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News
The Clarion | Nov. 9, 2007
Brevard asks Washington to 'Step it Up'
by Ben Goff
News Editor
Over 100 students, faculty
and community members
gathered Saturday to
participate in the Step It Up
rally, asking political leaders to
promptly fight global warming.
The rally, sponsored by BC
Recycles and the
Environmental Issues
Committee, took place on the
soccer field. Participants posed
for group photos and brought
objects that symbolize their
personal commitment to
reducing greenhouse gas
emissions.
Participants were also asked
to fill out a short survey about
their personal concerns on
global warming and what they
are doing to fight it. They were
offered the opportunity to dip
their index finger in green ink
in order to “give congress the
green finger”
Step It Up is a national
movement focused on putting
positive pressure on politicians
to address global warming by
making three commitments: 1)
No new coal power plants, 2)
Cut greenhouse gas emissions
80% by 2050 and 3) create 5
million new ‘green’jobs.
This rally was part of a
national day of action that
included thousands of similar
rallies in all 50 states. The first
Step It Up rallies held in April
included over 1,400 separate
events across the country, with
this weekend’s events
promising to top that number
Organizers across the country
invited Senators,
Representatives and
presidential candidates to the
rallies, with several showing up
to events or issuing statements
of support.
According to event organizer
Dr Bob Cabin, this event was a
huge success, with a much
larger turn-out than expected.
The turn-out was larger in fact,
than many ralhes held in larger
cities.
Brevard underwater restrictions
Teachers and students weary
of birds and squirrels
by David Ulloa
Staff Writer
In most recent complaints, the
massive amounts of bird feces
and acorn dents found on cars
have made the parking
community fearful.
The parking lot in front of the
main entrance is where most of
the complaints are coming
from. Both, students and staff
are nervous to leave their cars
parked under the bordering
trees, because they harbor two
deadly threats: defecating birds
and frantic squirrels. Birds,
(who are known for being
extremely liberal with their
droppings), apparently have a
tendency to congregate in the
trees after ingesting food, and
to look at cars like they were
targets. The squirrels (probably
white and brown) are
constantly gathering nuts and
acorns, and then carelessly
plummeting them onto peoples’
car hoods.
Not only does the community
take this natural tendency as
an aimoying trend, but less and
less people are parking
directly under trees.
Junior Emily Wooten
explained to me her thoughts
on the recent debacle. “After
devoting much time to
keeping my car clean and
undamaged, the affects of
these vicious animals have
made my everyday experience
at school even more
stressful.”
Wooten frequently avoids
parking in front of “hot spots”
where there is the evidence of
heavy bird activity and nut
shells. Obviously from the
distraught confessional of
Wooten, the display of
sacrificial parking is at hand.
The community will have to
abide by the forces of nature
and allow the animals to fester
over their parked vehicles.
Until there is some kind of task
force involved to wipe these
beasts out, unless the pubhc
stop feeding these animals, the
people will have to pay the
price of life and deal with this
issue all year
by Ben Goff
News Editor
This week, the Brevard City
Manager aimounced that
voluntary water restrictions
are now in effect in Brevard.
This action comes in
response to drought
conditions in the state that,
despite the rains of last
month, are still the worst in
recorded history.
Federal drought maps show
that, while the rains received
during Oct. did reduce the
severity of the drought in
over 50 NC counties, all
counties continue to
experience drought.
The economic effects of the
drought are especially severe
for NC farmers who are
experiencing the lowest crop
yields in 50 years as a result
of the dry conditions.
NC Governor Mike Easley
has been encouraging all
municipalities to conserve
water since the drought
began around March.
According to a press release,
“Water consumption must be
reduced now and for the
foreseeable future if we are
to avoid a water supply
emergency.”
While many areas are in
jeopardy of miming out of
water, municipalities in
Transylvania Co. continue to
resist instating any strict
regulations on water use.
Despite the fact that
Transylvania county is one of
22 NC counties experiencing
the worst category of drought
measured, the water
restrictions put in place this
week are much less stringent
than those recommended by
state officials.