feb. 14, 2006 • news • page 8
be the next lois lane.
(superman not included.)
it’s never too late to join. contact us -record@csbsju.edu
ENERGYFrom page 1
treasurer of Campus Greens. “It is the
most viable option right now.” Derek Larson, the chair of the envi
ronmental studies department, agreed. “Buildings account for about two-
thirds of our energy use, so lighting and
heating are priorities,” he said.
Why care?
One reason to reduce energy consumption is because of the abundant evidence of its link with global warming.
Carbon dioxide emissions represent 82 percent of total U.S. human-made greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Energy Information Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Energy.
“It’s interesting how many people fail to connect pollution (with diseases that human contract),” Sitzer said. “As the Earth becomes more polluted so do our bodies.”
Larson contends global warming is inevitable and isn’t something we can completely prevent.
“Many scientists predict a three to four degree increase would have catastrophic consequences like mass extinctions, flooding of most coastal cities, epidemic disease, etc.,” Larson said. “We’d be wise to avoid that.”
If slowing global warming isn’t enough of an incentive to reduce energy consumption, then consider its economic costs.
“It will save the school money so they can put that money to add improvements somewhere else (at the schools),” Gossman said. “(That) would de.nitely be bene.cial for students.”
How much we use
Power Plant Supervisor Terry Loso said via e-mail that CSB and the Monastery used $737,000 worth of electricity and $638,660 in fuel during the last .scal year. Break that down, and he said St. Ben’s uses about 35,000 to 38,000 kilowatts an hour each day.
Other campuses, St. Olaf for instance, have invested in providing energy through alternative sources such as by wind turbines.
INTRUDER
From page 1
marketing services of.ce at 8:33 p.m. Monday night. He remained inside for roughly 20 minutes before moving on to the next of.ce.
Marks left on the door frames indicate a screwdriver was used to pry the doors open.
While MaryAnn Baenninger’s private of.ce was not entered, the presidential of.ce suite was.
“People think there’s something mysterious or there’s valuable information in this office, but it’s not really all that interesting,” said Sonja Gidlow, the executive assistant to the president.
Cost is the greatest obstacle that prevents CSB/SJU from doing the same.
Long term solutions
Conserving energy isn’t just a monthlong effort. It’s also part of the presidents’ promise after signing the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment, which encourages colleges nationwide to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Both CSB President MaryAnn Baenninger and SJU President Br. Dietrich Reinhart have signed along with almost 500 other college presidents.
Ernie Diedrich, a professor for environmental economics and environmental studies, said SJU has received a grant from Xcel to install solar panels on the New Science building by the end of the school year. The energy produced won’t be suf.cient for the sole source of campus power.
“It’s a modest installation really meant as a demonstration,” Larson said via e-mail. “The cost of such alternative power is not competitive with coal.”
In addition, the new Flynntown community building will be “environmentally sound,” which means they will be made of lead-certi.ed silver.
The new proposed academic building at CSB will also be made of this environmentally friendly material, Diedrich said.
Making a difference
And that’s where students come in.
“If we could just become aware of things that are using energy even when we’re not using them and make an effort to unplug or turn those things off and not be as wasteful with our energy,” Kirzeder said.
Others agree.
“The simple act of .ipping a switch off can affect energy usage,” Diedrich said.
Every CSB/SJU student can make a difference in even small ways, Butenhoff said.
“It’s not just about putting up a windmill,” Butenhoff said. “It’s about empowering students and citizens to participate in everyday actions that can help protect the environment that are really effective. Every little bit that anyone does can help.”
Jim Schumann, director of St. Ben’s security, said he suspects a 20-year-old white male working alone was the intruder. But Magaard suspects someone younger, of junior high age, because of the lack of any substantial theft. The thief left a handful of laptops and digital cameras untouched.
Sister Colman O’Connell, whose of.ce was broken into, agreed with Magaard’s assessment.
“It seems like not a very professional job,” she said.
Rumors ran amuck at the elementary school as students heard someone had broken in. Terhaar was relieved that a second-grader’s guess of the amount stolen was a bit exaggerated. The student’s guess: “200 million thousand dollars.”
