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Campus News
The Clarion | April 1,2011
White House vows to reduce energy consumption
By Alex McCracken
Staff Writer
The White House has released a
comprehensive plan to reduce our nation’s
energy consumption.
As U.S. citizens, we do not need to be told
our way of life is now functioning on slivers of
borrowed time. The White house press secretary
wants us to know that they are not asleep at the
wheel and have shown that they not only know
where our problems are coming from, but where
we need to go from here.
According to the press release, “In 2008,
America imported 11 million barrels of oil a day.
By 2025—a little over a decade from now—^we
will have cut that by one-third.” Obama
continues to back it up with sensible actions such
as keeping a closer eye on refinery companies as
well as implementing safety reforms. Incentives
for oil companies to expedite production are
also mentioned.
But more important issues are explained in
detail. Oil security is next on his list as well as
a new frame work for international relationships
on the basis of energy efficiency and not just
energy production.
Alternative energy is given an introductory
paragraph and several detailed explanations
and strategies follow. And while the secretary’s
rose colored view on ethanol fuel, a fuel with
a reputation of being an economic dead end,
are worrisome. But the Obama administration
is not putting all its eggs in one basket; and is
actively funding research into other fuels, as
well as finding ways to sell those fuels in a
global market, and plans on building several
bio fuel refineries.
The release ends on a note of efficiency about
efforts to hybridize the federal fleet, of which
600,000 are currently in service, and by 2015,
the president hopes, will be fully integrated.
This in addition to recovery act investments to
make modem construction of homes, places of
business, and government housing projects to
In 2008, America imported
11 million barrels of oil a
day. By 2025—a little over
a decade from now—we will
have cut that by one-third.
//
be built under much more stringent efficiency
standards curbing the gob smacking 70 percent
of our national energy that these structures
consume.
Whether these ideas and promises are acted
on remains firmly up in the air But this writer
appreciates the gesture and feels it’s been a quite
a while since we’ve been given a straight answer
on the administration’s green aspirations.
This Week on Campus
Special topics seminar
classes for fall 2011
Special topics seminar classes are classes that
have a specific theme to analyze that provides
students with a variety of perspectives.
Two of the classes will be put together in
a LINC course that explores the connection
between art and nature.
“I will be tracing broadly the theme of nature-
inspired music with prof Ken Chamlee, whose
English 290 class will be doing the same theme
by both poets and composers,” said music
professor Laura McDowell. Their class will
focus on how nature has been portrayed through
music, poems, stories, novels, and even art.
“We will be looking at the different ways
nature is presented using not only our eyes,
but our ears,” said prof Ken Chamlee. “I hope
students will gain an appreciation for a broader
connection on how all of the arts integrate.”
The class will feature guest speakers, have
classes outside, and will examine how people
have depicted nature throughout the centuries.
McDowell hopes that students who take the
class receive “an abiding love and appreciation
of music’s power to evoke images and emotions,
and the close connection we have with the
Earth.”
Four other special topics seminar classes will
be offered in the departments of Criminal Justice,
Mathematics, Organizational Leadership, and
Theater. The classes are filling up fast, so
register soon.
Fellowship of Christian
Athletes(FCA): Meets every
Tuesday at 9 p.m. in the Spiritual Life
Center.
Student Government Association:
IMeets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the
Reserve Dining Room.
Team - Mobilizing Opportunities
for Volunteer Engagement
(T-M.G.V.E.): IMeets every Sunday at
7 p.m. in the AEC Conference Room.
BC Greens: Thursday at 8:30 p.m. in
MG 113.
BC Spiritual Life Presents
Common Grounds: Monday night
at 8 p.m. in the Spiritual Life Center
Have questions? Contact Brian
Burgess at burgesbd@brevard.edu.
Campus Activities Board:
Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the
Underground.
Expressive Arts Group: Meets
Tuesdays at 5 p.m. Come if you are
feeling the need for some change in
your routine, if you are looking for an
opportunity to have fun, and to be
creative and express yourself Meets
upstairs in Stamey Wellness Center
Zumba for Japan: Sunday, April 3,
from 2 to 4 p.m. in Auxiliary Gym.
Tickets are $15 at the door All of the
proceeds will go to The American
Red Cross' relief efforts in Japan.
Also, bid on silent auction items.
Cosponsored by the Center for
Multicultural & Service Initiatives and
Hiro Martin, a local Zumba instructor
Poetry/Music Performance: Keith
Flynn and The Holy Men, Tuesday,
April 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Porter
Center Keith Flynn is an award-
winning poet, singer, and editor who
has published five books of poetry
and essays. The reading is free and
open to the public.
'Betrothal and Betrayal,' An
Evening of Opera Scenes: Brevard
College's Music Department will
present a program of opera scenes
at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday April 9 at
the Porter Center for Perfonning Arts.
The program, which is free and open
to the public, will feature scenes from
Mozart's "Don Giovanni," Sondheim's
"Sweeney Todd," Gilbert and
Sullivan's "Mikado" as well as the
famous Flower Duet from "Lakme."