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Rather than starting their engines, students got on their bikes and pedaled through campus Tuesday to take part in the worldwide Fossil Fools Day.
The Student Environmental Center organized a bicycle parade on campus to spread awareness about how the expansion of the fossil fuel industry contributes to many global problems, including the change in climate.
Chris Klarer, a coordinator of the event and a senior from Carbondale studying art, said the main goal of Fossil Fools Day is to educate the student body as well as the rest of the community about why coal burning is hurting the environment more than ever.
The day is just one of several events that are part of an ongoing attempt across the globe to shut down coal plants and replace them with other energy efficient technology.
Bill Sieber, a bike enthusiast and a senior from Evanston studying art, said he was ready and willing to be part of any event that involves riding a bike for a good cause.
"Having a bike ride for a reason is a definite way to be progressive in getting the word out," Sieber said.
Sieber said he does not know all the details of coal burning, but hopes the event would encourage students, especially those who only travel short distances, to ride their bikes or walk instead of driving their cars everywhere.
Participants started at the front entrance of the Student Center and traveled to their first stop at the SIUC Power Plant, which burns coal to heat and cool the campus.
There, Klarer and SEC member Andrea Wallace gave a speech to show "clean coal" does not exist. The two detailed ways to work on this problem and showed how it is affecting not just students, but all of southern Illinois.
"We wanted to educate why the idea of 'clean coal' is an oxymoron and impossible," Klarer said.
Klarer said it is important for everyone to realize that coal is dirty throughout its life cycle. Technology coal plants claim "clean coal" does not work, and there are alternatives to coal, Klarer said.
"Wind energy, solar energy and energy efficient technology are what society needs to move towards and will move towards," Klarer said.
Andrea Moore, a sophomore from Waukegan studying cinema and photography, said coal burning is such a problem because America has become dependent on it.
Moore said more people have begun to realize coal is not the best energy source. People are beginning to see coal plants have thrown around the term "clean coal" to keep everyone dependent so plants can keep money in their pockets, Moore said.
Although the public is opening their eyes to how harmful coal is to the environment, Moore said people still do not know what should be done or how they could help.
But some groups have come together to look for new and better ways to produce energy. Web sites such as http://www.alternativeenergy.com and http://www.energyrefuge.com have appeared to educate people about the current situation as well as ways to help with the effort.
John Mead, director of the Coal Research Center, said he thinks it is positive for people to have knowledge about energy.
Mead said he thinks what SEC has done is a good way to educate people on what is going on with the environment and what needs to be improved.
"Any part of an academic institution that is interested in furthering knowledge, furthering the pursuit of better technology and pursuit of better understanding is a positive thing," Mead said.
However, Moore said she thinks more information on the subject is needed, because most people know how it affects the climate but nothing else.
"The information is out there, but it's hard to find. You have to weed through a lot of scientific jargon to get the facts," Moore said.
Klarer said he hopes this event answered questions and raised awareness about why there should be a change in the way energy is produced.
"We don't want to be seen as an anti-coal organization, but we are for energy efficient technology. It's a matter of when there will be a change and we just want to be prepared for the future," Klarer said.
Jenn Lofton can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 270 or jlofton@siu.edu.
