On Feb. 10 an article published by The Globe titled Brittney Evans: student profile reported that Brittney Evans was a member of the Environmental club. In truth, Brittany Momilani Evans is the founder of the club. She was also born in Hawaii, but raised in Utah.
The Environmental Club was started in Oct. 2009, but really picked up at the start of spring semester 2010, says Evans. The club was based on a business idea of Evans, has about 20 members and is growing everyday.
The club might be young, but has already made an impact at Salt Lake Community College. Parts of Evans’ business plan are in action at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus. Starting in March 2010, new and more recycling will be available in the Student Center. There will be bins for paper, plastics, and aluminum.
According to Evans, the Student Fee Board has given the money for four part time people to run the program. These employees will be working under faculties department.
Salt Lake Community College spends over 80,000 dollars on its garbage disposal, says Evans. SLCC has had recycling programs before; one issue is making people care. Evans has a plan to help that.
“Their kids, their family. People don’t care because they don’t know what it means, and that the point of raising awareness. If I were to tell you that in about forty years that your life would completely change for every thing you know because, not only would we be having energy problems, but also our forest would be so torn down that there would not be many of them left,” says Evans.
The Environmental Club has been focusing on recycling this semester but they do try to get involved with other environmental issues as well. One hot button issue the club is not raising awareness for is global warming.
“Right now we are trying to keep it out because it is to political. We don’t want to fight people rather they believe in it or not. But what we want to say is look at the air quality here. We know some factures that are really adding in to the air quality, and what it does health wise. We are trying to tackle it in a different way,” says Evans.
The club does look at the politics, however they try to go at it in a different way. You will not see the club protesting at the capital.
“My biggest thing is that I don’t want to try to fight things. I am trying to teach my club, and the people in my club the right way to go about things. Really you should attract a bee with honey not vinegar…” says Evans.
Evans teaches that students should be registered voters, to know who your representatives are and contact them.
Evans will be attending SLCC and the U of U next fall. She plans on staying with the club for another year.