It’s been a busy semester for our CFACT Collegians. Throughout the country, CFACT campus representatives have been hard at work hosting events, pulling stunts, and improving their community through activism. Here’s just a few examples of what they’ve been up to.
Pictured above, Luke Alley tabled and passed out literature on Denison University’s campus sidewalks in Ohio to raise awareness about nuclear energy, and its role in combatting pollution. Hoping to dispel unfounded anxiety about nuclear radiation in his home state, Luke used a Geiger counter to demonstrate that many common household items, even bananas, emit low levels of radiation. According to Luke, “Nuclear energy is a clean energy source with great potential, but lives in the shadow of the public’s fear of radiation. This event helps debunk some of the misconceptions about nuclear energy and educate those who have been misinformed on the subject.”
Meanwhile in South Dakota, CFACT representative David Graves organized a group of students (not all pictured here) to clean up their local gun range in coordination with the local forestry service. Often frequented by students attending South Dakota School of Mines and other community members, the grounds were littered with trash, used targets, and clay pidgins. In no time at all, David and his friends had the range spick and span. “Our goal was a simple one, clean up the range we use. It didn’t matter if we were the ones who left trash there or not.”
Down south in Georgia, Collegian Bryce McConnell at Kennesaw State University led a hike through some of the local forests. Donning his “save the whales” hat, Bryce narrated the expedition with an overview of climate realism for students in attendance. Covering everything from the Roman Warm Period to the sun’s effect on our climate, Bryce made an excellent case for climatic shifts being a normality in the grand scheme of history. According to him, “Spread by both media and politicians, the idea that humans are the sole cause for climate change is nothing but hubris and lies.”
Lastly, Kayley Chartier at Fort Hays State University in Kansas recently tabled at her college’s club fair to raise awareness about the benefits of hunting as a means of conservation. Letting interested students take shots at the cardboard target with a nerf gun and passing out literature, Kayley reports almost all the students she spoke with responded positively to her position. “We got a mostly positive response where most people agreed that it does help the environment. A few people disagreed but didn’t have much to say to disprove the facts we were citing.”
