Photo by F.H.A.T. Axmachef
Ernest Callenbach...‘The world simply cannot continue on as it has been.’
‘Ecotopia’ author: fictional land
may be just around the corner
"Ecotopia” may be just around
the comer, ErnestCallenbach.au
thor of the environmentalist novel
by the same name, said Tuesday
night, but a new book is in the
works to tell readers how the
Northwest became the ficticous
country.
Callenbach, who wrote
"Ecotopia” three years ago, told a
Eugene Public Library audience
of nearly 150 people that the fic
ticous land may be coming faster
than many people believe. Be
cause of certain ecological and
energy factors, he said, several
aspects of Ecotopia may become
part of the Northwest’s lifestyle
very soon.
While not many people think
seriously about secession except
at tax time, Callenbach said, the
idea of forming an independent
Northwest nation has already be
come the goal of many people.
“Secession is serious busi
ness,” Callenbach said. "As far as
I know it’s still treasonous to talk
about seceeding from the United
Candidates for
ASUO president
must file soon
Friday is the filing deadline for
the position of ASUO president.
Five candidates had filed for the
position as of Wednesday even
ing. Following the primaries at the
end of April, the two candidates
receiving the most votes will pair
off in the final election in early
May.
In addition to the presidential
race, one candidate has filed for a
position on the EMU Board. The
board is concerned with revenue
and expenses connected with af
fairs of the EMU.
States.
“But secession is a metaphor
that a great deal of people are
using. A lot of people have already
seceded from the United States in
their hearts,” he said.
The Northwest — Oregon,
Washington and Northern
California — would make a
“beautiful little country,” Callen
bach said. And, if the states were
combined into an independent na
tion, it could be one of the weal
thiest parts of the continent.
Callenbach, speaking at the lib
rary as part of Earth Week ac
tivities, said certain ecological as
pects of Ecotopia have begun to
manifest themselves in the
Northwest life. The fight against
nuclear power and toxic sprays by
citizen groups and some elected
officials is a good sign, he said.
“The ecological side of
Ecotopia has never been stronger
than it is today,"Callenbach ex
plained. “Many elected officials are
beginning to take environmental
issues more seriously and are
leading the fight against nuclear
power. Right now there are vast
forces on our side.”
The nation is also being forced
into Ecotopia because of the
energy crisis and rising costs of
non-renewable energy sources,
he said.
“The world simply cannot con
tinue on as it has been,” Callen
bach explained. “Driving around
in big tin boxes on four wheels will
have to end sometime.”
Using the People’s Republic of
China as an example, Callenbach
explained that Ecotopian society
would have to be constructed so
all members could work social
problems out among themselves.
“This is the kind of thing that
Ecotopians would be trying to
achieve,” he said. “I’ve found that
it’s possible to begin a more active
social process to get the type of
world we want. That was part of
the reason I wrote the book.”
As a social reason, Ecotopia is
a ‘‘reasonable direction” to work
toward, Callenbach explained.
While many groups have begun
to use Ecotopia as a catch phrase,
government officials of
Callenbach’s native California are
taking the book with "playful seri
ousness,” he said, which is “par
ticularly gratifying.’’
Answering audience questions,
Callenbach explained his new
book, which is still being written,
will not be a sequel to Ecotopia.
but a look instead at the elements
that led up to the creation of the
fictitious state.
I _
SUAB reorganization
would smooth work,
says board chairer
By MELODY WARD
Of the Emerald
A proposed constitutional amendment for reorganization of the
Student University Affairs Board (SUAB) would permit it to function
more smoothly according to SUAB Chairer Cathy Teamen.
Two amendments concerning the SUAB will appear on the ASUO
general elections ballot in May.
The amendment for reorganization would establish the SUAB
chairer as a representative of the “University-at-large, Teamen says.
“We re reorganizing the SUAB to allow the chairer to take on a
more administrative role,” Teamen explains. The new board would
have 17 members and a chairer.”
Teamen says the chairer and the SUAB would effectively take over
the University part of those responsibilities now handled by the ASUO
vice-president for state and university affairs.
“It would be a very positive step toward making SUAB more effi
cient,” Teamen says. "Next year is a good time for us to try (the
reorganization) out because the ASUO executive will be concentrating
on state affairs.”
The ASUO executive and the SUAB have been duplicating efforts
over the past year, according to Teamen.
“We haven’t been able to do our job because there’s always been a
vice-president handling University affairs. We have 18 members of a
board who are theoretically experts from as many different constituen
cies. But they haven’t really been tapped,” she says.
If the reorganization amendment passes, Teamen says the SUAB
position No. 18 will be eliminated.
“We will have 17 members for two weeks, until a chairer is elected
by the new board. That person will then resign from the representative
position and a new representative will be elected fall term," she says.
The other amendment would eliminate the necessity for making
appointments to the SUAB over the summer term and allow the board to
make them during the regular academic year.
Teamen says several positions on the SUAB are now open. Friday
is the last day to file for the following slots: Law; Journalism and Speech;
both Education and CSPA slots; Physics, Math, Geology, Computer
Science and General Science; Art Education, Art History and Fine Arts;
Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology; Political Science, History
and Geography; Music; English, Languages, Linguistics, Classics, Re
ligion, Philosophy, General Arts and Letters and General Humanities;
and Undeclared. ^ „ ..
The University is one of a handful in the entire country that allows
students to vote on policy issues, Teamen says.
SUAB representatives receive a $45 monthly stipend.
“I think our stipends don't need to be increased. Teamen ob
serves. "It’s actually a reimbursement for having to be on campus for
long meetings. The tendency toward giving salaries in the ASUO is
appalling.”
SUAB terms are for two years. Students interested in filing for a
position are encouraged to meet with Teamen in the SUAB office, Suite
4 EMU, at 5 this afternoon.
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