Watch VideoTwo CSU-Pueblo students finalists in environmental contest
Story By: David Ortiviz
Source: KOAA
Two college students in Pueblo are trying to raise interest in cutting down on pollution and increasing recycling. In fact, they've received national attention for their ideas on positive change.
In the fall of 2007, Jessica Viges and Karina Hoeppner, two CSU-Pueblo students, entered a contest, focused on climate change. Recently they were named as two of the top ten finalists of the national competition.
"We need to do something now. We need to act right now," said Karina Hoeppner, a sophomore at CSU-Pueblo.
"You get a coffee, you throw away the cup. You get fast food, you throw away the wrappers. You drive that extra mile, when you could have walked it. Or you leave the water on while you're brushing your teeth," said Jessica Viges, a senior at CSU-Pueblo. "It's these little things you can make a difference in if you just think about it," she added.
Viges' idea, which she entered into the contest, is to produce a documentary called "Waste Not". She plans to take an depth look into how much college student's waste and how much power they use every day. Then, show the film to students all around Pueblo. "We just wanted to kind of open people's eyes, and be like look at what an impact you can personally make by doing these things," said Viges.
Hoeppner's idea is to come up with a free phone directory called the "Green Pages". She plans to list the places where people can recycle, and businesses that have gone green. "I have a nephew that's almost two years old and he's my pride and joy and I want him to grow up in a world that he can be proud of, that he can breathe the air in," said Hoeppner.
They won $500 each for their ideas, but their motivation for taking on these projects runs deeper than winning a contest. "We have one planet to live on and we have to take care of it," said Hoeppner.
Hoeppner and Viges went to Washington D.C. last December to exchange their ideas with other finalists from across the country. The students have to have their projects finished by May, but they're aiming to get them done by April 22, which is Earth Day.
The contest was created by The People Speak and Americans for Informed Democracy.
