Toxic Tour Raises Awareness, Emphasizes Solutions

The West Virginia University Sierra Student Coalition organized a Toxic Tour of Morgantown, W.V., on Earth Day, to raise awareness of health hazards in the community and urge residents to make environmentally conscious choices.

"The university and the city need to work together to reduce emissions and improve air and water quality," student organizer Christy Hartman, above left, told WBOY-TV news. Helping Hartman organize the tour were fellow student activists Joe Gorman (above right, in green shirt), Caroline Copenhaver, Thomas Richards, Jessica Domer, Joe Moore, Morgan Ames, Nate Askins, and Ethan Wells.

Morgantown has the highest concentration of power plants in the nation. In addition to visiting the city's downtown power plant, the Toxic Tour made stops at the proposed site for a new coal-fired power plant, toured a solar-powered house, and demonstrated how to power a car with vegetable oil.

Hartman stressed that the group's aim is not only to inform, but to focus on solutions. "It's not all doom and gloom," she said. "There are a million opportunities to solve the problems we face. That's why we're out here."

Student activists have been meeting with WVU President Mike Garrison to get him to commit to reducing campus emissions 30 percent by 2015, beginning with a greenhouse gas inventory. "He has committed to doing the inventory," says Hartman, "so now we're working with the university to try and get a firm commitment. Our resolution was unanimously passed by the Student Government Association last spring, but the administration has yet to act."

Other WVU SSC projects include increasing solid waste recycling on campus from 23 percent to 50 percent next year, a campus-wide interfaith coalition, and establishing a Green Endowment Fund.

Learn more about the Sierra Student Coalition and how you can get involved.