Posted on 11/25/2001 12:49:33 PM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
Cornell student activists believe acting locally is the best way to address a problem as global as, er, global warming.
Kyoto Now!, a subset of the Cornell Greens, is putting pressure on Cornell to follow up on a commitment to reduce greenhouse gases to seven percent below 1990 levels, in accordance with the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol, the namesake of the student organization, is a treaty signed by 180 nations to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The United States has refused to sign the document, arguing the cost to the country would be excessive and disproportionate.
But activists say the U.S. produces the most greenhouse gases - nearly a quarter of the annual emissions - even though the U.S. comprises only five percent of the world's population.
In the spring, Cornell "said they would form a project team in a month or so to determine how the university would meet that goal," said Cornell Green Moss Templeton. "They haven't done it."
On Friday, organizers held a rally outside Day Hall demanding that a project team be assembled to reduce emissions. The students believe putting pressure on Cornell can help their larger goal of changing environmental policy at a national level. About 20 people assembled with pins and banners to voice their discontent through a shared megaphone, shouting "Kyoto when? Kyoto now!"
Much of the students ire was directed at Dr. Harold D. Craft Jr., Cornell's vice president for administration and chief financial officer who, in April, stated the university's commitment to the emission goals. He also noted the goals would be very difficult to achieve.
"Hal, its been seven months, where is the project team?" said first-year graduate student Doug Krisch. "The time for leadership is now!" "Global warming is a real and urgent threat to ecologies, agricultural production and coastal civilizations in all parts of the globe," said Kyoto Now! member Christopher Adams.
Cornell's vice president of public relations, Henrik Dullea responded that energy conservation "is a major priority here." "Our Lake Source Cooling project has already made an enormous difference in the energy consumed by the university, and other institutions are looking at our example," Dullea said via email. Dullea added that Kyoto Now! students were scheduled to meet with Lanny Joyce, the university's manager of engineering, planning and energy management on Friday afternoon. Joyce heads the technical team working with the students to decrease emissions. Dullea added that Craft will soon be in a position to name all the members of the project's oversight team.
The Times asked Krisch if he believes Cornell typically drags its feet on environmental issues. "Cornell is doing more than most places, however, we have started a movement here that is spreading across the nation," Krisch said. "We have goals of 200 to 300 universities all in Kyoto Now! So what happens at Cornell is an example for everyone. If they delay a few months it sets a bad precedent, so we have to keep the pressure on."
"I see Kyoto Now! as opportunity to change the future of the planet because the United States is a big barrier to global climate issues," Krisch continued. "If we get the United States to change their policies, we can change the world ... We change [policy] by putting pressure on the universities."
Krisch also cited the Lake Source Cooling Project as one example of the university's leadership, even though many environmental activists have said it is harmful to Cayuga Lake. "Lake source cooling localizes our impact instead of sending pollutants into the air," Krisch said.
But Moss Templeton acknowledged there were mixed feelings about this particular method of carbon dioxide reduction. "That's a touchy issue for a lot of people," Templeton said.
One thing about Ithaca (the City of Evil): its collective social conscience waxes and wanes with the weather. Had this been spring there would have been closer to 200 freaks out there.
Now, looking on from sunny California, all I can think is, "Let the Bastards Freeze in the Dark!", an old bumper-sticker slogan from the Jimmy Carter Oil Crisis days.
--Boris
A shame. Every major University should have a research reactor.
--Boris
And, of course, no fur coats (can't kill animals). No down coats (hurts the poor geese) and no polyester (uses petrochemicals).
Of course, they can still use wool, but some PETA people think sheering sheep hurts the sheep, so maybe they can stick with cotton batting in their coats. And since weaving cloth takes electricity, I hope they have some spindles and looms around...
The leader of the group describes himself as an anarchist, who is committed to remaining an anarchist even when he is a fully grown adult.
Since the percentage of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere is ONLY 0.03 PERCENT, I am curious if the efforts of the Cornell student activists are actually jeopardizing the woefully inadequate supply of carbon dioxide to plants?
If so, Cornell may be guilty of reducing the amount of food, so needed by the many starving nations in the world.
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