Volume 143, Issue #5
IT'S NOT EASY BEING 'GREEN'
The Second Annual Construction Career Day was held at the Evans Campus March 8 and was hosted by the National Association of Women in Construction, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. and City College. The event was sponsored by some of the biggest names in the construction industry, including Cupertino Electric, Inc., Swinerton Builders and the Bay Area Chapter of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association. More than 150 attendees roamed the second-floor open spaces and crowded around exhibitors’ tables set up for the occasion. Keynote speaker Eric Corey Freed heads organicARCHITECT, a San Francisco design firm. With 15 years of experience in green architecture, he applies scientific and design principles to help the Earth’s limited resources meet its population needs without disturbing the world’s environmental processes. “Ecology means ‘house knowledge,’” he said. “Perhaps we should think in terms of ecology and economy working together.” “In the last 100 years,” Freed said, “we have lost 50 percent of the world’s wetlands, cleared 50 percent of the world’s forests, depleted 70 percent of the world’s major marine fisheries, put nearly 60 percent of coral reefs at risk.” Today, buildings themselves cause almost half of the world’s carbon emissions, use 40 percent of the world’s energy and materials, 17 percent of the water supply and 25 percent of harvested wood, he said. “Each snowflake in the avalanche pleads not guilty,” Freed said, quoting Polish writer Stanislaw J. Lec. Freed’s strategy and commitment to his clients is threefold in terms of finishes, structure and systems. Finishes and structures that are natural, non-toxic and salvaged are the ideal, and should be sustainably (locally) harvested, durable, recyclable or biodegradable and contain recycled content. “Play the substitution game,” he said. “New materials meet resistance with constractors.” Systems should embody interior environmental quality, water efficiency and energy reduction as goals. “Beauty is not exclusive of sustainability,” Freed said. “Cost is not tied to green materials.” The price of green buildings in 1995 was 7 percent of budget, 5 percent in 2000 and 1 percent in 2005, the architect’s figures show. “In the near future the term green architect will be redundant,” Freed said. “Every building will be green.” City College offers several free non-credit and credit courses in its Construction and Building Management Department. For more information, visit Room 101 on the Evans Campus or call (415) 550-4409. e-mail:jservatius@theguardsman.com
CAMPUS JOURNALISTS TRIUMPH AT JACC
A delegation of 17 journalism students and The Guardsman won 31 on-the spot, mail-in, bring-in and honorary awards at this year’s Journalism Association of Community Colleges state conference held March 22 to 24 in Sacramento. The conference included an array of workshops hosted by professional journalists throughout California. The winners included beginning journalism students and more seasoned students alike. Highlights include first place news photo, second place news photo and first place mail-in for staff editorial. “I’m very proud of the delegation we took, particularly of their performance in on-the-spot competitions. The excelled and proved they can handle the pressure of immediate deadlines. This resulted in their being honored for their achievements,” said Department Chair Juan Gonzalez.
Etc. Magazine also brought home awards, including first place cover design, first place magazine illustration and general excellence. “We’re happy we received recognition from JACC again this year for the excellent work our staff are doing. The dedication and hard work they’ve done reflects in the quality of the publication. We set high standards for ourselves and try to perform at a level that often equals professional quality work. I’m very proud of the work they’ve done,” said Faculty Adviser Tom Graham. City College has sent a delegation to conferences every year since 1996. First place, news photo, Stefan Jora, Second place, news photo, Annabelle Day, Second place, feature photo, Stefan Jora. Second place, copy editing, Eli Milchman, Fourth place, copy editing, TJ Johnston, Honorable mentions: news writing, Miles Harwell, broadsheet design, Miles Harwell, team feature, Eli Milchman and Alex Luthi, team feature, Elizabeth Skow and Nina Robinson, editorial cartoon, Michael Morgan, news story, David Collins. Bring In Awards: Honorable mention, feature photo, Michelle Stromberg. Mail In Awards, The Guardsman: Enterprise Story, General Excellence, Desmond Miller, First place, staff editorial, Alex Dixon, First place, editorial cartoon, Tess Donahoe, Honorable mention, critical review, Mayra Martinez, Honorable mention, column writing, John Goins. Mail In Awards, etc. Magazine: First place, magazine cover, Dan Eldridge and Dante Mendoza, First Place, magazine illustration, Dante Mendoza, Dan Powell and Allison Roberts, First place, magazine news feature, Dan Sankey, First Place, magazine photo, Sandra Reid, Third place, magazine design layout, Alex Fong and Dante Mendoza, Honorable mention, magazine profile, Arami Reyes, Honorable mention, magazine news feature, Suzanne Brinkley, General Excellence, Magazine, etc. Magazine e-mail:eskow@theguardsman.com
COLLEGE IS NO PLACE FOR PIRATES
The Recording Industry Association of America sent 400 pre-litigation settlement letters to 13 colleges and universities around the country on Feb. 28 to stop students from illegally downloading music, according to the RIAA’s website. The letters informed the schools of impending copyright violation lawsuits targeting a student or employee, giving them the chance to settle the allegations before suits are filed. According to a survey by the Intellectual Property Institute at the University of Richmond’s School of Law, more than half of college students download music and movies illegally, the RIAA website asserts. “The theft of music remains unacceptably high and undermines the industry’s ability to invest in new music,” said Mitch Bainwool, RIAA’s chairman and CEO. “This is especially the case on college campuses, despite innovative business models like Ruckus’ offer of free, legal music to any college student.” “These new efforts aim to help students recognize that the consequences for illegal downloading are more real than ever before,” said RIAA president Cary Sherman. Students at City College’s Rosenberg library said it is impossible to download music on campus because the computer system prevents it. Others who use their own computers on campus said they can’t do so because they signed a contract with the college that forbids downloading music. Other students said they do not attempt downloading music illegally. “There is a way around. You can go to MySpace and listen to music and if the computer has the right ‘plug’ you can download music,” said City College student Richard McLean. City College has not gotten any notification from the music industry, said Charles Fracchia, chair of the library. “City College policy is that students do not download music,” he said. “It is forbidden here.” e-mail:mvallejo@theguardsman.com
NEW U.S. LAW WILL AFFECT STUDENTS TRAVELING ABROAD
Days are getting longer, birds are chirping and spring is in the air. It is that time of year when eager students are making grandiose travel plans for spring break and summer. Whether you are going to Mexico, the Caribbean or anywhere else, there are new laws and information you need to know before planning your trip. The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs wants young Americans to be aware of new laws and safety issues while abroad this traveling season. Effective in January, all U.S. citizens traveling by air from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda are required to have a passport to reentry to the United States, according to the bureau. “The best source for information on how to apply for a passport is through the State Department Web site, http://travel.state.gov,” said Jill Heffron, City College study abroad program coordinator. Heffron also said that students can apply for passports at many local post offices. Along with a passport, Heffron advises that the most important thing needed is an open mind. “A lot of Americans have never been outside the United States, and they often make judgments that get them into trouble,” Heffron said. Each year, more than 2,500 American citizens are arrested abroad, according to the bureau. The State Department also says that students have been arrested for being intoxicated in public areas and for drunk driving. Some are victimized because they are unaware of the laws and customs of the country in which they are traveling. “Be aware of the cultures within the country and how people interact,” said Matt Slavnik, City College study abroad programs’ student worker and program alum. e-mail:newseditor@theguardsman.com
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