`Green forum' deemed a good start

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by Felisa Yang

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A "Green Forum" held Wednesday night addressed the environmental concerns of Rice students.

According to organizer Justus Baird, a Baker College fifth-year student, the goal of the forum was "nothing short of reviving the environmental scene at Rice."

Despite the small turnout, Baird feels confident that the dialogue was a good start.

Students addressed various issues, including the possibility of a non-science environmental studies major and the role and purpose of the Environmental Club.

Student Association President Maryana Iskander briefed the group on the status of the proposed major. She cited a petition signed by 200 students, stating that they would have declared a non-science environmental major had one been offered. President Malcolm Gillis was "blown away" by the numbers, Iskander said.

According to Iskander, a committee similar to the one that issued the Strategic Plan is in the making. The committee's purpose will be to examine environmental issues as they cut across the different groups of the campus.

Iskander also spoke of an international declaration, signed by universities across the globe, which is a pledge to be the sustainable leaders of the future. Gillis has indicated interest in signing onto the declaration, according to Iskander.

The group also discussed what the role and goals of the Environmental Club should be on the Rice campus. Some students admitted that they had not even heard of the club until the forum.

The debate centered around the direction in which the club should move -- toward a more global orientation or a more local, campus orientation.

While issues were not resolved, Baird felt that the group had taken a step in the right direction.

"We made a good start ... there's a group of students dedicated to the environment who will be much more vocal in the coming years," Baird said.

This item appeared in the News section of the April 12, 1996 issue.

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