UVM Focus the Nation

Events
before * Monday 4/20 * Tuesday 4/21 * Wednesday 4/22 * Thursday 4/23 * Friday 4/24* beyond
Thursday, 4/16
3:30-5pm:
Cycling for a Sustainable Future presentation
Description: In this presentation, the Cycling for a Sustainable Future
Team, including "Radical Simplicity" author Jim Merkel, will share
successes from communities and Transition Towns they've encountered on
their 350 miles from Norwich, VT to Canton, NY stimulating action
toward a sustainable future.
Location: Waterman Memorial Lounge
Contact:
Christina
Erickson
Friday, 4/17
7pm-9:30: Think Global, Laugh Local: Environmental FUNraiser:
Description:
It may not be everyday that a funny thing happens on the way to the
compost bin. But on April 17, 2009, humor will take center stage as we
challenge ourselves to live a little lighter. The Vermont Earth
Institute presents an evening of laughter and learning about issues of
sustainability and the environment. Headliners include performer
Kathryn Blume with an excerpt from The Boycott, comedian Jason Lorber,
author/speaker Jim Merkel, AVR Eco-Cabarat performers and cartoons by
Ed Koren. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
Location: Contois Auditorium, Burlington City Hall
Contact:
Vermont
Earth Institute
Saturday, 4/18
1pm -4:30 pm:
17th annual Community Works
Description:
It's Spring, and the Burlington community is ready for a surge of UVM
volunteers to roll up their sleeves and take action. Seize an afternoon
and make a difference with the 17th annual Community Works: Day of
Service
Location: 1:00pm Kick-off at Billings/CC Theater -- free pizza and t-shirt pickup
1:30-4:30pm Serve in the Burlington community with UVM Volunteer Teams
Contact: Find out more info and register yourself or a team on our website
http://uvm.edu/~csp
to get a paired with a service site (trail clearing, mural painting,
community clean-ups, and more!), lunch and your free t-shirt. Contact
Kailee at
kbrickne@uvm.edu with questions.
Monday, 4/20
11am-1pm: Tabling Event
Description:
Check
out tables hosted by various local organizations, including the Vermont
Earth
Institute, Way to Go, CarShare Vermont, and CATMA
Location:
Davis Center Atrium
Contact:
Valerie
Esposito
11am-2pm: Dr. Your Bike with Bike Recycle VT!
Description: A free fix-up session, hosted by Student Life Campus Programs and the Office of Student & Community Relations.
Sign up for a 1/2 hr session (15 person max. per session):
11-11:30
-Spring Cleaning & Basic Bike Maintenance
11:35-12:05 Patch a
Flat
12:10- 12:40 Brake and Shifting and General Bike Q&A
12:45-1:15 Spring Cleaning and Basic Bike Maintenance
1:20-
1:50 Patch a Flat
Location: On the sidewalk between Bailey Howe and the Davis Center (Rain site: Billings North Lounge)
Contact: To RSVP email
Alicia.Taylor@uvm.edu or call 802 656-9405
1-3 pm: Dickson Despommier Talk and Panel: Ecological Design for the Future: Vertical Farming -- CANCELLED
Description: Dr.
Despommier is Professor of Public Heath in Environmental Health Science
at Columbia University. He established the concept of Vertical Farming
to address the agricultural needs of urban centers. Panelists include John Todd, Melinda Moulton, and Ben Falk.
Location: Billings Lecture Hall
Contact:
Diane Gayer
4-7pm: Focus
the Nation: Earth Week Kick-off Panel: Creating a Green Economy
for UVM/Burlington and Vermont, featuring Vermont
officials including Mayor Kiss,
President Fogel, Rachel Weston,& Kesha Ram
Description:
We
can use stimulus funds to build roads, parking structures, to support
sprawl
and centralized power production, to enable mega-malls.... But we now
see that
these are yesterday’s measures that don’t meet today’s challenges of
environmental and economic sustainability, particularly efficient use
of
renewable energy. This discussion will cover the potential
for spending
stimulus funds on industry, business, institutions, and infrastructure
that
must and will be a key part of a sustainable future.
Panelists are urged
to be specific: what jobs, where are they located, over what time
period are
they available, what education and training are required, what labor
force does
Vermont have. See the poster here.
Location:
Davis Center, Silver Maple Ballroom
Contact:
Bob Herendeen
6-8pm: Earth Week Potluck
Description: Enjoy a
delicious meal that's both eco-friendly & cruelty-free! Plus open mic,
and recycled arts & crafts. Please bring a dish to share or a small
donation, along with your own plate and silverware. Dishes that are vegan
& include local ingredients are highly encouraged! Sponsored by STAR
& Eco-Reps.
Location: Living/Learning Fire Place Lounge
Contact:
Dana Dimetrio
7-9pm: Film: Our Daily Bread
Description: Synopsis "Welcome to the world of industrial food production and
high-tech farming! To the rhythm of conveyor belts and immense machines, the
film looks without commenting into the places where food is produced in Europe:
monumental spaces, surreal landscapes and bizarre sounds - a cool, industrial
environment which leaves little space for individualism. People, animals, crops
and machines play a supporting role in the logistics of this system which
provides our society’s standard of living."
Location: Billings Lecture Hall
Contact:
Corey Paradis
Tuesday, 4/21
ALL DAY: Bring Your Own Bottle
Description: No bottled water will be sold anywhere in the Davis Center or in the Marche.
Contact:
Mikayla McDonald, VSTEP
12-1pm:
Greening Your Workplace
Description:
Learn
environmentally-smart practices for your office to reduce waste,
conserve
energy, use materials more wisely and cut costs.
Location: Davis Center, Frank Livak Room (Rm. 417)
Contact:
Erica
Spiegel &
Corey
Berman
12:30-2:00pm: Connecting Communities: A Transfer of Stewardship
Description: A dialogue on how to engage communities in
concepts such as Earth Stewardship, Place, Community, and Leadership.
Panelists will illustrate the issues through the use of story, and
focus on both local and global issues. The majority of the session will
be devoted to opening a dialogue with the audience and developing a set
of tools that each person can take to their own communities. Panelists
include: Samir Doshi, Christina Erickson, Valerie Esposito, Matt Kolan,
and Walter Poleman.
Location: Davis Center, Chittenden Bank Room
Contact:
Samir
Doshi
6pm: Earth First! Road Show
Description: Radical Grassroots
Eco-Defenders come to town. Come see the slide show, puppet show and
more! Get inspired, re-inspired, angry, joyful and all fired up at the
Earth First! Roadshow. The goal of the roadshow is to renew a fighting
movement of eco-defenders by sharing success storys, skills, tactics
and history of the radical environmental movement.
Check out the poster.
For more info on the roadshow, contact the EF! Roadshow planning collective
directly at:
earthfirstroadshow@gmail.com, (330)423-1823
www.earthfirstroadshow.wordpress.com
Location: Billings Lecture Hall
Contact:
Erik Gillard
7pm: An Evening of Shorts on International Environmental Justice
Description: Join us for 1 hour of short films followed by a panel discussion
on
international climate change and environmental policy
implications.
Featured films:
Sisters on the Planet (Oxfam
International production)
My Forest's Tears (created by indigenous group in
Indonesia)
Water First (Hart Productions, Bullfrog
Films)
Panelists:
Dr. Asim Zia: CDAE professor, climate change and
environmental policy expert
Anne Peterman: Co-Director, Global Justice
Ecology Project
Kevin Hurley, water issues expert
Colleen Schmitt: Vermont
Oxfam Action Corps volunteer, Senior Nursing student
Refreshments
served.
Location: MLK Lounge in Billings Student Center (ground
floor)
Contact:
Olivia Bulger
Wednesday, 4/22 Earth Day!
8:30-11am: Graduate Student Climate Commitment Tabling Event
Description: Stop by to learn about and
sign up for one of three quick and easy commitments to reduce your climate
impact:
Kick the Bottle
Way to Go VT! Commuter Challenge
Meatless
Monday, Cheeseless Sunday
Check out the photos of those who are making the commitment!
Location: DC Atrium
Contact:
Nathaly Agosto Filion
9-11am:
Transportation Trends and Alternatives with
CATMA, CarShare Vermont, UVM Transportation & Parking, and the University Transporation Center
Description: Come hear the latest trends in alternative transportation with a panel of local researchers and practitioners.
Location: Davis Center, Frank Livak Room
Contact:
Sandy Thibault
12pm: Tour of the UVM Central Heating Plant
Description: See in the inner workings of UVM's
central heating and cooling plant including many of the conservation innovations.
Location: Central Heating Plant
Contact:
Erica
Spiegel
12pm-3pm: Earth Day Celebration
Description: An event centered around getting public support for shutting down Vermont Yankee
and promoting renewables in its place
Activities include:
*public
display of greenpeace's rolling sunlight truck
*getting people to sign
petitions
*talking with the public about nuclear power issues
*pin the
support beam on the cooling tower game
*a display of renewable energy art
produced by local preschoolers
*a dance party powered by the solar
panels
*special guest speakers, PA system powered by the solar
panels
*symbolic hazmat costumes worn by volunteers
Co-sponsored by Greenpeace & VPIRG
Location: South block of Church Street (in front of City Hall)
Contact: Chris Scheller
2pm-3pm: Animal
Agriculture & Climate Change: Addressing Solutions on the Campus and
Individual Level
Description: This presentation offers a review of
the effects of livestock production on climate change, as well as policy and
media coverage of the topic. The United Nation's Food and Agricultural
Organization (FAO) released a report in 2006 that concluded livestock
production/animal product consumption is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas
emissions, a figure that is higher than the global transportation sector
(more than all of the world's plane, train, boat, bus and private car use
travel combined). Likewise, the UN's Inter-governmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) suggested reduction in meat and dairy consumption as one of
the most easy and critical steps to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Frankly, food mileage comprises a small portion of GHG emissions compared to
the production of animal products. Many universities, including Johns Hopkins,
Tufts, and UC-Berkeley, have taken steps to address this issue through the
implementation of campus-wide Meatless Mondays and Low Carbon Diet Days.
What can we do here at the UVM campus and individually?
Location: Aiken
105
Contact:
Laura Kiesel
2:30pm: Ester Singers
Description:
Location: Davis Center, Silver Maple Ballroom
Contact:
Samir
Doshi
3-4pm: Global Ecology Justice Project
Description:
Location: Davis Center, Silver Maple Ballroom
Contact:
Samir
Doshi
4-5pm: Keynote Speaker: Tanya Fields
Description:
Tanya Fields is a young, budding activist and social entrepreneur, who
works closely alongside Majora Carter as the outreach coordinator for
Sustainable South Bronx. She grew up in Harlem, and was bussed to
school in more affluent neighborhoods. As she went on to get her
education, she became increasingly aware of the injustices happening
around her both locally and nationally. Tanya's ultimate goal is to
help facilitate ushering in a new democratic system that gives the
power back to the communities, promote sustainability in environmental
justice communities by investing in green collar jobs and economy and
to head up her own non-for profit that would address these issues in a
creative, funky and artistic way!
Location: Davis Center, Silver Maple Ballroom
Contact:
Samir
Doshi
5:00pm: Ester Singers
Description:
Location: Davis Center, Silver Maple Ballroom
Contact:
Samir
Doshi
6pm:
Oxfam Action Corp Hosts: Sisters on the Planet film and discussion
Description:
Sisters on the Planet, an Oxfam International
production, a short film
about how climate change affects four women in
different parts of the
country. Followed by a short discussion with
Senior Nursing student and Vermont
Oxfam Action Corps Volunteer, Colleen
Schmitt.
Location: Davis Center Chitttenden Bank Room.
Contact:
Nathaly Agosto Filion
6-8pm: Eco-Art Class
Description: A free class on making art with grape vines, hosted by
Student Life Campus Programs and the Office of Student & Community
Relations. (10 person max.)
Location: Pearl House 12 Colchester Ave.
Contact: To RSVP email
Alicia.Taylor@uvm.edu or call 802 656-9405
8pm: Earth Report: State of the Planet 2009
Description: Dr. Lesley-Ann L. Dupigny-Giroux, Ph.D., UVM Department of Geography Associate Professor & VT State
Climatologist was involved in the filming of this National Geographic Channel television special. See more details on
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/earth-day/all/Overview
Thursday, 4/23
11am-1pm: Waste Sort at the Davis Center
Description:
Join the UVM Eco-Reps and Recycling Program as we take a look at what's
been thrown in the trash. Are we doing any better with our
composting and recycling rates
compared to last fall?
Location: Davis Center
Contact:
Phil Fandel
11:30am-12:45pm: Seeking Solutions to Achieve a Sustainable Planet Seminar Series
Description: Carbon Neutral Design: The Challenge of the Appalachian Coal Lands
with John Todd, RSENR Research Professor and Gund Institute Fellow.
Sponsored by The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural
resources, The Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, and The
Conservation Study Institute of the National Park Service.
Location: 104 Aiken Center
Contact:
Murphy MacLean
2-5pm: Environmental Forum Meeting
Description:
A monthly gathering of students, faculty and staff to discuss greening
projects on campus, hosted by the Office of Sustainability. This month
we'll be hearing from undergraduate students about their research
efforts.
Location: Davis Center Room 413
Contact:
Mieko Ozeki
4-6pm: Empowerment through Activism: Powershift and Environmental Justice at UVM.
Featuring Jessy Tolkan, Executive Director for the Energy Action
Coalition.
Description: Learn how students at UVM and nationwide are taking steps to address climate
change and other pressing environmental and social issues. Speakers will
look at the example of Powershift, a collection of over 200 UVM students and
12,000 students nationwide
gathering in Washington, D.C. to address climate
change and social justice. Student
panelists will connect climate change
with other movements at UVM, and look at how we can
move forward to engage
in real solutions.
Location: Billings North Lounge
Contact:
Noah Pollock
5-7pm: Green Solutions for a UVM Building: Greening of Aiken poster session
Description: This spring's Greening Aiken interns have been hard at work on a variety of
important projects related to the greening of Aiken and the Forest Service
lab. There will be two 15-minute summary presentations, one at 5:15 pm
and the second at 6:00 pm, followed by an opportunity for you to view
individual posters detailing the work done by the interns. Refreshments will be served.
Location: Davis Center Atrium
Contact:
Deane Wang
6-7pm: Green Your Cleaning Workshop
Description: A free class with the Association of VT Recyclers on
how to make natural home cleaning products, hosted by Student
Life Campus Programs and the Office of Student & Community
Relations. (25 person max.)
See the poster here.
Location: Chittenden Bank Room, Davis Center.
Contact: To RSVP email
Alicia.Taylor@uvm.edu or call 802 656-9405
7pm: Hothouse Earth: Capitalism and Climate Change
Description: An open study group on the
systematic causes and global solutions to climate change, sponsored by the
International Socialist Organization.
Article 1:
http://www.isreview.org/issues/62/feat-hothouseearth.shtml
Location: Lafayette
302
Contact:
Ben Silverman
8pm: Tania Asili -
Social justice poet/singer songwriter
Description: Celebrate Earth Week with a concert featuring
Taina Asili y La Banda
Rebelde!
Taina Asili sings the spirit
of social change using soulful vocals laid over a unique infusion of hip rock,
neo-soul, hip hop, flamenco and Afro-Caribbean sounds. The band's eclectic style
represents the diversity of its band members, who have origins in Puerto Rico,
Sicily, Greece, Brazil and Tanzania.
See the poster here.
Location: Billings North Lounge
Contact:
Noah Pollock &
Mikayla McDonald
Friday, 4/24
9-11am:
Local Foods Breakfast with the Eco-Reps
Description: Join the Eco-Reps who will be the guest chefs at the ALANA
Student Center's weekly free breakfast.
Location: ALANA Student Center, Redstone Campus
Contact:
Christina
Erickson
2:00 pm: Student
Action Panel hosted by CUPS office
Description: What students have done/are doing/what
you can do with community partners
Location: Aiken 105
Contact:
Kimberley
DePasquale
3pm: Speak Out: The Way Forward
Description: ENVS Senior Ethan Bond-Watts will MC as UVMers speak their minds and share their ideas.
See Ethan's introduction here.
Location: Bailey Howe Beach or DC Atrium
Contact:
Samir
Doshi
Saturday, 5/2
Green Up Day
Description: Register at your
neighborhood's Green Up hub at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 2nd, to
receive bags and gloves for cleaning. You’ll also receive a hand
stamp that will allow you to ride CCTA for free and get $2 off
admission to ECHO from noon-3pm on Green Up Day. Plus, register for
great prizes from The POINT 104.7FM – you’ll be eligible to
win CDs, gift certificates to local restaurants, and a raised garden
bed from Gardener’s Supply! Rain or shine, you can Green Up
from 10am - noon, and then join us from noon - 1:30 for a
Sustainability Fair and Celebration with food and entertainment in City
Hall Park – take home the tools and ideas for “living
lighter,” meet Champ and the Lake Monsters, NEWTon, the Green
Mountain Derby Dames, and more!
Location: Neighborhood Green Up hubs are:
• Miller Community Center (at the end of Gosse Court)
• Barnes Elementary School
• City Hall Park
• UVM Green
• Department of Public Works (645 Pine Street)
Contact:
Nicole Losch
Last modified April 30 2009 10:01 AM
