Sunday, November 11, 2007

STUDENTS DEMAND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION

This Sunday, the Student Senate for California Community Colleges passed five resolutions on environmental sustainability:

The text of the resolutions are as follows:
16.02 F07 Systemwide Carbon Neutrality
Author: Hoa-Long Tam, College of Marin, Region3

Note: Passed by acclamation

Whereas, “A primary mission of the California Community Colleges is to advance California’s economic growth and global competitiveness through education, training, and services that contribute to continuous workforce improvement” [Education Code §66010.4(a)(3)];

Whereas, Global scientific consensus concludes that climate change is a serious threat and that human activities are the primary source of increased atmospheric concentrations of global warming gases;

Whereas, The climate change crisis will require national and international solutions, but greenhouse gases are ultimately generated locally and cities, states and other governments and organizations thorough the United States are committing themselves to lower their greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact; and

Whereas, The California Community colleges, the largest system of higher education in the world, which serves more than 2.6 million students, must take a leadership role in addressing worldwide environmental concerns;

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges finds that a vital part of advancing “California’s economic growth and global competitiveness” is ensuring a viable, livable and sustainable world for future students to enjoy;

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges work with the other California community college constituencies (faculty, staff, administration, trustees, taxpayers, etc.) at both the local and state levels to formulate a plan by the end of 2009 to make the California Community Colleges system completely carbon neutral and minimize its other environmental impacts by the year 2035; and

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges seek the full implementation plan systemwide and work with the other constituencies to update the plan no less than once every five years.

17.01 F07 Adoption of the Talloires Declaration
Author: Student Senate Council
Amended by: Michael James Seidenberg, Moorpark College, Region 6


Whereas, The depletion of natural resources, the accumulation of toxic waste, and deforestation threaten the biodiversity of the planet and the integrity of the earth;

Whereas, Higher education systems educate a vast majority of the people who develop and manage institutions in our society and therefore have the responsibility to create programs to teach environmental literacy to all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, and to develop techniques to promote the efficient and sustainable use of energy, water, and other natural resources;

Whereas, The California Community College system has the largest student enrollment with 2.5 million students, and therefore must be a leader in the effort to develop techniques to promote the efficient and sustainable use of energy, water, and other natural resources; and

Whereas, The Talloires Declaration encourages all colleges and universities to engage in education, research, policy formation, and the exchange of information on population, environment, and development to move toward global sustainability;

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges sign the Talloires Declaration as a first step to engage a unified commitment to an environmentally sustainable future.

17.02 F07 Transportation
Author: Ryan Kaplan, Cabrillo College, Region 4


Whereas, Following the 2006 passage of landmark bill AB 32 (the Global Warming Solutions Act), California has set rigid standards and a timeline to sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions;

Whereas, Community Colleges are known to be "commuter schools," which clearly have a major impact on transit systems and air quality;

Whereas, Public transit, carpooling and bicycling are all environmentally sustainable means of transportation; and

Whereas, AB 2766 (Sher 1998) allocates funds to support air district-operating planning, monitoring, enforcement and technical studies necessary to implement the California clean Air Act and those available funds to non-profit organizations (including colleges) as grants to study and reduce transportation impacts;

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges encourages associated student organizations to work with their districts' facilities directors to conduct a carbon footprint assessment of their districts, setting goals and timelines for transportation-related emissions reduction;

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges recommends that California community colleges apply with their regional Air Districts for AB 2766 grant funds to support programs to encourage alternative, sustainable and public transportation and bicycle accommodations, and to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips to and from campuses;

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advises local senates to work with their administrators and regional transportation organizations to reduce costs for public transportation passes; and

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocates for full and consistent funding of public transportation in the state budget.

17.03 F07 Waste Mitigation
Author: Ryan Kaplan, Cabrillo College, Region 4

Note: Passed unanimously

Whereas, California generates 92 million tons of waste annually;

Whereas, The 72 community college districts under AB 75 (Strom-Martin, 1999) to divert at least 50 percent of their waste by source reduction, reuse, recycling, composting or by other means, and a current bill, SB 1020 (Padilla, 2007), aims to increase waste diversion mandates to 60 percent by 2012 and 75 percent by 2020;

Whereas, California's community colleges control annual budgets of enormous purchasing power for material goods, and purchasing departments generally abide by procurement policies; and

Whereas, Organizations like the Foundation for California Community Colleges research broker discounts with vendor for all community colleges;

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges asks local senates to audit their college district waste stream, and work with maintenance and operations staff to ensure that waste diversion for recycling is maximized in all district operations;

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges encourages local senate to work with district purchasing departments to prioritize the procurement of sustainable and recycled-content materials as a district policy;

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges requests the Foundation for California Community Colleges to work with the California Integrated Waste Management Board to develop environmentally preferable purchasing guidelines and agreements with recycled product manufacturers; and

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges supports more strict mandates for waste diversion in the State of California.

17.04 F07 Sustainability
Author: Christine Javier, Pasadena City College, Region 7
Amended by: Chuck Rogers, Butte College, Region 1


Whereas, The awareness and assessment of sustainable practices on California community college campuses is neglected or minimal;

Whereas, We feel it necessary to provide environmental literacy to the California community college population at large to circumvent our wasteful practices and implement new measures to repair our environment and promote the efficient and sustainable use of energy, waste and other natural resources;

Whereas, the Chancellor's Office and the Student Senate for California Community Colleges are in need of assembling a body in which environmental, social, and economical concerns may be addressed and tackled; and

Whereas, The Student Senate for California Community Colleges does not have a standing committee to deal with sustainability issues;

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges work with the Consultation Council to form a group, which would include a student representative and broad representative from other constituent groups and Chancellor's Office staff, to address issues of environmental, social and economic concerns in California community colleges; and

Resolved, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges form a standing committee called the Sustainability Advisory Committee to deal with issues as they arise.

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Hoa Long Tam
Student Trustee, Marin Community College District
President, College of Marin Student Senate
SS120, 835 College Ave., Kentfield, CA 94904
Tel 415.485.9390 Fax 415.456.7770

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