ENERGIZING THE MOVEMENT
In four years9 SEAC goes from grassroots to global
Member* of SEAC celebrate the growth of the organisation at a winter conference at Boaton College
ll\ Jamil' Mcijghan. Hall Slate bail) Ncii v Hall Stall* l .
It .til m.iitrd an aihritixrinrnt in (.tmtfmurmag
.I/UK Whr 11 I'i smdnit .u iivUis siartol ilu Siiidou
t iniiiinitH iil.il \i lion ( oahtiou at Ihr I <>l 'Soldi
( .iiulin.i in l'lK'l ilirs siniph vs.lim it m i irate a
ii.inon.il siiidou rnvuniunrnial nitnoiinu
\n .ul in .in rMabhshrd riniioniiiriil.il ptihlii .unni
vrHint lilt- Ik-sI w,ti IikIiiiI t- virtrnlK it mil kril
\\r li.nl u-.illi no mono .mil trrv limit- m um on tmv.
ton oin.ini/r .1 non (iiolii oi^.ini/.iiion vim \lt*t (»uriu*l.
t N( gi.iitu.ilr anil pail ol ilir onnm.il **1’ M HI,,"P "It
K.it .in rxrli i'r in liruiH < ir.nnr anti iimiii; i iiinmoii
sriw."
Hit-11 Million n in •« thr I.UHr'l stndriil < ir.ilol. student
tun rniiioninrnl.il group m llir rounlii null ntoir Ilian
•J.inhi inllegr anil IiihIi * liool < lut|Mns in llir l niiol Sl.ilo
St \< nrlnoi k.'mill riniioniurnl.il hioiiik. in Vtmuntues
S| \( lollllnl olll ol a lirol lot Million rintioiillirnl.il
nit lo Ik nrinoikril mill rai h olltcl In Irril oil ol rat li
oilii i s riirijfv." si" (Will Ising. n.ilion.il otlur irptrsrn
taint
1*1101 to I‘WI. no ui.i|i >1 riniloninrnl.il group lot uvil on
inllege innlrnli mi SI A( v night in (ill iti.u gap 'In vim
In ilir beginning. goals ol ilir gmup im I mini n .lining
aitim air', \li.ii mg mini ilia lion and developing irvum n,
vim \tl.ini Herrrv. dun mi ol [mlilit otiiirai li
In 1‘I.S'I SI \( oigam/ed 1 Inoholil. ihr lilM nalional
Mmloil riniloiimriil.il nutlet elite ll attnu Ird 1,/IHI ilu
drill' lloiil 11K11 .imposes lo ( haprl I till N < \l llir i un
to rm r. llir i ouillis Has ilnidrd into 17 regions. uliitli
I mu iioii as hi assn h >is i oalilion'
‘SI- \< tapped into a nalional tout on with I In- i onto
on r.” Hr nil vim
1 lu ll in HUM). Sb \( oigam/ed ( aialisi. dir srnintl
nalional i onloour al llir I ol Illinois, alii.u ting ».MMl
Mudoils. a hugr jump in Irss than isuvran
si \( li.ul in.tdr Us m.ii i.
I ml.n llir Im US ol sb \( has i hanged < )igaiu/fis air
loiuonrti .iIkhii rduratmg ionimtinitirs .iIkiui llir ion
m i non between sooal prohlotis and iIm- rininininnil.
M \l mom rmi'il loi example, that time out of five ha/
,ntilin', waste tinni|o aie located til Ion im tum amt pi i
maiilv mtnontv aieav ! hev i ai! it env non mental rai ivm
Mmlein\ at low ilie i oiinliv keep in loin li through a
national magazine < alleil Ihmhuld. I lie magazine
mi hides aim lev about student i hapietv along with oig.i
mzing ti(>v
I mi Xtcveliv. i anipuv <uganizei lot lilt Sallonal Wildlife
I ede i am nil I ndangei ed S(ki lev progi am. led a woi k
vliop at the lint lonleieme and liav Halt lied die group
evolve
"XI At liav velvet! lo unite and galvanize die vtudelil
enviioiimenl movement he vavv "Student efloitvweie
verv div|ointed beioie XI* \( tame along
Xteveliv ptalvev the gtoup tiecauve leaders emphasize
die mipoitame of organization I hat organization liav
teviiltetl in tamptiv ihapteiv nalionmdr taking vtnilev to
im leave t iiiiiiiiiiintv awaieiievv anil iiivolvetiienl
I akmg a lead liom tin- national oflit t |ovh Kn.iiiei. a
vophoitiore and XlAt meiidiei at t amegie Mellon I
det tiled to hung logelhei viiulemv nationwide When he
elet Holmallv mailed mintillation to MtO vlllilenlv alx.ut
Malting a vtudent environmental network. lie nevei antn>
(Mteil sin h inleievi
I ha( inleievi wav the geneviv of the Xuitieiil I nv ii o 1 ink
(INIkKNIl inailhov atldievv env link andim mill
edit I. whit Ii liav enioiled 01 Ml vuhvt iitx-iv in Hfi louit
II lev and iv giovvmg d.ulv “I dunk we inav have pivt
leached M> tountiiev; I got a me wage It out Xaudi \iahia
lodav," kn.iiiei vaiv
1 he Xtiidenl Knvtro-I ink let eivt-v himdiedv of messages
about enviionnietilal rat ivm. illegal i tearing of forests and
toxu dumping knauei anti othetv sort the messages and
reduce t alx nit vix news hi ietv free to vuhvt nlieiv tlailv
I he vciv it e alvt mnikv av a tnotiv a I ion.il itxtl to sit >p env r
lonmeiital in|iivme Xuhvtnlx iv. im hiding students, (no
te wt >i v and pi idevMonalv. have at t evv to at lion alerts
telling them about opportunities tot at iivimii
When a lumliet unii|i.im illegalh tiegaii clearing the
K< ilwo.ill hui'il in
( alilmiii.i. Kn.mi'i
in ililird t in in innit ni.tl’
IMS ( illllllis llallllllwllir
lliimlrtl Icgislatm s
plume lint's ss iili nun t
than Vf mm11tin nit-1 alls, and
l lit- illegal i le al ing was
lit ipjied
. \ I 11 It 11.11 1.1 l MIIUI IIIV1II » Jl
V
ivmg out Si \C s mission ot
addirssing rnviiomiM-ni.il mh i.i! protv
Irms loi thr |mvi two vcais. SK\( (II H)
has hauled umvrisiiv ollk'i.tls ovci thr salt* of
h.OOO .a irs of i.int h lane! l hr land is Im atrd in
s i \1
'll II s.n- li«'l Hi• *<i|.
umiUtii
cdri ii l"!
W&j^M Si \( si cm Mines
"Heluie woi long with
sh \( we would have r.tl
lied and pmteMed willi Mgm
Hut we learned it s nuue etlei
she* sa\ s
live* to Witte let in s. s* ncuuir m* < «
mgs and form (nmiiuttrr* with the !*'«►
who have ilie* |m>wri to make »tiangr.
Noxibrr < .ourm, Miss.. .»l«m iiuomr area when* vjjrega
in»n shll r\is«s Frdrnilrfl I et hnologies hu ot Mississippi
and l bights l muon mental System* want n» pure hast* the
land Itm a ha/aidous waste* iiu meialoi
Indiana l siuclrni* tin laird ihr salt- an at I «»l rnwioo
mental latism I hr lands most lommonlv (mgr ted loi
waste* Sites, like- III Mississippi, alt* h >\s st h n x*t tHitMiilt anas
wlirtr pn>n st is minimal
!*iott st against tins site i tmtmued 11> glow bet ause
Indiana l students liegan working with national oigant
/ations like the National Asvh latioii loi the \dvan< eiitcnt
nl ( oloted People Vine an Vinriu ans loi I* nvitonnieiital
|»istit c, < omiminitv and olhei uni\eisit\ environmental
^ItMips
liie foundation has not made a statement alwuit rnvi
i< Mimem.il iat ism. sa\s Bai baia ( a>11 man. assistant t** the
pi e side ut ot Indiana l Foundation Mr base beaid hi mu
\(iu an Ament ans m Mississippi that the lai ilit\ will pit*
wde an etonoinii Ixnist and oiler low paving jobs loi the
i iti/ens | be sale «>t the land is }>endtiig
Overpopulation: The forgotten
environmental problem
Don't look to today's college students for a sign that world
population growth is a growing environmental concern
"It's really easy to say we shouldn't cut down all the trees
or kill all the whales. You can slap a bumper sticker on your
car that says so. But you won't find one that says. Don t
have babies' because it's not that simple," says David Garza,
a senior at the U. of Texas.
Scientists are concerned about the underreported, under
protested strain on the Earth from supporting a growing popu
lation. though ’I would say that the speed of the population
growth is more of a problem." says Rhoda Pero/zi. environmerv
tal science professor at Webster U. in St. Louis. "I think we re
seeing a reflection of general attitudes in college students "
Scientists believe that by 2025 current population levels will
have doubled, taxing the Earth with a larger and faster rise in
population levels than ever before. Each individual will com
pound the drainage of goods and raw materials while con
tributmg to the pollution and contamination of the planet.
*1 think it's a really big problem," says Joe Sawyer, a junior
at the U. of New Mexico and member of the Students Earth
Action. "Most of the students aren't concerned about it.
though ‘ ■ Arrays Milligan, Journal, Webstar U.
\., si- 1 rlr brutes m lout m >eai. oigaiu/ris ua><
f<K lived Hit setting K*».»In fill dir tuuiii- BrllO W" lit*'
1>1..U|) iiti[x-s it> broaden die student base of stip|>oit anil
nrtwm k .mow lines <it millin', rate anti grntiri though
lilt- otgani/ation ol T* national toniciriurs in the nest
linn- months Sh\< also will ilisinbtitr ( um/un lunlofp, a
t oniprclirnsisc environmental book whit h a< it at an
environ menial blue pi ini toi si title lit organizations
"I >m mission sialeiueitl is broadening anti irdrhnnig
(lie enviiouiiieni.il movement," vivs l>a\e Hodges. Si-\(
national t mint 11 t ot n tiinatoi I lie I it mg dial s i rails
e nt t mi aging lo me as 1 look a I on lit! die t minus I s< t
I hi iple 11 lining logelhei altiunti die enviioumeiit. savs
Hodges, a l' ol \ii/oiia semol
si \< s mivsion ol bunging togetbei tlneise groups ol
iK'ople with a t ommoii goal is Ix-toming a it alin
■ 1 be dung we started out in IW.I is iinallv Hailing lo
liap|K'ii I It it, k to thr fut me. anil I left like Kelt' (list get
ting stalled." Hodges saw 'Ur base a wavs to go. but
we re moving." "
POPULATION GROWTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
LOW WEGHJM mm <Jn
’jMMTtti GROWTH ■ GnOWTM
souncr iwiLMiOHRteoms n* jewe ho*un& u
om.v
PRESIDENTIAL
PROMISES
Students wait to see if
Clinton and Gore deliver
Student environmentalists l>4ilfd the rliilinn ot
President Kill ( linton .uid V» •' President At <-n«
.in .1 ut inn Itu their uuv, though some Iemail!
she pm al about him mu* h i hangr mil take plai (
- I he cle< lion of < Imloti and < Hire, lot voting |»roplc
inteiesled in the citvtiuiiment, was a great vittotv, savs
Ih-th King, national otTiir repiesenuttve lor lire Student
k nvuoninental \r lion ( oahiioit. h.ise’d in I Ira|>cI Mill.
\ ( *( Hinton's elet non redefines the wav student envr
loninentalisiN apptnat li the environment With < linton,
theie ts a teal sense that he wants student enviioninenlal
tsts to In- involved 111 the protess
hcllv Mi Dowell, a set not Ironi Michigan State l and
enviionnient.il at tivist. is skeplti al. though. Iw-i attse Imth
( lintotr and < aue have manv other p»>liti* al t ontems
‘People who aie not rduiated about the euvironntetit
arc more optimistic than those-who are, she says
Despite then views on the new administration, most
students agtce the environment is a laige com etn of ml
lege students.
‘ 1 he condition oi the environment is one ol the
biggest problems that lair voting people today.' savs
Rhonda Dtshin. a senior at Att/ona State l .. who has
Ireeti aitive ill environmental i auses She savs students
now leel included in the political dri tsion-making
tit i k css.
*1 think. *1' It.tW‘ JHMIpIr in Hit* Millie* IIOUST will! Will
listen to tnil concern* about tilt* environment and takr
uni nun rnu seriouslyllbkm
!k ensure the While Mouse listen*. she vtv* students
Hill write letter*, hold tallies and edtitatr others about
the issues
( )ne ol the biggest t out eitis ol Misktti and i illiet slut lent
et is it t nuiientalisLs is how the (.luiti in t a itt* admit list rat ion
will lialant e environmental issues anti et onoinu goals
I he Hush administration of ten described the relation
ship lx-tween business and the environment as atlseiviti.il,
Ismg sass, "but ( Imloii tralt/rs that |obs seisus the envi
ronment is a false t lion e fsersthing tlr.il s t oming up on
the (:lintou agent la takes the ensitonmetit into at t mint '
( hiiton defined his environmental agenda last seat in
an faith Mas speech at Mrrxrl t In the speeth he spoke
ol a "new covenant tot environmental prtigress Me
ptomisetl his administration would "take the leatl in pro
moting sustainable development ’ Among his other st.it
e.l goat* .or to restore l S funding fot the United
Nation's (stipulation siaNluatton eflorts lie ptomisetl to
reduce ettrtgs consumption anti increaM* energy etli
t ietits hs raising the average fuel-elitt tents goals lot auto
makers to I", miles a gallon and entouragmg use ol nai
utal gas over till, nut leal anti t oal
Clinton also outfit ted his goals ol pteventmg pollution
Ia t teatiiig a svsletn ol tt.ttl.ihle t rrthts anti lax incentives
lor business as well as dialling a national liottle lull to
promote recycling
In an ext Insist* inteiview with f /h< Satumai (.allege
Magazine before the elet non. (Hinton htgiilighted global
wat mmg. waste management and the development ol
new, ecologically sound let hnologies as the tluee most
pressing environment'll concern*.
"Obviously if you control your rtirrgv coils, it * not
only good fot the environment, it hrlps the economy. No
at home I would work on fuel eflitiency. natural gas,
alternative energy and conservation." hr said.
Vic* PrMktont Oof* promt*** *ovtrornn*nt*l progr***.
'i
r
k
a
f
g
So Mill ( Hinton make guild nit hi* promises.'
Mu logan Stitf i Mi IJimtll in skrptii .il
"You i ant lie truly environmental ii vmi'ir going to
support e< oiiohuc growth." she says "(<oir in belter than
nioNi |Mil11ii urn, but lies loo iimderale (■> get anything
dour
Krn Beat h. N|)okr»inaii fur llir Washington. I) (
based Wildei i ir nn Sim irlv, .1 group coiiceitrcd in il Ii pur
tn tillg I tic env ironment, n.in n hr in mu nil aged In llir
NirfiN ( liuton ha* taken III htslust IriN monlliN in ollite.
“We're pirliv avid supporters id llir rnrigv la*
Ir i .hint not only will n Im iii Iii dir economy. but also llir
riiviioninrnt." Heat h NUN N (.lirilon favins an energy lax
lo tirlp reduce the budgrt delicti and cm out age rnrigv
effk irm \
Many business leader*. however, have yrl lo lie toil
vinced that < limons riivironinrntal pnlit ie» will benrfii
die ri onoim Mini f Murray, t ban man anil i Inrl cxci
lUivc oltii rr ol Mobil ( oip . says drr rnrigv lax will have
a negative rflri l on llir enmotny
"Mobil doc* not sup|M>n dir rn.u inrent of energy taxes
ol anv type niik r ibrv air narrowlv based anil will
adversely alien lire economy and America"* competitive
ness worldwide." Murray n.i\n “The keys lo long-term
economic improvement in llir I S. air tethn mg die si/c
ol government and i uiting federal spending.
Ini now. vitnr of dir most immediate environmental
det inioiin I at mg the new admumtiaiitin will Ik- lire Soldi
\meri« an free Iradr \grermenl and lhe Hidangered
Sjr-i ie* Ai i, wliit b in coming up lor renewal in the next
lew months. Beach n"
In teiiiiN ol the environment. NAII A in ioutroveisr.il
Ik*i a use many jolis will go to Mexit *», whu b lias lax envi
ronmental standards and |>oot lalxrr law*
While the adminiNliation. and in paittculai Vice
President (-nr. autbot ol batik in ihr Halana. has givm
environmentalists new ho|>e, Ismg says students woik I*
fai from complete
“Student environmentalists at Sf.\( don t intend to mi
bai k; the administralicm treed* to Ire pushed. Students in
this country need lo consistently remind the administra
iron what is important." 0
H\ l .i/ S/al»o. (tirolirr l>ail\. I • <»1 ' irtfinia