2008 Woodie Awards
Focus the Nation holds teach-in
Stephanie De Sousa
Issue date: 2/6/08 Section: News
"There's a revolution going on, a revolution in terms of how we think about energy," Kimbus said. "This is not just a switch in fuels, such as how we switched as a culture from wood to coal to natural gas and to oil. … We're instead thinking about the consequences of our actions."
Katie Porta, OUC board president, also announced that OUC would be opening a new, energy-efficient building this fall.
"Our new home will be the greenest building in downtown Orlando," Porta said.
The building will use solar power and other environmentally friendly features.
Attendees at Focus the Nation were also given a tour of the Student Union's green roof, a sectioned-off area of the roof supporting native plants.
The area is watered using runoff water from the roof. Matt Kelly of the Stormwater Management Academy said that it saves 44 percent more energy in the summer and 49 percent more energy in the winter. He said it is not only energy- and water-efficient, but it is nice to look at as well.
A group of the Student Sustainability Alliance at UCF called Eco-Advocates petitioned to get signatures to institute a "green fee."
"It would be a 75 cents-per-credit-hour fee that students would pay to fund more sustainable practices, like getting bike trails, more recycling, solar panels, local and organic foods, that type of thing," said Eco-Advocates member Rebecca Rashkin, the sustainability assistant for the Environmental Center.
Eco-Advocates will need 6,000 signatures before its proposal can go to a referendum election.
The group also put on a recycled fashion show later in the day.
Dandelion Communitea Cafe also tabled at the event to discuss organic and locally grown foods.
The cafe uses clear cups made from corn that look like clear plastic. They also have a solar-powered worm compost where they put all the waste from their cafe.
Hunter Lovins, named TIME magazine's Hero for the Planet in 2000, opened with a presentation called "Drivers of Change: The Business Case for Sustainability and Protecting the Climate."
Lovins presented information about how businesses such as Wal-Mart and manufacturers such as DuPont are succeeding financially by making changes to reduce their carbon emissions and becoming more energy efficient and eco-friendly.
"Our society depends on reinventing how we make everything," Lovins said.
The event also featured a raffle for prizes provided by donations, an all-day environmental film festival by the Sierra Club and an environmental book sale.
The UCF Arboretum had many plants decorating the Pegasus Ballroom, as did other environmental organizations.
Focus the Nation also planned an interactive webcast called The 2% Solution about global climate change solutions but ran into technical difficulties.
"I am so pleased to see the broad range of interest and commitment to clean energy," said Penelope Canan, professor of sociology and the faculty adviser for Focus the Nation at UCF. "I'm proud of UCF."
Katie Porta, OUC board president, also announced that OUC would be opening a new, energy-efficient building this fall.
"Our new home will be the greenest building in downtown Orlando," Porta said.
The building will use solar power and other environmentally friendly features.
Attendees at Focus the Nation were also given a tour of the Student Union's green roof, a sectioned-off area of the roof supporting native plants.
The area is watered using runoff water from the roof. Matt Kelly of the Stormwater Management Academy said that it saves 44 percent more energy in the summer and 49 percent more energy in the winter. He said it is not only energy- and water-efficient, but it is nice to look at as well.
A group of the Student Sustainability Alliance at UCF called Eco-Advocates petitioned to get signatures to institute a "green fee."
"It would be a 75 cents-per-credit-hour fee that students would pay to fund more sustainable practices, like getting bike trails, more recycling, solar panels, local and organic foods, that type of thing," said Eco-Advocates member Rebecca Rashkin, the sustainability assistant for the Environmental Center.
Eco-Advocates will need 6,000 signatures before its proposal can go to a referendum election.
The group also put on a recycled fashion show later in the day.
Dandelion Communitea Cafe also tabled at the event to discuss organic and locally grown foods.
The cafe uses clear cups made from corn that look like clear plastic. They also have a solar-powered worm compost where they put all the waste from their cafe.
Hunter Lovins, named TIME magazine's Hero for the Planet in 2000, opened with a presentation called "Drivers of Change: The Business Case for Sustainability and Protecting the Climate."
Lovins presented information about how businesses such as Wal-Mart and manufacturers such as DuPont are succeeding financially by making changes to reduce their carbon emissions and becoming more energy efficient and eco-friendly.
"Our society depends on reinventing how we make everything," Lovins said.
The event also featured a raffle for prizes provided by donations, an all-day environmental film festival by the Sierra Club and an environmental book sale.
The UCF Arboretum had many plants decorating the Pegasus Ballroom, as did other environmental organizations.
Focus the Nation also planned an interactive webcast called The 2% Solution about global climate change solutions but ran into technical difficulties.
"I am so pleased to see the broad range of interest and commitment to clean energy," said Penelope Canan, professor of sociology and the faculty adviser for Focus the Nation at UCF. "I'm proud of UCF."