November 27, 2008 Vol. 44 No. 33 The University of Western Ontario’s newspaper of record www.westernnews.ca PM 41195534 MARATHON MAN CANADIAN LANDSCAPE VANIER CUP Brian Groot ran five marathons in six Explore a landmark ‘word- The football Mustangs have weeks this fall in part to see if he could painting’ that captures the feel a lot to look forward to after surprise himself. That, and raise money of November in Canada. coming within one game of the for diabetes research. national title. Page 8 Page 6 Page 9 ‘Why isn’t Photoshopping for change recycling working?’ Trash audits are uncovering large volumes of recyclables B Y HEAT H ER TRAVIS he lifecycle of a plastic bottle or fine paper should Tcarry it to a blue recycling bin, however at the University of Western Ontario many of these items are getting tossed in the trash. To keep up with the problem, the Physical Plant department is playing the role of recycling watchdog. A challenge has been issued for students, faculty and staff to think twice before discarding waste – especially if it can be reused or recycled. Since Septem- ber, Physical Plant has conducted two waste audits of non-residence buildings on campus. In October, about 21 per cent of the sampled garbage was recy- clable and about 19 per cent in September. In these surveys of 10 Submitted photo buildings, Middlesex College and What would it take to get young people to vote? On the heels of a poor youth turnout for last month’s federal election, computer science students the Medical Science building had were asked to combine technology and creativity to create a marketing campaign to promote voting. Using a reality show format dubbed Voting the least recyclables in the trash Idol, Rebecca Quach produced the winning poster. See story on Page 10. each month. Jim Galbraith, Manager, Grounds Maintenance and Waste Management, is not satisfied. refuse headed for a landfill was thing to put their beverages in, batteries and wood products are program is a separate contract “Residences are really good recyclable. worst comes to worst, they throw collected and recycled. Several from the City of London, the at recycling because of the peer With more awareness of envi- it in the garbage,” he says, adding Hospitality Services food loca- university is facing similar chal- pressure,” he says. “When you get ronmentalism and sustainability, people are less likely to take the tions have initiated composting lenges in terms of the cost of the up with the flow of main campus, Galbraith wonders, “Why isn’t extra steps to recycle. programs. program and the return on recy- things change. recycling working? We have the A large amount of waste is In spite of the many options, clables. “There is less ownership in stations.” generated from pop and juice Galbraith says faculty, staff and In The London Free Press this communal areas,” he adds. In most buildings, recycling containers. students often bypass recycling week, city director of environ- Western’s goal is to meet the stations for fine paper and bever- Every day, 150 blue bins are all together, leaving it up to the mental programs Jay Stanford Ontario Ministry of the Environ- age containers have been added collected and sorted. As a result, caretakers or Physical Plant staff says the price of recyclable ment’s target of diverting 60 per to areas where garbage is col- 30 yards of beverage contain- to dig through the garbage to sal- material is expected to drop from cent of waste from disposal; how- lected. Office spaces have been ers are shipped out daily to be vage recyclables. the $168 per tonne netted from ever the university is struggling equipped with recycling bins for recycled. “It’s an extra step in the process January to October to $35 or $40 to reach its mark because of a fine paper, but recycling for bev- But the process doesn’t stop they don’t need,” he says. “One a tonne in November. relapse in recycling. erage containers are often kept at there. thing that would make their job EnviroWestern’s 2008 waste a central location. Electronics, cardboard, fluores- easier is to take time and sort.” audit showed roughly half of the “When people don’t have some- cent bulbs, furniture, scrap metal, Although Western’s recycling Continued on page 5 INSIDE: Academe 16 | Careers 16 | Classified 16 | Coming Events 15 | Letter to the Editor 4 2 NOVEMBER 27, 2008 WESTERN NEWS Private Art Lessons & Mentoring FUNDRAISING with Jennie White Professional Practicing Artist A monthly feature about Western’s campaign giving BFA Honours UWO 82 Limited spaces available Serious students Students rock ‘n’ roll aged 7 to 17 and seniors 519.434.5156 their way to $42,000 B Y KARMEN DOWLING Would you rather be wearing... hen third-year Popular Music Studies student WDaniel Crystal thought of raising money for Western through a student concert of Pink Floyd music, he had no idea how successful it would be. After a sold-out show at The Wave in March 2007 and an Start straightening your teeth today with even more successful encore show in March 2008 at Alumni Hall, Crystal and his 12-mem- ber band raised more than $42,000 for the Popular Music Studies program in the Don Wright Faculty of Music. “I really wanted to support FREECONSULTATIONS&FREETEETHWHITENING the school and decided that our relatively new program could with Invisalign® treatment. Offer Expires December 18, 2008 really benefit from the money, so future students could get their money’s worth,” says ʢʞʦʡʠʡʟʠʠʞʖʖsʖʖ[email protected] Crystal, who notes some of the money will help buy new pro- Karmen Dowling, Western News www.SmileDentist.com duction and recording equip- ment. Daniel Crystal (left) and Vice-President (External) Ted Garrard show how “I also wanted to help stu- much Crystal’s Pink Floyd-themed concerts raised for Western. Invisaline AD_4.8x4.8.indd 1 10/8/08 5:39:24 PM dents who are less fortunate, so a portion of our donation have pulled something like that the university,” says Garrard. will go toward scholarships for off, and have it be such a great “Daniel and his band are great Rugs For Popular Music students.” success is such an amazing examples of how enthusiastic Crystal, a guitar player, feeling.” our students are at Western to Decorating & recruited the 11 other band Vice-President External, Ted be engaged beyond academic members, nine of whom were Garrard, says he is impressed studies, and to make a differ- Gift Giving students in the Don Wright with Crystal and the band for ence.” Faculty of Music. He says the being creative in their fund- To offer suggestions for entire group made the whole raising efforts and for working future fundraising features experience worthwhile. so hard to make it a hit. please contact Karmen Dowl- “It was probably the most “This was a great student- ing at [email protected] fun I ever had,” he says. “To led initiative to give back to Academic Unit DOLLARS PLEDGED TO DATE GOAL 22-32% (2008/09) Arts and Humanities $371,705 14.3% $2,600,000 OFF Richard Ivey School of Business $2,384,954 14.0% $17,000,000 Education $7,930 3.1% $250,000 Engineering $414,047 8.2% $5,000,000 Health Sciences $371,631 30.9% $1,200,000 s0ERSIANS !UBUSSONS 4IBETAN *AIPUR(ERBALS Information & Media Studies $11,985 4.7% $250,000 !GRA#HOBIS !FGHAN.EPALI Law $1,416,212 70.8% $2,000,000 Libraries $61,843 6.1% $1,000,000 s'REEN4AGGEDClearance Rugs up to 50% off Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry $1,286,699 10.7% $12,000,000 s%XPERT2UG#LEANING2ESTORATION Robarts Research Institute $259,658 10.3% $2,500,000 Don Wright Faculty of Music $541,551 21.6% $2,500,000 Science $1,370,086 27.4% $5,000,000 Seasons Greetings! Social Science $240,881 16.0% $1,500,000 Sports & Recreation Services $432,601 43.2% $1,000,000 Your total resource for fine quality hand-knotted rugs. Special Projects Student Awards – University Wide $237,960 9.1% $2,600,000 The Western Fund $924,906 66.0% $1,400,000 McIntosh Gallery $56,580 56.6% $100,000 Campus Wide Programs $224,850 10.7% $2,100,000 665 Fanshawe Park Rd. W., London As of October 31, 2008 TOTAL $10,615,988 17.6% $60,000,000 (at Wonderland) 519 657-2723 The year 2008/09 runs May 1, 2008 - April 30, 2009 WESTERN NEWS NOVEMBER 27, 2008 3 Rental licensing seeks safer student housing B Y HEAT H ER TRAVIS on to renters. Nancy Branscombe, the area in problems occur for tenants.” gives students safer accommoda- As with other businesses, a which Western is located, favours This is not just a student hous- tions. he City of London is con- licensing program would allow city-wide licensing by size of ing issue, she adds, explaining “My view is if the regulations sidering a plan to license the city to inspect rental proper- unit. there are building safety concerns we have now were working, we Trental residential busi- ties on a regular basis to make “I don’t think we need to license in rental units in other areas of wouldn’t need to do more.” nesses, which University of West- sure they meet building standards every unit, but I do think we need London. If city council unanimously ern Ontario Housing Mediation and fire codes and are safe. to license the ones where we are “Obviously it’s more regula- supports one of the options, Officer Glenn Matthews believes Katolyk says the most common having problems,” she says.