SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MARCH 09, 2012 PAGE 2 Daylight Saving Time Can Be Recycling Update a Boon, not a Boondoggle Recyclables Will Not be Collected if By Joe Olvera ©, 2012 Wind Gusts Reach 40 mph El Paso, Texas – The City of El Paso Environmental Serv - It’s that time of year again, folks – so, quit ‘yer griping and get ices Department is reminding residents not to place their ready to spring out of bed one hour earlier than what you’ve been used to blue bins out for collection if wind gusts reach or exceed since last November. Yep, you guessed it – it’s Daylight Saving Time 40 mph. (DST) again and time to Spring Forward. The actual date for the change is Sunday, March 11, 2002 at 2 a.m. and it ends on Sunday, November 4, 2012 The department recommends that residents wait until their at, you’re right again – 2 a.m. next regularly scheduled pick-up day to place their blue re - For you sleepy heads, the time change can create havoc with your cycling bins out for collection. The action is necessary to body’s time clock. Estimates are that it takes a person at least two weeks for help reduce wind-blown debris on severe weather days. the body to adjust to the rapid change. But, did you know that you’re not the Materials placed inside the blue recycling bins should not be only ones who must deal with this phenomenon? People all over the world bagged, which makes it easy for them scatter all over the are fast coming to grips with the realization that they might have to get up street if recycling bins are tipped over by strong winds. one hour earlier, but, the payoff is that you get one hour extra of daylight, Household garbage should always be taken to the curb on which extends your day. their collection day. Want someone to blame for disturb - Trash placed in the gray bins is not as likely to blow away ing your sleep? Try Benjamin Franklin – this American genius on windy days if knocked out of the container because the was living in Paris, France, when he began to see how candles were being GARBAGE SHOULD ALWAYS BE BAGGED. wasted by households who were used to arising around twelve noon, when they could’ve been up for hours to enjoy the sunshine – what sunshine there is in Paris, that is. Franklin, who was a genius of sorts, figured that one way to eliminate wasteful candle-lighting, thereby helping people save money concocted the idea in 1784 when he wrote his essay, “An Economical Proj - ect.” Franklin was, of course, proven right by later studies that showed Day - light Saving Time trims the United States’ electricity usage by one percent each day – a small but significant amount that adds up. Although European nations sprang forward two years sooner than the United States – both Germany and Austria went to Daylight Saving Time on March 31, 1916 – just prior to World War I. The U.S., however, didn’t join the effort until 1918. And, at that, not every state observes DST. For example, two states that don’t follow suit are Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Also, the cities of New York, Philadelphia and Chicago, among oth - ers, don’t observe the tradition. Some people, however, never adjust. Mary Jane Garcia, then-Sen - ate Majority Whip in New Mexico, introduced a bill to end DST in that state. No word on where that bill wound up, but, apparently, it didn’t suc - ceed because New Mexico continues to observe DST. Observing the change has been beneficial to some people, including: The El Paso Community College (EPCC) Student Government *It helped one man avoid the draft by claiming that standard time, Association is holding Spring Debate 2012. The debates will not DST, was the official time for recording births in his state of Delaware take place in two different locations at different dates and are in the year of his birth. Thus, under official standard time he was actually open to the public. born the previous day – and that day had a much higher lottery number, al - County Commissioners District 3, Texas State Representatives lowing him to avoid the draft; District 75 and U.S. Representatives will be the guest honors at the Valle Verde campus Cafeteria Annex, 919 Hunter, on March *DST also helped thwart a bombing when, in September, 1999, 19th from 10:00a.m.to1:00 p.m. The Texas State Representa - the West Bank was on DST while Israel had just switched back to standard tives from District 77 and U.S. Representatives will debate at time. West Bank terrorists prepared time bombs and smuggled them to their the Transmountain campus on March 21st from 10:00 a.m. to Israeli counterparts, who misunderstood the time on the bombs. As the noon. bombs were being planted, they exploded – one hour too early – killing three terrorists instead of the intended victims, two busloads of people. The mission of the EPCC Student Government is to provide stu - dents with useful information, opportunities and resources for a So, you see, Daylight Saving Time can be a boon, rather than a great college experience. boondoggle. There’s really not that much to it. Just swear to get up one hour earlier and you’ll be fine. On the other side of the day, you’ll have another For more information about the debates please call, the EPCC hour to enjoy your pursuits. See how that works out? So, enjoy! Student Government Association at 831-2096 SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS MARCH 09, 2012 PAGE 3 Women Leading the Green Economy By Kathleen Rogers growth in the past two decades face discriminatory laws in economy, energy and environ - In the meantime, isting econ - ptimistic environ - O than new technology or new many places around the world. ment for bias against women. we also have to omy, we can - mentalists believe that future economic giants China and Then, we need to alter the lan - fix how women as not afford to generations will view the first India. How do we fix this? To guage to promote inclusive - leaders of the let barriers to half of the 21st century as the · The proportion of start, corporations, govern - ness. green economy women’s birth of a global green eco - women in a country’s legisla - ments and international institu - are perceived. We participation nomic revolution. Indeed, in - ture significantly reduces the tions should adopt quotas for Once problems in the system need training for Kathleen Rogers stand. The vestment and advances in level of corruption in the coun - participation – from board are fixed, we can go further. journalists that in - facts are technology, coupled with anxi - try. Less corruption benefits not rooms to national forums to For example, formal policies cludes heightened awareness of clear: Bringing women into the ety regarding climate change, only women entrepreneurs but multilateral negotiations. and legal mechanisms should the gender gap. And we have to design and development of the are already pushing global also all businesses. be adopted to support preferen - make gender, development, the green economy will result in a leaders to embrace a sustain - · Women are better at put - Once the initial problem of rep - tial treatment for loan guaran - green economy and climate better, more sustainable, more able future. Unfortunately, that ting resources back into the resentation is taken care of, we tees; promote women’s full change “hard” issues – and not just economy. Let’s ensure that optimistic vision is clouded. community. Women usually can get down to the business of participation in science, tech - perceived as “soft” issues only happens. reinvest a much higher percent - breaking down legal barriers to nology, engineering and mathe - for women journalists. The stark fact is that almost all age of their earnings in their women’s full participation in matics education; and create Rogers is president of Earth green-revolution investors and communities than men, acceler - the green economy. We need a investments and market incen - As the world tries to recover Day Network and leads the decision-makers – those who ating development. comprehensive examination of tives to enhance women’s en - from its financial crisis and, at Women and the Green Economy are defining and designing the · Women’s repayment national and international law trepreneurship. the same time, recognizes the (WAGE®) campaign. green economy – are from a lack of sustainability of the ex - © American Forum. 2/12. When and protocol dealing with the single demographic: men. Inter - rates are higher. women are direct beneficiaries national Women’s Day presents of credit, their repayment rates a timely and important opportu - are higher throughout all re - nity to examine why women gions of the world. should be leaders in the green economy. Despite these facts, Like any revolution, a substan - real barriers to tial risk exists that the green women’s full partici - revolution will move in unpre - dictable or wrong directions. pation in designing All economies are stronger and developing the when the people leading them green economy bring diverse points of view. Certainly, creating a sustainable exist. For example: economy and breaking habits of over-consumption and fossil- · Women-owned companies fuel dependency are difficult face problems in bringing their tasks. Let’s examine some of businesses to scale, including the reasons why including lack of access to capital and women in the construction of business networks. While the green economy is a good women own about 30 percent idea: of U.S.