Global Warming Takes Over Fullerton College

Thursday some students may have noticed an unusual amount of activity in the middle of campus, centered in particular around a massive arch sculpted entirely of red balloons.

The arch, built to represent the meteoric rise of carbon in the atmosphere, also known as the Keeling Curve, and the event surrounding it that morning were just a small part of Fullerton College's Global Warming Teach-In. By taking part in this national event, The FL campus joined with over a thousand other colleges and universities across the country to promote an agenda of education and community initiative.

The day began with a canceled morning yoga session, proving to be the only major setback of the day. The rest of the day was comprised of demonstrations, discussions and informative activities organized by both student and faculty.

Thanks to a grant from the Schlinger Foundation, matched by the Fullerton College Foundation, the school was able to host a number of guest speakers including Dr. DeMento, Director of the University of California Irvine's Newkirk Center for Science and Society.

At noon students circulating among the tables during "Club Rush" may have noticed the added focus on environmental awareness, most notably in the presence of the Environmental Protection Alliance club and their dancing polar bear mascot.

The club collected the signatures of bystanders, while entertaining them with impromptu displays of encouragement from their fuzzy cohort.

The EPA collected over 500 signatures during the afternoon, and distributed over 100 California-native Hummingbird Sage plants courtesy of the college's Horticulture Department.

A number of other organizers staffed tables with similar agendas, including one focused on the worldwide water shortage and another highlighting the environmentally-friendly agenda of the Fullerton College library.

Near sunset, over 200 attendees gathered along Chapman Avenue to hold a "candlelight vigil" with small flashlights. The participants waved their tiny lights at passing motorists, exhorting them to further the cause of a sustainable future and eliciting scattered honks and rallying cries in response.

As darkness fell over campus the event finally wound down, a small roundtable discussion was held in the new Student Center shortly before the final event.

A showing of an environmentalism documentary entitled "The 11th Hour" was also held.

Produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, the film featured commentary from such dignitaries as Mikhail Gorbachev and Stephen Hawking on the gravity of the problem currently facing our generation, and the planet.

Over a hundred students remained on campus late into the evening to watch the film, and at least one class was cancelled in favor of the event.

Event organizer Dr. Sean Chamberlin sent out a missive this weekend proclaiming the college's accomplishment, calling Thursday "…one of my best days at Fullerton College. It reminds me of the reasons I teach and renews my faith in the ability of people to affect positive change."

This is the first year in which FC has taken part in the Focus the Nation event. For more information visit www.focusthenation.org.