events ranged from guided tours of the new, completely "green" Life Science building, to faculty and student presentations on global warming issues, to musical performances and sustainable snacks.

The turnout was inspiring to Clark, who led a student roundtable discussion and drafted a letter illustrating students' environmental concerns and suggestions, which was presented to GCC's President Green and sent to President Obama.

"I think it went very well overall," said Clark. "We got so much accomplished, we had a great time and we met a lot of great people who were truly interested in making a difference."

The events culminated in a panel discussion on Thursday evening, participated in by prominent members of the faculty, business community and state legislature as well as Clark and Alexa Yantas, a GCC student who painstakingly researched and documented the college's carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions.

The discussion, moderated by science professor Mary Harris, included talk of practical environmental solutions that could be effected at GCC – covering the parking lots, outfitting the buildings with solar panels, reducing paper waste – and how best to broach the subject of climate change with friends and family who are reluctant to accept the facts about global warming.

"It's not so much the data that is important, but sharing that data with people who aren't particularly scientifically-minded and getting them to understand," said Harris. The Green Efforts Committee and Student Environmental Club will next host their second Dumpster Dive on Earth Day, April 22. Students who are interested in joining the effort to make GCC more environmentally friendly can learn more at http://www.gccaz.edu/greenefforts/.

Please send comments to llemoine@gccvoice.com