Echo September 25, 2009

              "Meet the
2009-2010
Echo Editors,
all sections
Augsburg College
ll
HCHO
The College's Student-Produced Newspaper
President
Pribbenow
describes
"The Year
Ahead/'
page 4
Friday, September 25, 2009
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Volume CXV, Issue 1
350 Arrives at 22nd and Riverside
Dave Madsen
News Editor
Environmentalist and author
Bill McKibben spoke on Monday,
Sept. 21 as part of the annual Bernard M. Christensen Symposium.
As one of the founders of350.org,
McKibben's lecture focused on a
simple number that could prove
to have a profound effect on our
environment.
After giving a brief history of the movement, McKibben
explained the campaign as one
that requires immediate action
from diverse groups of communities. Although the transition to a
greener lifestyle may be difficult,
McKibben argued that we still
have time to act.
After personally experiencing
the environmental devastation in
such countries as Bangladesh,
McKibben began to organize
creative marches and student-led
protests to combat global climate
•change.
As a long-time advocate of
environmentalism, McKibben's
first work. The End of Nature, is
still seen as one of the pioneer
books published regarding global
warming. Since leading the largest
rally against global warming in the
summer of 2006, McKibben has
been a leader in a political movement to reduce the atmosphere's
carbon concentration from the
hazardous 385.92 to the acceptable
350 parts per million.
Throughout his address,
McKibben stressed that individuals should begin to work immediately in order to develop communities aimed toward decreasing
carbon emissions on a global scale.
According to McKibben, such
swift action is needed because the
scientific understanding of global
warming has dramatically changed
within the past two years.
"We have to be doing things
right away," McKibben said, "This
problem cannot be solved one
lightbulb at a time . . . not even
one country at a time. We need a
global movement."
McKibben's 350 mantra
provides a universally understood
target for a world-wide community
to work toward. Among the strongest members of the movement,
McKibben reported, are young
people who seem less apprehensive regarding political change.
Adding to the environmental benefits and in the spirit of his book,
Deep Economy, MckKibben said,
"We are also going to see a shift to
deeper and stronger communities
than ever before."
Although he could not promise that 350.org's mission may fully come to pass, McKibben reported that our
time to act is running
short. He emphasized
that the path to such
political and environmental change may be
tough and wrenching,
but he also reassured
the community that the
benefits would greatly
outweigh the struggle.
"Even if we can't stop
it, we can at least slow
this down," McKibben
said.
Augsburg students
can further support 350.
org's mission by participating in the final
week of September's
Sustainabilty awareness month
comes to Augsburg
Andrea Sanow
Features Editor
With the goal of changing
habits, the organizers of Sustain-
ability Awareness Month (SAM)
set out to alter the way Augsburg
students, faculty and staff interact
with the energy and waste that they
use and produce.
Kjerstin Hagen, a senior at
Augsburg College, was one of the
main forces behind SAM, which
took place this September.
"The inspiration of SAM
came from the success of the
compost program," she said.
"After successfully implementing the program last fall, a group
of students, faculty, and A'viands
reps sat down and brainstormed as
to how we could expand on this
concept of implemental change."
To make change happen,
Hagen and her fellow planners
created events, posters and boards
that would help educate Augsburg
students on how to dispose of their
garbage and to save energy. Along
with education boards, the organizer of SAM also played a hand
in the inviting of Bill McKibben
to speak on Monday. Sept. 21.
2009 as pan of the Christensen
Symposium. With the month,
almost over. Hagen is working
hard to finish strong.
"We also are now pulling
of yet another dorm energy wars
with the help of Mpirg." Hagen
said. "We had another successful
teach-in day: we had the green
alternative vehicles on campus:
we had a very successful waste
separation game out in the quad;
we have compost boards going
up at every A'viands retailer, and
we are striving towards a more
sustainable approach to Augsburg
athletic events."
Through the events of this
month Hagen hopes to not only
help students change the everyday
little things in their life, but also
the way they feel about their community and each other.
"1 hope that a general awareness has been sparked in the minds
of everyone on campus and also a
willingness to take on this responsibility to improve our situation
and take initiative because we are
the generation that must," Hagen
said.
To continue with the work of
this month, Hagen hopes to start
a new student group called the
Student Association Board of Sus-
tainability Advocates (SABSA)
so that all student organizations
on campus can come together and
discuss more sustainable practices
for their own events as well as
make the campus, as a whole, more
sustainable.
But, until then, Hagen
and her fellow student organizers hope that the steps
they have taken will continue to make changes in
student's lives.
"I hope that our weekly
goals (for SAM) are met,
more permanent changes
are made in terms of campus
habits, and that all members
of the Augsburg community
come together to share this
vision," Hagen said. "I also
hope that people take away
a sense of accomplishment
if they did take this month
seriously, and that they will
contact me and help with the
ongoing projects that will be
happening until I graduate.
I do not plan to stop here.
This was merely the point at
which we begin the fight towards holistic living, which
is sustainability."
For the final week of SAM,
students, faculty and staff are
invited to learn more about how
Augsburg connects to the community through the Campus Kitchen
Project and the community garden.
Sustainability Awareness Month.
In addition to efforts like the
community garden and the West
Bank Farmer's Market, McKibben
encouraged everyone to become
involved with their surrounding
communities and organize a rally
for the 'International Day of Action' on Oct. 24.
"It's rare in this world that
anyone can be able to get up in
the morning and think to themselves, 'I'm doing the single most
important thing I can possibly accomplish," McKibben said while
referring to the responsibility each
of us has as members of our rapidly decaying environment, "For
those of us who can, it's in some
ways a burden, but in more ways
it's a great, great pleasure."
Students fight the flu
Sara Klemp
Staff Writer
Staff members at Augsburg
are preparing for the continuing
spread of the H1N1 and seasonal
flu viruses by providing students
and faculty with resources to prevent the viruses, including updates
on local cases, advice on what to
do if one catches H1N1 or seasonal
flu as well as tips on how to avoid
getting sick.
According to a letter from
President Pribbenow issued on
Sept. 10, seven Augsburg students
have reported flu-like symptoms,
yet none of these cases were found
to be the HINl virus. Though it
seems as if we have avoided the flu
thus far, there have been more than
a few cases reported close to the
college. Nearby at the University
of Minn., approximately 60 cases
have been reported to university
staff. With the possibly of more
students catching and spreading
the flu, Augsburg is making efforts
to protect students from getting
sick.
To help prepare students for
the flu season, Augsburg is offering guidance on what to do if
one does comes down with the
illness. In a recent letter via email
to students, Ann Garvey, Augsburg's Vice President of Student
Affairs, relays recommendations
by the Centers for Disease Control,
CDC. about what students should
do if one contracts Influenza-Like
Illness, ILL Symptoms of ILI include having a fever over 100-de-
grees along with a cough and sore
throat. If this occurs, students are
asked to self-isolate for at least 24
hours after the fever and other flu
symptoms subside without using
fever-subsiding medications. Self-
isolation suggests staying away
from people unless to receive
medical attention or for necessities. Generally, self-isolation lasts
about 3 to 5 days, and, if possible,
students should try to return home
while recovering. Also, Garvey
adds that all professors are aware
of these recommendations and will
try to be accommodating if one
cannot attend class due to illness.
Besides giving advice on what
to do if flu-like symptoms arise,
Garvey also reminds students
on ways to prevent catching the
flu. Some of these tips include
frequent hand washing and practicing healthy habits like getting
enough sleep, practicing good nutrition and staying well-hydrated.
Garvey also reminds students
to cover one's mouth and DOM
when coughing or sneezing, avoid
touching one's eyes or mouth and
to avoid coming in close contact
with sick people.
Another way that Augsburg
is helping students prevent the
spread of flu is by offering seasonal tlu vaccinations on Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 11:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m. in the Riverside Room,
located in the Christensen (enter.
The vaccinations will cost S25 tor
students, faculty and staff.