03-26-2015

thursday, march 26 - SUNDAY, march 29, 2015 • VOLume 101 • ISSUE 54

REad, recycle,

REPEAT. The go green issue

PRINT EDITION

aztec adventures p3 • power save campus p4 • green love p5 • eco-friendly campus map p6-7 • green majors p8 • green fest p10 • eco eats p11 photos by jenna mackey, photo editor; design by cameron salce, production designer

THE GO GREEN ISSUE

MARCH 26 - 29, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: KELLY HILLOCK • FEATURES@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

THE GO GREEN ISSUE

READ, RECYCLE, REPEAT. KELLY HILLOCK FEATURES EDITOR ____________________________

G

oing green and being environmentally conscious is something San Diego State prides itself on. The Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union is LEED Platinum certified, which is the highest standard in environmentally sustainable buildings.

But the student union is just one of many examples of the Aztec commitment to doing right by Mother Nature — from environmentallyfocused majors (pg. 8) to the Associated Students committee driving the

force behind SDSU’s green initiatives (pg. 5), to the much anticipated Greenfest event (pg.

10). This issue celebrates the ways in which our campus is dedicated to creating a greener Earth and making sure our home on Montezuma Mesa is sustainable and energy efficient.

When you’re finished reading this issue, be sure to discard it in one of the many recycling bins on campus, pass it to a friend or find a way to reuse the paper for an art project. No matter what you decide, be sure to do your part to contribute to campus sustainability and check out this week’s regular content online.

Read, recycle, repeat with this year’s Go Green 2015 issue.

JENNA MACKEY, PHOTO EDITOR

S W NE RYONE EVE DS REA Y L I A D

THE DAILY AZTEC NEWSPAPER • THEDAILYAZTEC.COM • THE AZTEC APP

MARCH 26 - 29, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: KELLY HILLOCK • FEATURES@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

THE GO GREEN ISSUE

#AZTECADVENTURES

Adventure group leaves no trace THANE HALE STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ Aztec Adventures, a program of San Diego State’s Aztec Recreation division of Associated Students, organizes outdoor trips with lessons on leadership and environmental responsibility.

The program offers activities, such as camping, hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, canoing and whitewater rafting.

The program members also run team challenges for those interested in promoting teamwork in their organizations, and supervise the rockclimbing wall in the Aztec Recreation Center.

The aim of the outdoor trips is, in part, to provide people with peace of mind.

“For many people it can be spiritual, it can be rejuvenating or therapeutic,” Outdoor Programs Coordinator Jim Lustig said. “It can be a time to be with friends or family and away from, especially today, all the technological distractions.”

As head of Aztec Adventures, Lustig also ensures that the program’s practices are environmentally sustainable.

“We stole an acronym, ASAP, which we consider to mean ‘as sustainable as possible,’” Lustig said. “While we can’t be perfectly sustainable, we are striving to be as sustainable as possible.”

The program members incorporate

leave-no-trace principles into their exercise and nutritional sciences courses as well as their trips.

“We are always trying to communicate the importance of the environment to trip members,” Outings Lead Supervisor and recreation and tourism management sophomore Lauren Vollrath said.

Some leave-no-trace principles include camping on durable surfaces,

feed it to worms to get compost for the community garden.

The program members do their best to use as few vehicles as possible to reduce their gasoline usage, Lustig said.

They also try to eat at family-owned, local restaurants when on the road.

When they plan the trips, they buy food from Windmill Farms, a locallyowned supermarket focused on selling healthier foods.

“

BEING A VEGETARIAN IS A LOT MORE SUSTAINABLE THAN NOT BEING A VEGETARIAN. IT TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY AND RESOURCES TO GROW THE ANIMALS TO GET THE MEAT THAT WE EAT.”

- Jim Lustig, Outdoor Programs Coordinator

disposing of garbage properly, keeping campfires small and respecting wildlife.

The program is sustainable in a handson fashion, too, as a participant in the SDSU community garden project. The community garden is a small plot of land next to the SDSU Children’s Center.

“We’ve grown celery, tomatoes, cucumbers and squash, and we take that food on our trips,” Vollrath said.

During the trips, the outdoor leaders will collect the food waste. When they get back, they grind up the waste and

“We strive to eat organic food,” Lustig said. “We also eat low on the food chain — our menus are not meat centered.”

Vollrath said a vegetarian diet is more sustainable than an carnivorous diet.

“All of our meals are vegetarian,” Vollrath said. “Being a vegetarian is a lot more sustainable than not being a vegetarian. It takes a lot of energy and resources to grow the animals to get the meat that we eat.”

Though they serve vegetarian meals, the program members are not strictly

vegetarian.

“A lot of us eat meat, but we have a philosophy in the program. We say ‘hey, for a weekend’s time we’re trying to introduce you to a possibility,’” Lustig said. “If the food is good and nutritious, you might say, ‘maybe I don’t need red meat every meal.’”

The program members also buy high-quality equipment that is built to last, in order to reduce waste from faulty gear. On trips, they make sure to recycle and minimize the packaging and repackaging of foods. Mostly though, the program shows sustainability through what the trip members eat.

“The big way to role model sustainability truly is through food,” Lustig said. “Through where you get food, through diet and through how it is disposed of.”

Lustig hopes that if the students have a fun time with Aztec Adventures, they will want to help preserve the natural environment in the future. He hopes that seeing naturally beautiful places like Yosemite or Joshua Tree National Park will convince people of the importance of nature.

“Author Wallace Stegner said the national parks was the best idea America ever had,” Lustig said. “Yosemite is one of the crown jewels. Millions of people come from all over the world to see Yosemite, and we didn’t do anything.

The only thing we’re doing, hopefully, is leaving it alone.”

GO GREEN

MARCH 26 - 29, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: KELLY HILLOCK • FEATURES@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

Who’sWho?

#ENERGYEFFICIENCY

Program powers change

Associated Students (A.S.) is currently accepting applications for the following volunteer leadership position:

A.S. Judicial Affairs Council Justice DEADLINE: Friday, Apr. 6, 2015, 4pm Applications can be picked up in the Associated Students Office, located on the third floor of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union.

ASST. NEWS EDITOR Camille Lozano SPORTS EDITOR Kristian Ibarra ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Matthew Bain OPINION EDITOR Elpin Keshishzadeh ASST. OPINION EDITOR Anthony Berteaux ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Nick Knott ASST. ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Ryo Miyauchi FEATURES EDITOR Kelly Hillock

PowerSave meets weekly to discuss ideas for on- and off-campus projects.

JENNA MACKEY, PHOTO EDITOR

students in the dorms an incentive to actively participate.

Assistant Director of the SDSU facilities department Tom Abram helps PowerSave with its projects on a regular basis, including Campus Conservation Nationals.

“I’ve been helping them get the metering established, making sure that they have access to all the data that they need and providing some guidance and suggestions on how to succeed,” Abram said. “(PowerSave is a) great opportunity for students to get hands-on experience.

There are a lot of things that you can learn in class, but being able to have so much experience with actual projects and understanding energy systems — it’s really beneficial.”

PowerSave is also putting on an educational event for students at firstgeneration college student after-school program Barrio Logan College Institute on April 30. The group has different strategies in place to reach out to elementary school, middle school, and high school level students.

Sustainability sophomore and project coordinator Ali Yost described the “energy hog,” a tool the team will use to teach elementary school students about energy conservation.

“It’s a pig mascot kind of thing (that will teach them) about not wasting energy — vampire electronics kinds of things and LED lights, simple things that they can implement in their own house,” Yost said.

International security and conflict resolution sophomore and team

manager Stephanie Hernandez is particularly enthusiastic about another project called ECOalition, a forum she created that she hopes will come together this April to help keep students informed of the sustainable changes they can make on campus.

“I’m trying to get all the sustainability leaders from all the organizations to come together in a forum and just talk about how we can work together and become more informed of each other’s resources, each other’s programs and projects,” Hernandez said One thing that construction engineering freshman and secretary Maisia Fang likes about being a part of PowerSave is talking to students on campus. Her involvement in the Bike Brunch event at this year’s GreenFest was a highlight of her experience with PowerSave so far.

“That was really fun because it was my first time going out there on campus and trying to inform people about how to save energy,” Fang said. “It was really cool being behind the table having people come up to us.”

The SDSU PowerSave Campus program hopes to bring on new paid, for-credit and volunteer interns in the coming year. Hernandez said it’s important for the team to maintain a variety of student interests.

“It’s fun to be on such a small team,” she said. “This program in general has helped us see each others’ views and perspectives. It’s really interesting how we’re all different, yet we can all work together on one thing on campus.”

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MANAGING EDITOR Madison Hopkins NEWS EDITOR David Hernandez

OLIVIA LITSEY ASST. FEATURES EDITOR _____________________________________ The integration of sustainable practices into modern society is a goal many organizations share throughout the nation, and San Diego State is no exception. One particular group helping the university achieve this goal is the SDSU PowerSave Campus program.

The PowerSave Campus program was created by Alliance to Save Energy — a national nonprofit coalition of business, government, environmental and consumer leaders that focus on energy efficiency — in an effort to empower college students to be the future leaders of energy efficiency. The program employs more than 75 college interns on 16 different university campuses in California.

Geography department undergraduate adviser, internship coordinator and SDSU PowerSave faculty adviser Diana Richardson became involved with the team in 2011.

“I like the fact that PowerSave has affiliations with the larger energy industry so that they can provide a very strong voice for energy conservation,” Richardson said. “They’re very creative and innovative. They really seem to thrive off of each other’s energy.”

Richardson said PowerSave Campus has saved SDSU about 1.2 million kilowatt hours of energy through its projects since 2012. That’s equivalent to about $187,000.

The SDSU PowerSave team consists of six student interns that work to improve energy efficiency on campus. They meet twice a week to identify potential projects and get closer to finishing current projects both on campus and off campus.

One of their current projects is to prepare to compete in Campus Conservation Nationals 2015, a worldwide competition to reduce electricity and water use at colleges.

“Our campus is focusing on Maya and Olmeca,” psychology senior and PowerSave Treasurer Kayla DeLucia said.

“We’re having a competition between those two halls to see which one can save the most energy and water. I’ve been recording the energy data in this program called BuildingOS, and it kind of just tracks their energy usage. This is just the baseline right now.”

The three-week competition will start April 6. PowerSave will be tabling, posting flyers, and using prizes to give

EDITOR IN CHIEF Monica Linzmeier

California State University, Long Beach College of Continuing and Professional Education SS_SDSU2v_Ad1_S15.indd 1

3/3/15 11:17 AM Lorinda Owens Ad size: 5.125 in. X 4.0 in.

San Diego State

ASST. FEATURES EDITOR Olivia Litsey PHOTO EDITOR Jenna Mackey DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR Kelly Gardner ART DIRECTOR Kate Leonard PRODUCTION DESIGNER Cameron Salce VOLUNTEER WRITERS Thane Hale Lainie Fraser Liliana Cervantes Christine Whitman Cami Buckman Alicia Chavez Denise Chang Kellie Miller VOLUNTEER PHOTOGRAPHERS Megan Wood _________________________________ ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Tony Disarufino SALES MANAGER Adam Zabel SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Radbeh Rabaz ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Alfonso Barajas Jordan Dennison Peyton Fedorka Sarah Richardson ACCOUNTING & CONTRACTS Michael Bratt Kalie Christensen _________________________________ STREET TEAM Emily Alvarenga Shelby Snyder Conor Nordberg Paige Plassmeyer _________________________________ GENERAL MANAGER Jay Harn GRAPHICS SPECIALIST Chris Blakemore _________________________________

What’sWhat?

ADVERTISING 619.594.6977 advertising@thedailyaztec.com EDITORIAL INQUIRIES 619.594.4190 editor@thedailyaztec.com PRINT The Daily Aztec publishes 5,000 copies twice a week on Monday & Thursday during the school year, and 3,000 copies every other Monday during the summer.

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MOBILE Our mobile app, The Aztec App, is available for iPhone and Android. _________________________________ The Daily Aztec has been San Diego State’s independent student newspaper since 1913.

march 26 - 29, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: kelly hillock • features@thedailyaztec.com

the go green issue

#sustainability

Green Love sustains a green future Cami Buckman staff writer _____________________________________ While walking around San Diego State, it’s hard to miss the efforts made to encourage sustainability on this beautiful campus. For example, next to every trash bin rests a blue recycling bin to accompany it. Also, those handy to-go containers for left-overs are most certainly not made out of Styrofoam. At SDSU, the use of Styrofoam is prohibited thanks in part to the efforts of the Green Love board. However, this committee’s actions do not end with recycling bins and Styrofoam bans.

This Associated Students organization focuses on emphasizing the social and environmental responsibility involved with creating an immense sustainable movement by SDSU and the surrounding communities.

English senior and Green Love member Taylor Knecht hopes to attend law school for environmental law in the fall of 2016.

“Green Love is a platform used to bring about something greater, and that is showing students how they can use their talents and skills to create a more sustainable community and society,” Knecht said.

Nonetheless, many may be wondering what exactly sustainability is. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines sustainability as the methods involved with not completely using up or destroying natural resources. However, Green Loves defines sustainability as so much more. Green Love believes that sustainability is meeting the needs of today without sacrificing the needs of tomorrow. This includes using clean renewable energy, healthy food, ethics,

and efficient transportation. As phrased by the Green Love website, “In short, it’s about progress and the future.”

Green Love works toward making SDSU a model university in the sustainability field. This organization has many goals it wishes to achieve, but it has also had many successful accomplishments. All toilet paper, seat covers and paper towels on the SDSU campus must now be 100 percent recycled and Green Seal certified. Also, Green Love has been able to initiate that all cleaning chemicals used by the A.S. custodial contractor and A.S. staff must be Green Seal certified. Perhaps the most visual accomplishment of Green Love is none other than the promotion of a cleaner way to commute through the bike lanes.

Earlier this month, a week-long event of sustainability, diversity and pride engulfed campus, and like many know, ended with a large concert headed by Chance the Rapper. This anticipated time led through Green Love is known as GreenFest.

“Green Fest is usually one of our biggest successes — it is a time dedicated to learning about what it means to be sustainable from speakers touching on innovative solutions, and events where students can interact with various organizations, find ways to become involved and gain knowledge about what is being done on campus,” Knecht said.

Green Love works tirelessly to encourage student organizations and residents to adopt sustainable habits.

This includes implementing programs to motivate socially and environmentally responsible behavior with full-time and part-time employees.

The Green Love committee stresses that small actions done by others

The Green Love committee is the driving force behind San Diego State’s sustainability efforts. wesley beights, Staff PhotograPher

can result in wide-spread results. For example, at the top of the Green Love homepage on its website, various facts and statistics are displayed. One of those facts mentions that recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to power a television for three hours.

There are also many tips that encourages people to visit local farmer’s markets and carpool. For those that want make a commitment to Green Love, there is a sustainability pledge created through the College of Arts and Letters that anyone can fill out.

Green Love attracts those that wish to create a cleaner today and better

tomorrow.

“I wanted to make a difference on campus that would benefit the student body, and hopefully, teach students about not only what problems we face as the up and coming generation, but also ways we can contribute every day to make our campus and community more environmentally friendly,” Knecht said.

Being “green” is more than just recycling; it’s having a lifestyle that strives to combine our urbanized world with the natural processes that surround us.

Green Love shows how establishing sustainability on a college campus can help to change the entire community.

#localroots

Restaurants please with green menus lainie fraser staff writer ____________________________________ San Diego has more to offer than beautiful beaches and weather.

It is an amazing climate for farmers and the perfect supplier for chefs. The following restaurants provide only locally-sourced foods held to the highest standards. harney sushi Harney Sushi, located in Old Town, has provided San Diego with sustainable sushi options since 2001. While many places serve rolls that include fish with depleting populations, Harney Sushi uses fish that are raised and caught in San Diego in a healthy, regulated practice.

I could talk about the incredibly comfy chairs in this place for days, and they are only the beginning of the amazing experience that is eating at Harney Sushi. There is a bar along one side of the room allowing customers to watch their sushi being made. There is also a large cozy booth perfect for a night out with a group of friends. I chose to be daring and try two new rolls. The first was the Flaming Lip Roll, $10.50, a tempura-fried California roll with cream cheese, spicy mayo and jalapeño sriracha. The ingredients were fresh and wellhandled. It was incredibly spicy, but not overbearingly so. The Miso Harney roll, $13.25, was filled with locally-caught black cod, cream cheese, avocado, fried nagi sauce and sesame seeds.

The rolls are a little more expensive than a regular sushi joint, but the portions are big, the food is delicious and the positive impact Harney Sushi has on the ecosystem and future of sea life is well-worth the price.

Skybound Coffee and Dessert Lounge Skybound Coffee and Dessert Lounge is located in the Gaslamp quarter, and serves great food and drinks with a message. Skybound stands for quality, service, organics, community and passion. Most ingredients are organic, including locally-grown coffee beans. All milks and teas are organic as well; even the water served is filtered and enhanced with minerals. The desserts are beautiful and the glass orbs filled with flowers hanging from the ceiling add a delicate touch to the space.

Skybound sells a variety of pastries, smoothies, teas, coffees and cakes. Everything in the display case looks delectable, as do the plates coming out of the kitchen.

The Organic Drip Coffee, $2, had an amazing taste and aroma. The Acai Bowl, $7.50, was perfectly portioned and topped with fresh, locally-grown strawberries and bananas. The Chocolate Lava Cake, $8, was rich.

Skybound Coffee and Dessert Lounge is dedicated to both the food they produce and to the community. They pride themselves on serving good food to a good community and using locally-sourced organic ingredients. napizza Among the crowd of delicious Italian restaurants and pizzerias in Little Italy, Napizza stands out. Napizza has gained an immense amount of attention for being green-certified and committed to utilizing locallysourced, organic ingredients with no preservatives or chemicals. Produce is picked daily from local farmers.

The restaurant is positioned on the corner of India Street with ample outdoor seating.

The décor inside is artistic and casual. Lamps made from re-purposed wine bottles hang from the ceiling. All signs are hand written daily and the glass display case containing the fresh pizza is immaculately neat.

A slice of the margherita pizza, $3, is deliciously topped with Napizza’s signature tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, olive oil and the freshest basil I have ever had. All pizzas come thick, square slice, and either a half tray or a whole tray. The Caprese Panini, $7.25, is delectable. Oven baked with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, it would be an insult to call it a sandwich.

The exquisite ingredients from local farmers combined with the prime location and rustic atmosphere make Napizza a definite win.

SDSU

the Greener Side of Campus

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LEGEND RETROFITTED LIGHTS

Buildings outlined in yellow have retrofitted lights.

Switching to LED lights and adding bi-level activity sensing technology saves the university 50 percent when lights are at full power and 80 percent when at low power.

Areas marked with this solar panel icon represent spots on campus that have photovoltaic arrays, commonly known as solar panels.

SOLAR PANELS

BIKE LANES San Diego State Universi ty

SDSU EVENT INFORMATION 619-594-SDSU

The dotted green lines represent the bike lanes on campus. Bike lanes reduce gasoline emissions and promote students to go green and ride a bike to class.

Replaces 35,000 35 watt incandescent lights, which emit 98 percent of energy input as heat, with full color LED lamps, which have longer service life and high efficiency. Completed in 2006, it saves $31,846 per year with an initial installation cost $486,000.

I-8 MARQUEE The buildings outlined in red have HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) retrofitting.

HVAC JENNA MACKEY, PHOTO EDITOR

the go green issue

march 26 - 29, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: kelly hillock • features@thedailyaztec.com

#education

Sustainability major drives passion Liliana Cervantes contributor _____________________________________ San Diego State’s sustainability major might just be the perfect route for students interested in environmental issues. The university started offering the major in fall 2013 after a wave of student activism to “go green.”

Sustainability is an interdisciplinary program that allows students to study environmental issues in a more conceptual and cultural approach, rather than a technical one.

Sustainability co-director, undergraduate adviser and anthropology professor Matthew Laurer said he was excited to see students pushing to make sustainability an official degree.

Sustainability junior Daniel Kodama said environmental issues have always been something he is passionate about.

He decided to become a sustainability major after realizing it can be used in multiple fields, including environmental business or law.

“One common thing I see is students that are passionate about environmental issues, but they aren’t sure what route to take,” he said. “Sustainability is a good major for them. It’s a good way to really widen views and get involved in trying to solve some environmental issues.”

Sustainability majors can choose to focus on one of three field distributions.

Field A is culture-nature interface, which looks into environmental resources, economics and environmental history.

Field B is applied and regional studies, which consists of courses that relate to urban economics. Field C is scientific and analytical thinking, which applies environmental studies to issues like wildlife conservation, global climate

The sustainability program at San Diego State is responsible for implementing practices on campus such as the bike path. megan wood, senior Staff PhotograPher

change and energy resources.

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the program, there is a wide range of courses such as economics, geography, biology, political science, history and anthropology within each field distribution. Students are not required to choose a field, but it is required to take at least three units within each field.

When deciding the curriculum of this major most of the classes were already being taught as part of other majors. The link was this environmental dimension to them all said Laurer Sustainability co-director, undergraduate advisor and political science professor David Carruthers said students that take the philosophy class learn about environmental ethics, and students taking political science learn about environmental policies.

“It’s the breadth of the training

that gives them this more expansive understanding on how to solve these issues,” he said.

Laurer said there is definitely a job market for environmental studies. U.S. News & World Report comes out with an annual assessment that determines which jobs will be plentiful, and he said environment-related jobs have been growing every year.

One of the best things about the major is it provides opportunities to get involved and support environmental movements, Kodama said. Laurer added that the campus’ sustainability community shows how motivated students are to change things.

“There’s a movement to change the landscaping on campus and make it more drought tolerate,” Laurer said.

“I mean, we have a campus that was envisioned as a tropical paradise. We’re

not in a tropical paradise, we are in an arid environment. So there’s a shift to get rid of some of the grass and put in native species,” Laurer said. “It’s incredibly promising. The millennials get it.”

There is currently a sustainability minor in the works that could potentially be offered in fall semester 2015. The new minor would be 15 units and would stem from the pre-existing environment and society minor.

Carruthers thinks students should take a sustainability course even if they aren’t planning on making it their major.

He believes it might be an eye-opening, rewarding and enlightening experience for students.

“Get active, join organizations, think about the way you live,” Carruthers said.

“Think about the power of the consumer.

Educate yourself. It’s an incredible time to get engaged.”

#education

Future engineers support going green Christine Whitman Senior Staff Writer ____________________________________

The enivornmental engineering department trains students create impactful change. megan wood, senior Staff PhotograPher

San Diego State offers tons of majors to choose from, but many students don’t know about the variety of “green” majors the university offers.

One such major is environmental engineering.

SDSU offers a bachelor’s degree of science in environmental engineering, part of the college of engineering.

The mission of the environmental engineering department is written in the general catalog as follows: “The objective of the program is to give the student a basic knowledge of environmental engineering, as well as the inter-disciplinary background and skills to meaningfully participate in and contribute technical advances toward this profession.”

Each student decides to become an environmental engineer for a variety of reasons.

Environmental engineering senior Patrick Poon said his experience growing up in Hong Kong pushed him to choose the major.

“Living in a place full of environmental problems motivated me to become an environmental engineer in order to provide a better

environment for people to live in,” Poon said.

Environmental engineering senior Lauren Breitenbach has a different reason as to why she chose to pursue the degree.

"There are not many females in the STEM fields, and I look to break that major glass ceiling by encouraging more women to major in math or science," Breitenbach said.

It’s important to consider that the environmental engineering major is an impacted program.

In order to be admitted, a student must complete a series of classes with a grade of C or better and they also must have an overall cumulative GPA of a 2.1 or better.

The major offers a variety of labs, seminars, experimental topics and projects at the upper-division level to suit all students’ learning needs.

When a student in the environmental engineering field becomes a senior, he or she has the opportunity to work with students in both the civil and construction emphases for the final project.

“I like the department because it provides me with practical experience,” Poon said. “Some of the professors have actual field experience along with their theoretical background.”

VOTER PAMPHLET

Associated Students San Diego State University STUDENT INITIATIVE REFERENDUM APRIL 6-9, 2015 Voting begins Monday, April 6 at 8 am and concludes Thursday, April 9 at 7 pm. Log into SDSU WebPortal to vote.

BALLOT FOR THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS STUDENT INITIATIVE REFERENDUM An Initiative Referendum proposed by a petition signed by at least five percent of the total regular membership of the Associated Students: In furtherance of the University's stated commitment "to prepare all members of its community to promote social responsibility, equity, freedom, and productive citizenship in a global society," should the Associated Students of San Diego State University encourage The Campanile Foundation, a philanthropic, tax-exempt foundation and an auxiliary of the University, to cease investing in and to divest itself of investments in companies, many, if not most, of which are major American companies, which aid and abet Israel's control over or occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem (the "Territories")?

Yes_______ A "Yes" vote indicates that the Associated Students will encourage The Campanile Foundation to divest itself of investments in companies which aid and abet Israel's control over or occupation of the Territories.

No_______ A "No" vote indicates that the Associated Students will not encourage The Campanile Foundation to divest itself of investments in companies which aid and abet Israel's control over or occupation of the Territories.

The following Statements and Rebuttals have been submitted by the members of the Associated Students whose names appear beneath them. Their content is strictly the opinions of their authors, and not those of the Associated Students. The Associated Students has not taken any position in favor of or in opposition to the Initiative Referendum and does not endorse or agree or disagree with the opinions contained in the Statements or Rebuttals. Other than limiting the statements to 750 words and the Rebuttals to 250 words, the Associated Students has not edited or otherwise changed the Statements and Rebuttals that were submitted and appear below.

STATEMENT IN OPPOSITION The undersigned coalition of concerned SDSU students, representing a broad cross-section of the diversity this campus has to offer, urge you to vote ‘No’ on the referendum on the grounds that it violates the academic integrity of this academic institution and more so, is not an answer to the human rights violations aforementioned. Divestment is one-sided and contributes to a larger hate movement, which calls for the destruction of the only democracy in the Middle East.

Divesting from such companies is far from pro-Palestinian; such boycotts have been proven to harm the Palestinian livelihood as seen in previous boycotts, stripping hundreds of Palestinians from their jobsi. Notable figures such as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have openly opposed boycotts of Israel, stating that this distances the region from peace and cooperationii. Therefore, we urge both parties to come to a peaceful resolution through strictly diplomatic means with the purpose of building bridges and investing in Palestine.

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement hides behind the façade of being a movement that seeks peace and freedom for the Palestinian people.

Instead, it promotes an anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic platform that is far from progressive. Divestment resolutions on college campuses have also lead to outright expressions of anti-Semitism and hate, as exemplified with anti-Semitic graffiti at UC Davisiii, and violence against students at Temple Universityiv, and almost denying students the right to serve on a student government board at UCLAv. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is mutually destructive, and negatively affects both Israelis and Palestinians. Those directly affected by this longstanding, complex and tragic conflict should be the ones to resolve it. The best way to promote peace is to invest in dialogue, cooperation, and bridge-building. Vote for the academically honest, socially responsible choice and vote NO on the referendum.

Drafted By: Sarah Katularu, Anthony Berteaux, Tyler Gording, Sheli Grumet, Victoria Zakinova, Eric Palonsky, Chantal Eidelstein, Daniel Sirkin, and Michael Kagan.

In Coalition With: Young Americans for Liberty Jewish Student Union Students Supporting Israel Alpha Epsilon Pi i http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/david-s-harp/.premium-1.62476 ii http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/south-africa-abbas-opposes-boycott-israel iii http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2015/01/31/support-of-israel-reason-house-was-tagged-with- swastikas-frat-says/ iv http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/temple-univ-jewish-student-punched-face-and-called-kike-anti- semitic-attack v http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/10/opinions/kosmin-anti-semitism-campus/ REBUTTAL TO THE STATEMENT IN OPPOSITION We first call into question this “diversity” Students Supporting Israel and their supporters lay claim to, as the coalition does not seem representative. We also question exactly how a student-initiated referendum violates academic integrity. An integral part of university education is opening discourse on such matters.

Divestment is not one-sided because we are calling for liberty and equality for all people in the area. Israel cannot claim to be a democracy while it continues to deny rights including the right to vote for one third of its people.

Our Divestment Coalition condemns all anti-Semitic actions that have occurred, on and off campus. This is not about Israel as a Jewish state, this is about their apartheid system of government that denies rights, destroys homes and lives of Palestinians.

Divestment is not the ultimate end to the conflict, but it will make sure our university does not profit off these human rights violations and war crimes.

The claim that divestment harms Palestinian livelihood ignores the fact that the call to divest came from Palestinian civil society. For us to tell Palestinians the best way to help themselves is not merely reminiscent of colonial imperialism it is pure, modern-day paternalistic racism. The Palestinian people have collectively decided that divesting from companies that are used to further their oppression will help them in their struggle for freedom and justice. The only question remaining is whether we are willing to answer this call.

Stand for Justice.

Vote YES to Divest.

Drafted by: Nassim Moallem, Osama Alkhawaja, Chloe Sension, Rachel Beck, Elias Purmul and Wesley Beights ______________________________

For more information, go to as.sdsu.edu/elections Please email aschiefjustice@mail.sdsu.edu, or call 619-594-6555, or visit the Associated Students Office, located on the third floor of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union, with any questions or for further information.

THE GO GREEN ISSUE

MARCH 26 - 29, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: KELLY HILLOCK • FEATURES@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#GREENFEST

GreenFest aims for influence to last ALICIA CHAVEZ SENIOR STAFF WRITER _____________________________________ San Diego State students have all come to love GreenFest week. However, between all of the fun events during the week — the opportunity to take home free, green products, and the big concert on Thursday night — we often forget about the team of students responsible for making it all happen.

Sustainability sophomore and GreenFest Executive Committee Chair Vivian Lee paired with business management senior and Vice Chair Jessica Valo to spearhead the GreenFest Executive Committee. The committee works to advocate for sustainability, diversity and Aztec Pride to students through interactive and creative projects.

“We focus on programming, so each of our events is planned by a different person,” Programming Assistant and public relations senior Jen Parker said.

There are 10 other alternative committee chairs. Each member is nominated by his or her respected organization to fill the seat on the GreenFest Executive Committee. Each member is also asked to plan different events for GreenFest week. However, the committee decided to shake things up a bit this past year.

Instead of limiting GreenFest to one

week, the committee decided to plan an event for each month beginning in September 2014 with the Grow with GreenFest event. In addition, they have continued to hold events such as the GreenFest Showcase, where the opening artist for the GreenFest concert is chosen, and Sustain Your Roots, the Aztec chef competition.

“This year, we decided we wanted to do the week-long initiative and it’s the first year we have done it,” Parker said.

“We wanted to instill on campus that sustainability isn’t just a week-long thing.

We should be doing it year-long and we should always be working toward sustainability.”

Lee was hoping to create more interactive events and help students walk away with something, whether it was a better understanding of small sustainable efforts they could be making or a Mason jar filled with plants.

“Coming in, my vision was to have a lot more interactive events," Lee said. "Many people are hands-on learners and we want to create a culture of sustainability with things you can take home.”

Enviro-Business Society president and international business junior Brigid Moore said the society actually created GreenFest a few years ago.

“We actually started it with Earth Week that was also a week-long of events that we planned ourselves,” Moore said. “It got

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A group of Aztecs smile under the lights one year ago at the 2014 GreenFest.

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too hectic and was too much planning but was too successful to give up, so we handed over Earth Week to Associated Students and they transformed it into GreenFest.”

In exchange for handing over the week of events, the Enviro-Business Society was provided a seat on the GreenFest committee for as long as it remains.

Although all the fun and festivities that surround GreenFest are long gone, the committee has begun working on the events for next year. The current

committee wants to continue extending the events of GreenFest to a year-long advocacy project.

“We want to keep this a year-long initiative because it’s something very new,” Valo said. “We’re still kind of learning and growing because every event was a learning experience.”

Next on the committee’s agenda are two events in April — Bloom with GreenFest on April 9 during the Farmers Market, and the Enviro-Business Fair and keynote speaker on Earth Day, April 22.

march 26 - 29, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: kelly hillock • features@thedailyaztec.com

the go green issue

#farmersmarketfresh

Feast at local farmers markets Farmers markets are just about 50 shades of green. They thrive in California because of the optimal conditions for growing fresh produce.

However, markets in San Diego are so much more than retailers of organic fruits and vegetables. They have grown to support local businesses of artisanal foods, ethnic delicacies, crafty handmade items and more.

Here are some of The Daily Aztec’s favorite local farmers markets.

Denise Chang Contributor _________________________________ Little Italy Mercato Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

W. Cedar & India streets The Little Italy farmers market is definitely a San Diego favorite. It has more than 150 booths that offer a variety of farm fresh produce, craft items, and artisan foods. Patrons may want to skip lunch before heading over; the generous amount of free samples are sure to be filling. The produce at Mercato from certified California producers ranges from fruits and vegetables to nuts and cheese.

Other vendors such as Baba Foods Hummus, Bitchin’ Sauce, CA Cheesecakes and Laguna Salt Co. offers a natural complement to a healthy diet. The list continues with a variety of items including jewelry, silverware, apothecary, apparel, books and soap. While in local business heaven, don’t forget to check out the live music.

Favorites: Pacific Beach Peanut Butter, CA Cheesecakes in a Cup, The Cinnamon Spoon, Power Up Smoothies and Paradise Valley Ranch (Avocado Lovers).

CROSSWORDS

Andrews 28 New Deal org.

29 Hustles 31 Smith students 33 “If only __ listened!”

34 Memo words 35 Smartphone buy 36 *Limp cause 40 Hold ‘em tell, maybe 41 Ingredient in Off! 43 Top-row poet on the “Sgt. Pepper” album cover 44 Remains at the campsite 46 Misses the mark 47 Party person 48 Spillane’s “__ Jury” 49 Org. that

Sweet Tree Farms, La Isla Ceviche and Charlie’s Best Bread. sdsu farmers market Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. between Love Library and Hepner Hall Where else to begin if not in San Diego State’s own backyard? Student organization Enviro-Business Society has been working with Aztec Shops to bring the farmers market to SDSU since 2009.

There are more than 20 vendors at the market, ranging from ethnic foods to vegan delicacies, such as the Walk & Guac combo from The Guac Shac, or the signature chipotle chicken quesadilla from Belinda’s Cocina.

The newest addition to the market offers produce from a local farm, validating the SDSU’s farmers market as, well, a farmers market.

Not hungry?

Check out the used record vendor or have a bicycle repaired at The Bike Stand, an SDSU organization that believes in biking toward a sustainable environment. There are several amenties to be entertained at the weekly market.

Favorites: Belinda’s Cocina, J Wok, Flavors of East Africa, Made in Brazil Snack Foods and Crepe’s Up!

Classifieds 66 Patriotic gp. since 1890

Across 1 Big name in ATMs 4 Ten to twenty?

8 On fire 14 Worldwide workers’ agcy.

15 On __ with 16 Brooklyn Bridge features 17 “The Matrix” hero 18 Utah lily 19 Delivers an old standard, perhaps 20 *Last president who was a Founding Father 23 Not from a Scot 24 Fifth-century leader succeeded by his son Ellac 25 __ Aviv 26 Tent holder 27 Sportscaster

Hillcrest Farmers Market Sundays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lincoln Street and Normal Avenue The farmers market at Hillcrest, an eclectic and vibrant neighborhood, is also one of the largest farmers markets in San Diego. It has more than 175 vendors on any given Sunday, supporting a variety of local businesses. The market is located in the DMV parking lot and is essentially a foodie’s paradise.

However, a happy mind and body accompany a happy stomach, and the market provides just that. Patrons can de-stress and relax their minds with the Active Rest Chiropractic services, Elivelife spa promotions or massage therapy with Morea Garcia and Mariah Guillot. There are almost 50 arts and crafts local businesses that provide handmade wood furniture by Nouveau Designs, replicas of the artistic signs that welcome visitors all over the city by Signs of San Diego, and a variety of apparel (some are even organic!).

Finally, the market is dog friendly (as is the rest) so be sure to stop

by Puppy Love where canines are treated to some handmade edibles.

Favorites: Skinfolk, Eddie With Whimsical Hats, Raw Revelations, Doggus and Pupusas, Asana Foods,

produces the magazines Highroads and Journey 50 The past, in the past 51 Risk being caught off base 54 Grisham hero, often: Abbr.

55 Fixer-upper, perhaps, and a hint to the answers to starred clues 57 Only reigning pope to write an autobiography 59 Tiny bit 60 Gun, as an engine 61 Most irritated 62 Emptiness 63 T size 64 Baby’s outfit 65 Luncheon ender

Down 1 Turtle in a 2014 film 2 Soccer shoe feature 3 *In the low 70s, usually 4 Bit of sibling rivalry 5 Hypothetical primate 6 Titicaca, por ejemplo 7 *Feature of most cars nowadays 8 Honor 9 Charge for a ride 10 Wall St. news 11 *On one’s own 12 Varied mixture 13 To be, to Ovid 21 Cork’s location 22 Opposite of attract 26 Chi follows it 30 “Just a few __” 31 Dwyane of the Miami Heat 32 Mathematical process 37 Good thing to have before a meal 38 Dinero 39 Winning football coach’s surprise 42 Airport screening org.

45 Persian for “king” 48 “Of course!”

52 Greek finale 53 Piano keyboard component 54 Lhasa __ 55 Spanish ayes 56 Warning sound 58 His, to Henri

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PLEASE NOTE: The Daily Aztec does not endorse or support and has no affiliation with the products or services offered in the Classifieds section. To place an ad in the Classifieds section, please visit thedailyaztec.com/classifieds

The

LOCALBANDS

ISSUE Thursday 4/9/15

COME SEE OUR

STREET TEAM!

We’ll be passing out papers at East Commons, West Commons, and various other places on campus!

Stop by and grab a paper, any day of the week!

12 the back page

march 26 - 29, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: kelly hillock • features@thedailyaztec.com

#gogreen

The apocalypse is here christine whitman senior staff writer ___________________________________

I

have lived for almost two decades on a planet that, according to many, is disintegrating into a pile of nothing.

Let’s face it, how many apocalyptic movies about the end of the world have we seen?

According to Wikipedia, yes I’m aware you’re not supposed to cite Wikipedia, there have been a total of 232 apocalyptic movies since the 1930s. The even crazier part is that 132 of those apocalyptic movies were made during my lifetime.

C’mon Hollywood screenwriters, we obviously do not need another apocalyptic movie. I mean, I love "The Walking Dead" and the "Resident Evil" franchise as much as the next person, but please stop writing them. In all seriousness, what is our obsession with movies about the end of days, and why are there so many?

Well, I don’t know if anyone realizes it, but nothing in apocalyptic movies has ever happened. The Earth didn’t spontaneously combust at the end of 2012, as many believed was going to happen. I have never seen an alien or a zombie on my way to school.

Although, just because I have yet to see an alien doesn’t mean they’re not real. The point is that they have not caused any destruction THINKSTOCK to Earth.

Hollywood screenwriters are always able to formulate some new disease or creature that is going to terrorize Earth and cease life as we know it.

But wait, what if the thing to end life as we know it is already here? What if it’s an environmental issue like global warming? Plot twist, I know.

Now, I’m not an environmental activist. I don’t want you to donate money to Greenpeace, and I’m not part of the Environmental Protection Agency. I consider myself an average everyday citizen who it somewhat concerned about the environment. I mean, I recycle, attempt to take shorter showers — key word is attempt. But you don’t see me parading on the front steps of the U.S. Senate with a sign that says “End Global Warming Now.” To clarify, global warming does not specifically refer to the warming of the Earth. Global warming refers to a general change in climate over

a period of time. But that isn’t to say that global warming doesn’t exist. I know many people consistently argue that global warming doesn’t exist, but I have yet to find an legitimate argument to support this.

Global warming totally exists and here’s why. Has anyone been outside at all lately in San Diego? It’s March, and last week temperatures reached the high 80s, in our “rainy” season. It’s been so long since it’s rained in San Diego, I have actually forgotten what rain is. Now looking at a more global prospective, has anyone seen the videos of the polar ice caps melting?

I’m no expert, but I don’t think that’s supposed to happen. You could just say, “Christine, I really don’t care that the polar ice caps are melting,” to which I shall respond, think about all the polar bears and penguins that are dying because they don’t have anywhere to live! If anything, care about the animals.

The point of this somewhat crazy rant is that our “apocalypse” is already here. Those Hollywood movies are created to distract us from the current problems Earth is facing, as in global warming. Our environmental apocalypse may not bring the end of days for hundreds of years, but there is no doubt in my mind that our environment is changing because of our consistent use of natural resources.

Someone tell Hollywood, I have their next screenplay.

Save a tree. Recycle your paper. #dasnapshots

SUDOKU

HOW TO PLAY: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box contains every digit 1 to 9.

Difficulty Level:

3/4

CROSSWORDS, SUDOKU, AND HOROSCOPES COURTESY OF TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC., ©2015.

GAME SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

springing into spring

Photo Editor Jenna Mackey captured this idyllic nature scene right here on campus.

PLEASE NOTE: The views expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec.

Express your concerns by emailing letters@thedailyaztec.com

HOROSCOPE happy Birthday (3/26/15) - The winner is the one having the most fun this year. Practice your game and hone your performance. Begin a new romantic phase after April. Self-discipline with planning and organization sets the stage for a fine educational journey after June.

Breakthroughs in your work lead to new personal questions after October eclipses (10/13 & 10/27). Choose love.

HOW IT WORKS: 10 is good, 1 is bad.

Aries (March 21 - April 19) - Today is an 8 - Don't broadcast your plans ... simply get moving on a domestic project over the next two days. Clean, sort and organize. Avoid arguments. Neatness counts double. Home and family take priority. Seek local sources.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) - Today is an 8 - Study a situation today and tomorrow. Don't believe everything you hear. Be cautious, even with suggestions.

Think over all the angles. Follow a hunch.

You can learn what you need. Important news arrives. Summarize and present solutions.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 9 - Focus on financial action. Buy and sell. Keep to your budget. Collaborate with your team. Don't blindly agree or disagree. Question assumptions. Pay attention to the money trail. An insight reveals hidden purposes.

Cancer (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 7 - You're especially sensitive today and tomorrow. Listen to an emotional plea. Nurture someone, but don't get so distracted with his or her responsibilities that you forget your own. Misunderstandings could cause a breakdown. Assert what you stand for.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 7 Linger in a rest stop. New developments change the assignment over the next two days. A misunderstanding (or lie) alters the itinerary. Take a walk and meditate. Call for reinforcements if necessary. Take independent action.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is an 8 - Participate in a community project over the next few days. Keep the budget on track. Get clear on priorities so you don't waste effort or money. Keep communication channels open. Find what you need in your social circles.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 9 - Spending more could arouse a controversy. Navigate a change in plans.

Be a good listener, rather than rambling on. Compete for more responsibilities over the next few days. Consider career advancement. Look where you're going.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is an 8 - Take a rest stop. Chart your progress and review the itinerary before proceeding. The news affects your decisions. It could get expensive. Keep quiet, and plan your next moves. Don't share everything with friends.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is an 8 - Make sure the numbers line up with family finances, and then go play.

Postpone buying toys. Review your reserves. Track calls, orders and income carefully over the next two days. Remind someone forgetful of your love.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is an 8 - Together, you can figure it out.

Compromise may be required. Talk is less important than action. Spend time with an attractive person, and see what happens. Hang out and share some coziness or beauty. Don't worry.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is an 8 - Focus on doing the work that needs to be done over the next two days. Compromise with another very opinionated person. Stifle harsh words and judgments. Save health and sanity by avoiding stupid arguments.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 7 - Work with creative arts, crafts, hobbies or passions. Get the family involved. Unsettling news requires thought more than words. Use your hands. Make something. Practice something you're good at. Play games.