2008 Woodie Awards
F.O.C.U.S People Focus
Environmental Group Springs for Spring
By Sandra Turton
Issue date: 6/18/07 Section: Features
Did anybody happen to notice this past November, a month where people are normally zipping up jackets and complaining about the sniffles, people were actually in t-shirts soaking up the sun? Did you think it was the coolest thing ever or something was not right? Well if you thought the latter then you were correct. If you thought the former, well try not to get too excited. It's Global Warming. It's real, it's threatening and it's progressively getting worse. Case in point by last November's phenomena.
According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website, "Global Warming is the average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere and in the troposphere (lowest atmospheric layer), which can contribute to changes in global climate patterns. Global warming can occur from a variety of causes, both natural and human induced."
Jesse Damiano, sophomore majoring in Biology/Secondary Ed, in association with Dr. Don Wheeler, Professor in the Department of Sociology and Global Studies, are the coordinators of the new organization F.O.C.U.S. (For the Obtainment of Climate and University Solutions) on campus. The group is actually an extension of the national organization whose mission is to raise awareness on global warming and take action on a university and community level.
The organization is promoting a one day event to take place on January 31, 2008 where colleges all over the country will simultaneously hold a series of events and activities on their campuses bringing awareness to global warming. State officials are expected to attend.
Jesse says her motivation to start the group was to clear up any misconceptions about global warming and let people know it is a real and serious issue in which something must be done. She says through this organization the University has the power to better our community and our lives.
So what are the dangers of global warming? On the ecobridge.com website, it cites a study done by the World Health Organization and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that found, "160,000 people die every year from the effects of global warming from malaria to malnutrition and children in developing nations seemingly the most vulnerable. These numbers could almost double by 2020."
The website also states the environmental problem can pose a threat of mass extinction to over a thousand plants and animals, decrease the world's food production, cause heat waves, floods and forest wildfires.
Don't go stocking up on groceries just yet. According to the EPA website, college students can take action to counter effect global warming by reducing their emissions from energy they use in dorm rooms, working with school administrators to increase energy efficiency on-campus and promoting the use of renewable energy sources (green power) on-campus.
If you have further interest on the issue, you can contact Jesse Damiano for more information at jesse.damiano@gmail.com.
According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website, "Global Warming is the average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere and in the troposphere (lowest atmospheric layer), which can contribute to changes in global climate patterns. Global warming can occur from a variety of causes, both natural and human induced."
Jesse Damiano, sophomore majoring in Biology/Secondary Ed, in association with Dr. Don Wheeler, Professor in the Department of Sociology and Global Studies, are the coordinators of the new organization F.O.C.U.S. (For the Obtainment of Climate and University Solutions) on campus. The group is actually an extension of the national organization whose mission is to raise awareness on global warming and take action on a university and community level.
The organization is promoting a one day event to take place on January 31, 2008 where colleges all over the country will simultaneously hold a series of events and activities on their campuses bringing awareness to global warming. State officials are expected to attend.
Jesse says her motivation to start the group was to clear up any misconceptions about global warming and let people know it is a real and serious issue in which something must be done. She says through this organization the University has the power to better our community and our lives.
So what are the dangers of global warming? On the ecobridge.com website, it cites a study done by the World Health Organization and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that found, "160,000 people die every year from the effects of global warming from malaria to malnutrition and children in developing nations seemingly the most vulnerable. These numbers could almost double by 2020."
The website also states the environmental problem can pose a threat of mass extinction to over a thousand plants and animals, decrease the world's food production, cause heat waves, floods and forest wildfires.
Don't go stocking up on groceries just yet. According to the EPA website, college students can take action to counter effect global warming by reducing their emissions from energy they use in dorm rooms, working with school administrators to increase energy efficiency on-campus and promoting the use of renewable energy sources (green power) on-campus.
If you have further interest on the issue, you can contact Jesse Damiano for more information at jesse.damiano@gmail.com.