How Green is Your Representative?

The California League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club both released scorecards showing the voting records of California senators and assembly members as relates to environmental issues. As might be expected, party played a part in the votes with Republicans generally getting very low scores and Democratics for the most part scoring very high.

Following is a snapshot of the ranking for the representatives of our wonderful network of Valleys. If you're not sure which district you're in, the Your Legislature webpage will tell you just by requesting your zipcode.

Senate

District 17: George Runner (R) 6%
District 19: Tom McClintock (R) 11%
District 20: Alex Padilla (D) 94%
District 21: Jack Scott (D) 100%
District 23: Sheila Kuehl (D) 100%

Assembly

District 36: Sharon Runner (R) 0%
District 37: Audra Strickland (R) 19%
District 38: Cameron Smythe (R) 24%
District 39: Felipe Fuentes (D) 86%
District 40: Lloyd Levine (D) 100%
District 41: Julie Brownley (D) 100%
District 42: Mike Feuer (D) 100%
District 43: Paul Krekorian (D) 95%

*New* CSUN Institute for Sustainability

Provost Harry Hellenbrand announced yesterday the creation of the Institute for Sustainability at California State University, Northridge. Dr. Ashwani Vasishth, assistant professor in the department of urban studies and planning has been named director.

Hellenbrand said that the institute is the result of a group of deans led by Dr. William Jennings, dean of the College of Business and Economics. He sees it as part of the broader Campus Greening Project that is supported by a "greening initiative core team," that has been meeting regularly.

The mission of the institute, wrote Hellenbrand in a campus-wide announcement, "is to promote, facilitate, and develop educational, research, and university and community programs related to sustainability."