VTA Eco Pass could provide benefits to students, an alternative to parking problems
Aliyah Mohammed
Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: News
The debate of whether De Anza College should distribute Eco Passes to students and faculty has been ongoing for three years, De Anza College president Brian Murphy said. The Valley Transportation Association insists that the passes be purchased by everyone, whether they ride public transportation or not, Murphy said.
According to the VTA Web site, the Eco Pass provides "an attractive, low-cost [benefit] and lessens the demand for on-site parking." The Eco Pass will cost less than a regular bus pass.
The environment is an issue that concerns many people on campus, and is why students voted to purchase the passes.
However, because of obstacles it was not finalized, said Devon Cormica, a student at UC Santa Cruz who was involved in the debate last year.
"I learned in an environmental biology class at the Kirsch center that 70 percent of the carbon emission on campus is from cars going and coming," Cormica said. "I think everybody should have to pay for it, it is like healthcare, one person can't pay for it all, everybody needs to help. Honestly though, I don't care about the income, I just want people to discuss the situation."
According to Mary Poffenroth, Environmental Studies instructor, "Bringing the Ecopass to De Anza will encourage students to utilize public transportation [more often]." This is necessary, if De Anza wants to be a forerunner in sustainability and become a green campus, Poffenroth said.
"I think an Ecopass would be great, you could use it for safe transit and safe lots of money," sociology major Matt Bradley said. "A lot of people will be upset initially, but once they try it out and realize that it is not that bad they will get used to it."
Other students do not feel they should pay for a service they will not use. "It would take me two hours to take a bus to school one way," liberal arts major Clair Pereida said. "Why should I pay for something I am not going to use and will just be a waste of my money?"
According to the VTA Web site, the Eco Pass provides "an attractive, low-cost [benefit] and lessens the demand for on-site parking." The Eco Pass will cost less than a regular bus pass.
The environment is an issue that concerns many people on campus, and is why students voted to purchase the passes.
However, because of obstacles it was not finalized, said Devon Cormica, a student at UC Santa Cruz who was involved in the debate last year.
"I learned in an environmental biology class at the Kirsch center that 70 percent of the carbon emission on campus is from cars going and coming," Cormica said. "I think everybody should have to pay for it, it is like healthcare, one person can't pay for it all, everybody needs to help. Honestly though, I don't care about the income, I just want people to discuss the situation."
According to Mary Poffenroth, Environmental Studies instructor, "Bringing the Ecopass to De Anza will encourage students to utilize public transportation [more often]." This is necessary, if De Anza wants to be a forerunner in sustainability and become a green campus, Poffenroth said.
"I think an Ecopass would be great, you could use it for safe transit and safe lots of money," sociology major Matt Bradley said. "A lot of people will be upset initially, but once they try it out and realize that it is not that bad they will get used to it."
Other students do not feel they should pay for a service they will not use. "It would take me two hours to take a bus to school one way," liberal arts major Clair Pereida said. "Why should I pay for something I am not going to use and will just be a waste of my money?"
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