EnviroNews Newsletter of the Santa Clara University Environmental Studies Institute Volume XV
Spring 2002
Earth Week 2002! This year’s Earth Day Fair will be on Wednesday April 17th from 11a-3p in front of the fountain. Information about various environmental issues will be presented by organizations in the Bay Area. These organizations are always seeking interns- keep that in mind as you peruse the tables. Each year, GREEN! puts on various earth week events to celebrate Earth Day (April 22st). Earth Day began in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin Senator. Nelson stated: "The objective was to organize a national demonstration of concern for the environment so large that it would shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda." In addition to SCU-sponsored tye-dying, bike tune-ups and paper making, the following organizations will be there: ∗ ∗ ∗
∗ Silicon Valley Toxics ∗ Odwalla, Berkeley Farms Animal Protection Institute ∗
Dodge, Ford - electric cars Sparrow Honda Insight
Majors, at last.
∗ ∗ ∗
SC Water District Vegetarian starter kits Hikes in the area
∗ ∗ ∗
Earth Share Sierra Club Green Party
FAll ADVISING PIZZA AND ADVICE!
After literally years of planning, SCU officially offers Environmental Studies and Environmental Science majors. Keep reading for a brief overview of ESI academic programs.
Wednesday May 8th 5:00-6:00p Alumni Science Commons
The Minor. The Environmental Studies Institute presently offers an interdisciplinary minor designed to complement any major on campus. The minor consists of courses in specific areas of environmental studies - (cont’d on next page)
This will be a general informational meeting. Majors need to schedule appointments with Dr. Shachter. If you are a major, or would like a one-on-one advising meeting, please call x7086 to make an appointment.
What’s Inside…
Colloquia Gallore!
Ulistac Update ….………………….…..….2 Fall Classes …………..………………….…2 Genetically Modified Organisms……..3 Burrowing Owls…………………………....4 Fair Trade Coffee……….…………………5 Ecological Footprint…………….…...….5 Electronic Waste……………………….….6 ESI’s new RLC………………………………7 Calendar of Events…………………….….8
***Reminder- majors have to pick up T-Reg numbers from their advisors***
Spring quarter is loaded with colloquia. Remember to look for and sign the green sign-in book to receive credit. Thursday, April 18th at 8:00p Michelle Marvier, SCU: Potential Environmental & Health Risks of Genetically Modified Crops. Daly Science 207 Wednesday, May 1st at 5:00p Fair Trade Coffee- Brass Rail, Benson Continued on page 4……
Majors (cont’d)
Ulistac Update!
scientific foundation, statistics, ethics, economics, social and cultural dimensions, and political and legal issues. The minor gives a broad overview - breadth - to environmental studies. The Majors: The NEW environmental science and environmental studies B.S. degrees offer both depth and breadth of study. The B.S. in Environmental Science has a natural science focus. The foundational lower division courses for this include science majors' natural science and math sequences, and ethics and social science. Advanced, upper division courses in ecology, environmental engineering and other areas provide natural science depth to the program. Such degrees are widely accepted as strong, "stand alone" science degrees. The Environmental Studies B.S. degree has an interdisciplinary, social science focus. The degree is offered as a companion degree where a student majors in an established B.S. or B.A. program such as Political Science, Economics or Communication and in Environmental Studies as a second major. The Environmental Studies major can be paired with any other major in Arts and Sciences, Engineering, or Business. The Environ. Studies degree is not a "stand alone" major but provides an integrated, interdisciplinary dual degree opportunity for undergraduates.
SPRING ADVISING PIZZA AND ADVICE!
Wednesday, May 8th Alumni Science Commons 5:30-6:30pm
Wildflowers sprouting. paying off recommend
are blooming and few weeds are Thanks for all of your hard work, it is right now. Even if not to work, I visiting UNA.
Most of the action is in the garden itself or very near. The first ridge just north of the garden is awash in California poppies, and there are some more out along the main trail in the first woodland past the Hetch Hetchy meadow on the left of the pathway. In the garden itself, we have a nice scattering of Five Spot and Lupine coming up in the red bark mulched areas, as well as the poppies. Several varieties of Ceanothus are in bloom, their flowers ranging from pale blue to a deep rich periwinkle. Sages are blooming too. Several butterflies were seen, including Painted Lady, Common Checkered Skipper, and some sort of small Blue. The Kites are nesting in the eucalyptus, although we are alarmed at the presence of aggressive crows harassing the Kites pretty severely.
Spring Planting Days, Saturdays from 10a-2p
April 20th May 18th
Bring a sack lunch and something to drink Take Lafayette to Hope Dr. (About 3.5 miles). Right on Hope, Left on Lick Mill Blvd. UNA is on the right. Visit www.scu.edu/envs/Ulistac or DS 204 for details.
Fall Classes: Envs 1: Intro. to Environmental Science Anthro 3: Intro Social/Cultural Anthro Biol 8: Ecosystems of the Bay Area L&L Biol 10: Intro to Evolution and Ecology Biol 13: Investigations: Evol & Eco L&L Chem 11: General Chemistry I L&L Econ 5: Introduction to Economics Econ 11: Markets and Prices Hist 85: Intro: U.S. Environment History Hist 184: American Historical Geography Math 8: Introduction to Statistics Math 11: Calculus & Analytic Geom I Poli 1: Introduction to U.S. Politics Poli 25: Intro to Intl Relations Soc 1: Principles of Sociology Mktg 181: Principles of Marketing Ceng 143: Environmental Engineering L&L
Do Genetically-Modified Crops Pose Risks for the Environment? by Michelle Marvier Assistant Professor of Biology
Genetic modification is a suite of molecular techniques used to move genetic material (genes) into living cells. Genetic modification allows transfer of genes across highly unrelated species, even across kingdoms. These techniques have been used to develop genetically modified (GM) animals, such as salmon, as well as a wide variety of GM crop plants including corn, soybean, cotton, and canola. Recent polls have found that over half of all Americans have never even heard of GM crops. Yet Americans are consuming GM foods every day. In fact, farmers have rapidly adopted GM crop varieties. US acreage devoted to these crops rose from about 8 million acres in 1996 to over 75 million acres in 2000. And most major brands of corn chips and breakfast cereals contain GM ingredients. The goal of genetic modification is to improve crops in some way (e.g. enhanced production, flavor, nutrition, or shelflife). Proponents of GM varieties have emphasized the possible benefits of GM crops for humanity and for the environment. On the other hand, a diverse coalition of environmental groups has highlighted the potential harm that these crops could cause. The two largest concerns regarding environmental effects are: 1.) gene transfer between crops and weedy relatives, which could lead to production of “super weeds” and 2.) effects on non-target organisms, such as monarch butterflies. The US government has established a complex regulatory system to assess the environmental safety of each GM crop variety before it can be commercially produced. I recently evaluated the design and statistical rigor of experiments used by industry to test the safety of transgenic plants for non-target organisms as required under United States regulations. I found that a few simple improvements in experimental design could greatly increase the rigor and information content of studies required under current regulations. For example, although most experiments were conducted for 1-4 weeks, some of the tested species can live a year or more and therefore could experience much longer periods of exposure. Moreover, the number of replicates used in these studies was generally quite small (usually 2-6 replicates per treatment), resulting in weak experiments that had little chance of detecting real effects. Clearly, sample sizes should be bolstered and nonsignificant results should be accompanied by an analysis of statistical power. These simple and relatively inexpensive improvements would greatly increase the believability of industry’s claims that GM crops are ‘safe’ for the environment. I have not argued that GM crops do in fact represent some terrible risk, but rather that it is not irrational to consider whether they might entail risks. Given this, we should test for risks in a rigorous and informative way. It is important to raise awareness about the environmental safety of food production, not to create panic or hysteria, but rather to be sure that our government is being vigilant. ***For more information on this topic, join Dr. Marvier on Thursday, April 18th at 8:00p for a seminar titled Potential Environmental and Health Risks of Genetically Modified Crops. This will talk place in Daly Science 207 and is sponsored by the Chemistry Department. Colloquia credit will be given.***
The New Website ESI’s spring cleaning includes a brand new website. We still have the same addresswww.scu.edu/envs, however we have a new and improved look, faster access times/ increased performance for dial-up users, a News page updated weekly providing the latest information about ESI and related organizations both on and off campus, an interactive e-mail list, and universal formatting to serve the older computers. Also, academic information for the majors is posted, the links page has been expanded and we have more information on environmental jobs/ internships. The new website is expected to debut on Friday April 19th. Be sure to check it out for the lastest information. All comments may be sent to the ESI student webmaster, David Zimbra, at dzimbra@scu.edu.
Spotting Owls - Reinventing Environmental Research by David Zimbra
02
Did you know there are threatened species living on the Santa Clara University campus right now? That’s right, a family of Western Burrowing Owls currently reside in a human-made burrow on the northeastern corner of Bellomy field. Owls Burrow? Oh Yeah! The Burrowing Owl is a small, ground dwelling owl of open country recognized for its ability to co-exist with people in a variety of urban and semi-urban areas. Burrowing owls are capable of digging their own home, although most of the time they rely upon burrowing mammals such as the American badger, foxes and ground squirrels to provide the basic tunnel and nest chamber. This burrow provides nesting, shelter, protection from predators, food storage, and a homeostatic environment to regulate body temperature. Although Burrowing Owls are most active during dawn and dusk, their hunting of large insects and small mammals occurs at night as they follow the activity cycles of their prey. In the technologically deficient days of animal behavior research, to properly study the owls a scientist would spend countless hours traveling to and from burrows, setting up research equipment, and waiting for activity at the burrow to make observations. In a joint effort between ESI and the OMIS department, a group of students undertook a project last quarter to facilitate the study of these owls without diminishing the quality of observations; they used video and website technology. Their mission was to create a system that allowed researchers worldwide to view the activity of the owls at the burrow, record observations, and search the database of past observations to learn about the owls’ pattern of activity. Another goal of the remote video system was for autonomy: allowing it to be implemented anywhere in the wild to observe a stagnant subject without having to rely on power or video transmission lines. The system was wireless, transmitting a live video stream of the burrow to the web. Here researchers could take observations of owl activity any time of day, from any computer. In addition to benefits for researchers, the site provides an intimate and educational view of the owls for the general public; they can view the owl’s activity at the burrow, read academic papers for background information on the owls, and search the database for past observations. After a successful period of testing and presentations last quarter, the prototype system developed by the OMIS team is currently down for improvements. This quarter, a team of students from the mechanical engineering department will be making upgrades to the remote video system including security, light sensing, motion sensing, and a solar power system. By Summer 2002, the system will be fully operational and permanently streaming video over the web. Soon people worldwide will be able to spot the SCU owls too! If you would like more information, visit the future website home of the SCU Burrowing Owl at http://cseserv.engr.scu.edu/owls/home.html or email dzimbra@scu.edu.
Colloquia Galore (Cont
d)
Saturday May 4th at 3:45p - J. Baird Callicott, UNT: The Pragmatic Power & Promise of Theoretical Environmental Philosophy. Wiegand Room, Arts &Sciences Building Tuesday. May 7th at 4:30p- Bill Boruki, NASA: Looking for Other Earths, DS 207 Friday, May 10th at 6:00p - Daniel Klein (SCU), Ted Lewis (SVTC) and Chad Rafael (SCU) Forum: EWaste Responsibility deSaisset Museum (GREEN!) Friday, May 17th at 3:00p- Joseph DeRisi, UCSF: Genomics: From Yeast to Malaria. Alumni Sci. 120 Tuesday, May 28th at 4:30p –Barry Bloomberg, National Astrobiology Instit.: What is Life? DS 207 For more details about these events, stop by DS 204.
Fair Trade Coffee May Day
How Big IS Your Footprint?
May 1st, 5 p Brass rail
“Today, the United States stands virtually alone among the industrialized nations in officially ignoring the historical and political significance of May Day for the Labor movement” (Michael Thomas, May Day in the USA: A Forgotten History). This year, SCU will celebrate May Day as “International Workers’ Day Commemoration: Fair Trade for A Fair World”. The event will highlight present struggles of international workers, while emphasizing how our domestic role as consumers in a fair trade market can create a more just and humane economy. The Rainforest Trading Company, an exporter of Fair Trade coffee in Oaxaca Mexico, will speak about the present situation of coffee farmers in the global economy and the benefits of the Fair Trade model. The speaker has been arranged through the Fair Trade Department at Global Exchange, a human rights Non-Governmental Organization based in San Francisco. Small farmers have never had money to cut down forests or to purchase large amounts of chemical fertilizers. They have passed down sustainable farming techniques to their children. Fair Trade Certified ensures that these small, sustainable farmers are paid fair wages. About 85% of Fair Trade Certified coffee is shade grown and organic. Similarly, over half of the certified organic coffee is Fair Trade cooperatives. Unless the coffee is Fair Trade Certified, there is no guarantee the farmer received the benefits. Coffee is the central item of discussion, but Fair Trade certification includes cocoa, bananas, crafts, and rugs. Indeed this is an issue that applies to the environment, economics, business, social sciences, and religion. Fair trade advocates hope the issue will be a recurring through individual purchase choices. Come to the May Day forum to learn more about how what we buy affects people around the world.
The average U.S. citizen requires 30 acres of the Earth’s surface to support his or her current lifestyle. In comparison, the average Canadian requires 20 acres, and the average Italian less than 15. In stark contrast, a person living in Afghanistan or Bangladesh utilizes only 1 acre to support their lifestyle. Are you an average U.S. citizen? Find out by calculating your personal or household ecological footprint. There are many footprint calculators out there that are very simple and rely on national averages, but if you really want an accurate footprint analysis visit the website listed below. You will have a clear understanding of how specific activities you engage in affect your impact on natural resources and you will be better prepared to choose effective consumption reducing strategies.
www.esb.utexas.edu/drnrm/ecoftprnt/footprint.htm www.rprogress.org/programs/sustainability/ef/ Important note: Nature currently provides about 5 acres of productive space for every person on Earth. With a global population of 10 billion projected for the year 2050, the available space will be reduced to 3 acres. These numbers include room for the 25 million other species on the planet. From the numbers listed above we can see that many of us use more than our fair share. Because U.S. citizens and citizens of other developed countries use more, poorer countries must use less. Already, humanity's footprint is over 30% larger than what the world can sustainably provide. Excel spreadsheet calculator: www.rprogress.org/programs/sustainability/ef/ef_household _evaluation.xls Sources: Redefining Progress (info@rprogress.org), and Ecological Footprint of Nations: www.ecouncil.ac.cr/rio/focus/report/english/footprint/
Work with Bats this Summer!! Dr. Dave Johnston will be surveying for bats along the Guadalupe River watershed and tidal areas (Alviso Slough) to develop a database to begin establishing population trends of Yuma bats (Myotis yumanensis), a riparian obligate species dependent upon aquatic emergent insects. Because Yuma bats likely bioaccumulate contaminants and heavy metals, the long term monitoring of Yuma bats could be an invaluable tool to help determine the health of the Guadalupe River watershed and San Francisco Bay ecosystems. Dr. Johnston is hiring SCU students to help survey for bats, to conduct dietary analyses, and to provide bat programs to the public through educational organizations and schools. If you are interested in being paid to work on bats this summer with a small team of students and volunteers, please contact Christine Dindia in Daly Science 204.
E-waste is ours to deal with, not Asia's by Chad Raphael Assistant Professor of Communication Chinese villagers smashing our computers' lead-laden monitors for $1.50 a day, contaminating the town's drinking water. Their children playing in toxic ash heaps from burned circuit boards. These disturbing images, from a report on trade in electronic waste issued by environmentalists last week, make it more urgent to take action here at home. Five principles should guide our response. PLUG THE TOILET. The 1989 Basel Convention bans exports of hazardous waste from rich to poor nations. We're the only developed country that hasn't taken responsibility for its own mess by ratifying the treaty. The world's poorest, who have enjoyed the least of the information age's fruits, shouldn't have to swallow the bulk of its waste. Plugging the toilet spurs government and industry to act. When California banned the cathode ray tubes in TVs and PCs from its landfills, State Senator Byron Sher quickly introduced a bill to charge upfront fees on products that contain the tubes, which will pay for recycling this especially hazardous waste. The Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group offered qualified support for the bill. BUILD OUR RECYCLING BASE. Our recycling infrastructure is woefully inadequate. We hurled 3.2 million tons of e-waste into our own landfills in 1997, a figure that could quadruple in a few years, says the Environmental Protection Agency. Until recently, manufacturers and consumers haven't had economic incentives to recycle. That's because the full social and environmental costs of handling old electronics haven't been borne by their makers or reflected in sticker prices. Costs have been shifted to poor countries that get our exports and local taxpayers, who could be responsible for an estimated $1 billion in hazardous waste charges in California alone over the next five years. Voluntary plans that allow companies to decide whether to reclaim their old stuff won't do the job. IBM, one of the more enlightened manufacturers, will recycle your computer now for $30. But IBM only gets about 200 computers back per month, a miniscule percentage of the millions it sells to Americans annually. Having all manufacturers offer or support recycling and setting specific goals for how much e-waste to keep out of the landfill are the best options. State Senator Gloria Romero's bill would require both. Universal recycling will also ensure a level playing field for industry so responsible companies don't suffer competitive disadvantages. FOSTER PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY. Europe will soon require electronics makers to take back their products when consumers are done with them. When companies know their products will return like boomerangs they will want to design components that rely on fewer dangerous materials and are easily disassembled for reuse or recycling. Producers will invest in research and development and marketing towards these socially valuable ends. Manufacturers can demand that suppliers provide greener hardware and less bloated software that needs less memory and processor power. Best of all, manufacturers could pursue lower-waste business models such as upgrading and refurbishing equipment, or boosting network computing, which puts software and processor power on a central server that can be accessed by older terminals. REWARD THE GOOD PLAYERS. Take-back laws should offer incentives to companies to compete on grounds of environmental quality. Companies that are redesigning their products and building reputable recycling programs should be rewarded. Ideally, disposal fees charged to consumers or manufacturers would be based in part on the amount of toxics and the amount of reusable material in the product. MAKE CHANGE FROM THE BOTTOM UP. Some in industry say wait until a national e-waste dialogue solves the problem. But national talks have gone slowly, and local taxpayers and Asian villagers can't wait. It's up to the states to build momentum for federal action. California is known for technological innovation and environmental leadership. Let's innovate together. This article appeared in the San Jose Mercury News, March 8, 2002
Education for a Sustainable Future (ESF) Santa Clara University is committed to educating students for competence, conscience and compassion. We recognize that our students, here in Silicon Valley and from throughout the world, will create businesses and work in industries that lead the way for development globally. Our students will go on to have children, buy material goods, and vote in local, state and national elections. Our students, generation after generation, will need to create a sustainable society and we, as educators, must provide them with the motivation and competence to build a sustainable future. To this end, we have established a residential learning community focused on Education for a Sustainable Future (ESF). The Sustainable Future RLC will focus on issues related to the environment and society with courses in the natural and social sciences as well as the humanities. All students will be enrolled in a 2-unit course, ENVS 99 - Special Topics in Environmental Kids on Campus Fundraiser!
Help support Kids on Campus. The little darlings and their parents are selling t-shirts to help fund the oncampus day care service. To order a t-shirt, check out humanitees.com, pick out your favorite shirt (ranging from $10-$12) and email the product number, size and quanitity to Kathleen Schneider at kvschneider@scu.edu. Order must be placed by Friday April 19th. Payments for the shirts must made by April 30th with checks payable to Kids on Campus. If you would like more information, please contact Kathleen at knschneider@scu.edu.
The Future of Bart
Energy Efficiency
Would you like to have a say in where the BART stations should be located when BART is expanded into the South Bay? Then take part in the planning discussions: Thursday April 18th at 6p at the First Methodist Church in SJ; or Monday April 22nd at 6p at the Santa Clara Senior Center. Workshops sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.
The City of San Jose’s Environmental Services Department will be conducting energy efficiency workshops over the next few months. For more information, call 408-277-4313. • • • • •
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April 22- O.B. Whaley Elementary School (2655 Alvin Ave.) April 24- Mayfair Community Center (2039 Kammerer Ave.) April 28- Sherman Oaks Comm. Center (1800A Fruitdale Ave.) May 11- Watson Community Center (1082 E. Jackson St.) May 19- Berryessa Community Center (3050 Berryessa Rd.) June 5- McKinley Neighborhood Center
Environmental Art Exhibit Deborah Kennedy is the Artist in Residence at WORKS, an alternative art space in downtown San Jose. WORKS; 30 N. 3rd Str.; San Jose; 295-8378; www.workssanjose.org Friday, April 19th, 7-9:00p Open Studio: The Tapestry of Life Today, humans are causing a mass extinction of plants and animals across our globe. KennedyÆs installation represents this annual loss of an estimated 25,000 species. Friday, May 17th, 7-9:00p Open Studio: New Work Kennedy will share new work created during her Artist-in-Residence. Friday, May 24th, 7-9:00p Slide lecture and Performance Slide Lecture: From Berlin to Berkeley Kennedy will present her early work on the Berlin Wall, and current work focusing on social and environmental themes. Performance: Bona Dea: What World Is This? Bona Dea, mother of the horned god Pan, returns to find a new world where many ancient truths have been forgotten. No children for the performance, due to truth in content.
CCalendar alendar ooff EEve ven ts ennts April Wednesday April 17th from 11a3p SCU Earth Day Fair Thursday, April 18th at 8p Michelle Marvier, SCU: Potential Environmental & Health Risks of Genetically Modified Crops. DS 207 Saturday, April 20 from 10a-2p Ulistac Planting Day Sunday, April 21 from 11a-4p HEJ Earth Day Festival Roosevelt Park, 901 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose (Corner of Santa Clara & 19th St)
Saturday, April 27th- Silicon Valley Toxics Tour, TBA
Environmental Studies Institute Daly Science 204 Santa Clara University 500 El Camino Real Santa Clara, CA 95053
May Wednesday, May 1st at 5:00p Fair Trade Coffee- Brass Rail, Benson Saturday, May 4th at 3:45p J. Baird Callicott, UNT: The Pragmatic Power & Promise of Theoretical Environmental Philosophy Wiegand Room, A&S Tuesday, May 7th at 4:30p- Bill Boruki, NASA: Looking for Other Earths DS 207
May (cont d) Friday, May 17th at 3:00pJoseph DeRisi, UCSF: Genomics: From Yeast to Malaria. Alumni Sci 120 Saturday, May 18th from 10a-2p Ulistac Planting Day Tuesday, May 28th at 4:30p – Barry Bloomberg, National Astrobiology Institution: What is Life? DS 207
Wednesday, May 8th at 5p- ESI Advising & Pizza, Alumni Sci. Friday, May 10th at 5:00p Forum: Recycling
Phone: (408) 551-7086 Fax: (408) 554-2312 ESI Email: ashachter@scu.edu www.scu.edu/envs
EnviroNews is prepared by Christine Dindia. Comments or Suggections? Send to mdindia@scu.edu