Spring Break
Students promote ideals of Earth Day
Liza Atamy
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: News
The celebration of Earth Day at SJSU - and across the nation - began with alumnus Gaylord Nelson, who graduated in 1939 and founded Earth Day in 1970, according to the university's Web site.
The celebration this year was organized by the Environmental Resource Center at SJSU, and the center marked the day as the finale to Sustainability Week on campus.
"This is the biggest Earth Day we've ever had," said Katie Voegtle, director of the ERC. "We had the most vendors and the most speakers this year, and I'm really thrilled of the outcome."
Voegtle, a senior environmental studies major, was preparing for Earth Day since December along with fellow director Megan Fluke.
"It is all about promoting environmental education on campus and in the community," said Voegtle, 21. "The change has to start with us, in order to change the institutions of infrastructure."
The day featured a fair on the Seventh Street Plaza on campus, with an array of vendors who provided information and discussed ecological issues along with advice to help sustain the environment.
"Every residence contributes to the effects of the Bay," said Christine Mohanna, engineer for Silicon Valley's Environmental Services Department. "All of the hazardous chemicals that get dumped into the storm drains - from changing the motor oil in your car to gardening - eventually get dumped into the Bay.
"At the end it affects us because we drink that water," Mohanna said.
Concerned about the effects we have on our environment, Marisa Esquivel, a senior environmental science major, said she would like the campus to promote less car driving.
"The biking situation is not very good on campus," said Esquivel, 22, "and we have to do something about that."
Esquivel said she tries to implement a "green" lifestyle by recycling and buying organic food as often as possible.
"I ride my bike to school and work, and try to remind people at work to be more environmentally aware and use less paper," she said. "Anyone can do as much as I can just by making others aware."
Nick Castaneda, a senior advertising major, said he and his roommates recycle all of their bottles and cans. They use the money to donate to a nonprofit organization, he said.
"We take the money we collect from recycling and buy balls and toys to donate to the Boys and Girls Club," said Castaneda, 21.
He added that he recently learned the rain forest covers only 6 percent of the Earth.
"The interesting thing is it used to cover 14 percent of the Earth," he said. "This is because of deforestation."
Christian Rodriguez, a freshman biology major and Environmental Resource Center member, said he wanted to help others to be environmentally aware.
"One of the reasons for Earth Day on campus is so we can spread the importance of sustainability to the students," said Rodriguez, 18. "People don't know how much energy we can save if we just recycled."
Rodriguez said his main project for the Environmental Resource Center was conducting a waste audit on campus.
"We randomly selected buildings on campus, took all the trash from each building, and saw which buildings recycled more," he said. "We saw what kind of trash was thrown away and how much of it could have been recycled."
Rodriguez said of the buildings he audited, the Art Building had a lot of paper and bottles that were not recycled.
"I recycle everything," he said. "When I see someone throw away a can in the trash, I confront them about it."
Issra Dalil, a junior microbiology major, said she made it a rule for everyone in her home to recycle.
"I'm a recycling fanatic," said Dalil, 20. "I walk most of the time rather than driving, and I try to cut down the use of electricity as much as I can."
Dalil said she tries to bring awareness to others because it is an issue that cannot be neglected.
"This is a reality we see in front of us," she said. "Notice the change in weather because of global warming? We are obliged to protect our environment."
The celebration this year was organized by the Environmental Resource Center at SJSU, and the center marked the day as the finale to Sustainability Week on campus.
"This is the biggest Earth Day we've ever had," said Katie Voegtle, director of the ERC. "We had the most vendors and the most speakers this year, and I'm really thrilled of the outcome."
Voegtle, a senior environmental studies major, was preparing for Earth Day since December along with fellow director Megan Fluke.
"It is all about promoting environmental education on campus and in the community," said Voegtle, 21. "The change has to start with us, in order to change the institutions of infrastructure."
The day featured a fair on the Seventh Street Plaza on campus, with an array of vendors who provided information and discussed ecological issues along with advice to help sustain the environment.
"Every residence contributes to the effects of the Bay," said Christine Mohanna, engineer for Silicon Valley's Environmental Services Department. "All of the hazardous chemicals that get dumped into the storm drains - from changing the motor oil in your car to gardening - eventually get dumped into the Bay.
"At the end it affects us because we drink that water," Mohanna said.
Concerned about the effects we have on our environment, Marisa Esquivel, a senior environmental science major, said she would like the campus to promote less car driving.
"The biking situation is not very good on campus," said Esquivel, 22, "and we have to do something about that."
Esquivel said she tries to implement a "green" lifestyle by recycling and buying organic food as often as possible.
"I ride my bike to school and work, and try to remind people at work to be more environmentally aware and use less paper," she said. "Anyone can do as much as I can just by making others aware."
Nick Castaneda, a senior advertising major, said he and his roommates recycle all of their bottles and cans. They use the money to donate to a nonprofit organization, he said.
"We take the money we collect from recycling and buy balls and toys to donate to the Boys and Girls Club," said Castaneda, 21.
He added that he recently learned the rain forest covers only 6 percent of the Earth.
"The interesting thing is it used to cover 14 percent of the Earth," he said. "This is because of deforestation."
Christian Rodriguez, a freshman biology major and Environmental Resource Center member, said he wanted to help others to be environmentally aware.
"One of the reasons for Earth Day on campus is so we can spread the importance of sustainability to the students," said Rodriguez, 18. "People don't know how much energy we can save if we just recycled."
Rodriguez said his main project for the Environmental Resource Center was conducting a waste audit on campus.
"We randomly selected buildings on campus, took all the trash from each building, and saw which buildings recycled more," he said. "We saw what kind of trash was thrown away and how much of it could have been recycled."
Rodriguez said of the buildings he audited, the Art Building had a lot of paper and bottles that were not recycled.
"I recycle everything," he said. "When I see someone throw away a can in the trash, I confront them about it."
Issra Dalil, a junior microbiology major, said she made it a rule for everyone in her home to recycle.
"I'm a recycling fanatic," said Dalil, 20. "I walk most of the time rather than driving, and I try to cut down the use of electricity as much as I can."
Dalil said she tries to bring awareness to others because it is an issue that cannot be neglected.
"This is a reality we see in front of us," she said. "Notice the change in weather because of global warming? We are obliged to protect our environment."
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