Eco Action Meeting: Homecoming Planning

Hey Eco Action!

We had a wonderful homecoming planning meeting this evening and I hope everyone is PUMPED to be in the parade. I apologize for the long email, but we have a lot of awesome events going on. All events are also posted on our website: http://sites.psu.edu/ecoaction/events/.
 

Homecoming Float: 

Float Ideas: 
1. Earth made out of plastic water bottles next to a person made out of water bottles who is littering
2. Bin made of plastic water bottles that we fill with plastic bottles we collect from the parade
3. Tree made out of plastic bottles, cardboard, and plastic bags
Plastic Bottles: Keep collecting plastic bottles and bring them to each meeting. We need a lot of bottles. We will also be hosting a campus-wide scavenger hunt for plastic bottles *tentatively* at our meeting on Oct 18th from 6-7pm. There will be a prize for the team that collects the most bottles and free pizza for everyone who participates.
 
Bike Chariot: We will be meeting Todd, the driver of the Vamos Lion Chariot, on Friday at 11am to figure out how to attach a trailer to the back of his tricycle chariot. Location TBA, but if you are interested in coming please email me at mln5165@psu.edu.
 
 

Puerto Rico and Climate Justice: 

 
Fundraising: Tomorrow, 20% of all of Webster’s proceeds are donated directly to the Red Cross to help Puerto Rico. Also, donation boxes for toiletries are also set up at Webster’s. 
Climate Justice Public Forum: Eco Action is hosting a public forum on climate justice in partnership with the PRCC, Puerto Rico Student and Grad student association, Caribbean Student Association, and many other organizations. We are having a visioning and brainstorming meeting on Monday, Oct 10th from 3-4pm location TBA. Everyone is welcome. The actual public forum will be held on Monday October 30th from 5-7pm in Freeman Auditorium in the HUB. 
 
 

Political Action: 

Lunchtime Lobbying Training: Your representative needs to hear your voice. Isabella Teti is hosting a training tomorrow (Oct 6th) from 12 – 1:30 pm in 101 HHD to teach student how to effectively talk to representatives. There will be FREE PIZZA and soda. 
 
Lobby Representative Glenn Thomson: Following the training, we will be speaking with on of Glenn Thomson’s staffers at his office in Bellefonte from 2 – 3:30 tomorrow, Oct 6th. This is your chance to express your views on environmental issues to your representative. The lunchtime training is not required to attend this event. Contact Isabella if you are interested in attending (8145717463).
 
Student Sustainability Fee: In efforts to take climate action here at Penn State, Eco Action and the Student Sustainability Advisory Council have been working on a Sustainability/Green Fee innovative to allocate some student fee money towards sustainability initiatives. We have a meeting with the Student Fee Board on Wednesday Oct 11th at 1pm in 314 HUB. If you are interested in working on this initiative and/or attending this meeting, please contact me (mln5165@psu.edu).
Citizen’s Climate Lobby (CCL): The CCL will be presenting at our next meeting about their work toward climate legislation (https://citizensclimatelobby.org/). In this depressing time of political inaction, their work is truly inspiring and you can get involved! They have an opportunity for students to lobby congress in DC in November as part of their national organization. I have never met more dedicated and passionate people, so come hear what their organization is all about at 6-7pm Oct 11th at Webster’s.

Sustainable Food: 

Food 4 Thought: Join Eco Action, Student Farm Club, and the Vegetarian Club for a sustainable meal and discussion about sustainable eating habits on Oct 12th from 6-8pm at the Morningstar Solar Home. The cost of the vegetarian and vegan meal is 5$/person.
 

Local Environment: 

Sustainability Showcase: On Friday, Oct 6th, Professor Matt Royer is speaking from 12-1:30pm on the Huck Life Science Bridge about watershed sustainability, specifically for his work on the Conewago Creek.
Plant for the Planet: The first club meeting with Ferguson Elementary will be held on October 30th from 3:30-5pm. The elementary school is also holding a yard sale to raise money for their club on Oct 14th, so please bring any used clothing or goods they could sell to our next meeting on Oct 11th. If you are interested in getting involved in Planet for the Planet, contact Alison Kelly (akk158@psu.edu). 
 
Walnut Springs Invasive Species Removal: Come volunteer with us on Oct 28th 11-1pm at Walnut Springs Park in State College.

Earth Day: 

Student Programing Association (SPA) Meeting: The Earth Day Committee will be meeting with SPA at 1pm on Friday Oct 6th. Everyone is welcome. If you would like to attend please email Alison Kelly (akk158@psu.edu).

Earth Day 2017 – EcoPalooza!

April 23rd, 2017 – Eco Action held Eco Palooza in celebration of Earth Day on the HUB Lawn. The celebration included live music, environmental games, informational booths, raffles and prizes, recycled crafts from Nittany Valley Charter School and Centre Learning Community Charter School, and delicious food.

Eric Ian Farmer played at Eco Palooza.

Peter Buckland, the Ferguson Township Supervisor, spoke about his experience going from an environmental activist to being an elected official, and how the only way he has been able to accomplish anything is because he asked for help from other people, and helped other people himself.

“Ultimately the way we accomplish the things we hold most dear, whether it’s environmental protection or human health, or help for the poor,” Buckland said, “is by asking for help.”

Buckland shared the story of how in 2011 he discovered former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett rescinded a moratorium on gas drillings in Pennsylvania State forests. He says he got on his bike, road all the way to a rally and got 100 people committed to voting Corbett out. It worked.

“We cannot do anything alone. You have to give yourself the people and that’s when you become the best person you can be,” Buckland said.

Crowd gathered to listen to Peter Buckland speak.

Riving Eco Action’s annual the Earth Day celebration took a lot of work, but was an outstanding success. Thanks to everyone who came out to learn about the Earth and enjoy live music and sunshine!

Kyoto NOW! – Eco Action 2000-2009

Environmental Indicators Report

“A team of 30 students (both graduate and undergraduate) and several faculty mentors and young professionals conducted the research presented here. The members of the research team displayed great tenacity and creativity in collecting the data for the various indicators. They visited the Somerset County landfill that receives Penn State’s trash, journeyed to the open pit mines near Dubois that provide PSU’s coal, and walked through the local well fields that supply the University with water. And this was just a start. They went on to look into campus dumpsters to see what was being thrown away, to examine the food offerings in the dining halls, to study land transactions at the County deeds office, to calculate the loss of campus green space using maps in Pattee Library, to determine the numbers of exotic vs. native plants on campus through botanical surveys, to characterize the ecological literacy of graduating PSU seniors by administering questionnaires, and much more. These researchers conducted not an abstract educational exercise, but rather engaged in face-to-face interactions with Penn State’s complex and often invisible support systems and the people responsible for running them.

 

The intent of this report is not simply to supply answers but to raise questions. The questions center on ecological responsibility, research ethics, the wisdom of continual growth, the openness of decision making, the uncritical acceptance of technology, and the moral responsibilities of the University—in short, questions that are worthy of the attention of all vital institutions ” ~ PSU Environmental Indicators Report, 2000 

Rally Against Beef

“About 75 Penn State students and State College residents marched through campus Friday afternoon to rally against injustices committed buy the beef industry and celebrate the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle.” ~ Daily Collegian Article

Push for Disclosure of PSU Investment

Eco Action in partnership with campus chapters of ACLU and Amnesty International pushed Penn State to open its investment portfolio to the public in 2000.

“Penn State’s money speaks for us. Forty-thousand students put their name on that money and say “this is OK.” ~ Julian Catchen, PSU ACLU

Kyoto Now!

KyotoNOW! was a student movement across the US to get university to commit to lowering their greenhouse gas emissions. The first KyotoNOW! group was formed at Cornell but Penn State’s Eco Action followed suit with KyotoNOW! campaign that became the largest campaign of its kind in the nation.

Penguin Bus Ride

An Eco Action member dressed as a penguin and rode the Blue Loop to inform riders of greenhouse gasses and get support for the KyotoNOW! campaign. Signatures were collected of students in support of the campaign and were delivered to Old Main as part of the letter chain protest (below).

 

 

10% Wind Power Protest

Eco Action protested out front of Pattee Library to urge Penn State to make 10% of its energy wind-powered. They planted 4,000 flags and a mock windmill to draw attention to the cause.

 

2006 Sit-In and Letter Chain

Eco Action members staged a sit-in in Old Main to wait for a meeting with President Graham Spanier to negotiate ways to reduce the university’s greenhouse gas emissions. Eco Action also compiled a chain of 4,500 letters (half a mile long!) signed by PSU students to encourage the university to reduce their emissions.

    

The protest was a success and they were able to schedule a negotiation with Spanier. Gary Schultz, Senior Vice President for Finance and Business, said “The fundamental difference between us and the Eco Action students is their wanting the administration to agree to a certain date and specific reduction by that date, which are both somewhat arbitrary.”

Letter Delivery

     

Coal Burned in 1 min Demonstration

Kleenex Kill Trees

Eco Action students approached staff of Kimberly-Clark at their booth at the Supply Chain Career Fair to discuss Kimberly-Clark’s policies on the amount of recycled fiber in Kimberly-Clark products.

  

Earth Day

Earth Day celebrations continued, though documentation declined. One highlight is Bill McKibben who spoke at Earth Day in 2000. Here are pictures from Earth Days in the 2000’s:

  

Protests

Pictures from unknown protests in the 2000’s that Eco Action participated in:

 

Think Globally, Act Locally – Eco Action 1992-1994

EcoPalooza

EcoPaolooza was a fall music festival held by EcoAction in the early 90’s.

       

Earth Day in the 90’s

Eco Action Earth Day celebrations continued, drawing large crowds despite several years of unfortunate weather. Every year, Eco Action helped the Penn State and State College community celebrate the earth with bands, crafts, and games.

Earth Day 1992:

       

Earth Day 1993:

 

Earth Day 1994:

A 1994 Daily Collegian article reported the general theme for the HUB ballroom was “Think globally, Act Locally”

Wolf Ambassadors

Wolves were brought to Penn State as part of the Wolf Ambassador Program where students learned about the return of wild wolves across the US.

      

PSU Recycling Program

The Penn State recycling program continued with bins in more locations and more piles of beer bottles than ever!

     

Cabin Weekend 1992

Eco Action spent a weekend in a cabin somewhere to hang out and enjoy good company (and finger paint).

  

Protest @ Pitt, 1994

Eco Action members joined lots of cool people, including Rusted Root, in Pittsburgh to protest the University of Pittsburgh’s investment in the Mt. Graham Telescope Project that would ruin habitat for the endangered red squirrel (the protest’s mascot). The protest was a success and the University of Pittsburgh did not invest.

Rusted Root preforming at the protest.

 

One World, One Chance – Eco Action 1991

1991 Plans

1991 Earth Week

Eco Action held a week-long celebration in honor of the earth and sustainable living. Speakers from the Penn State Faculty spoke throughout the week on various aspects of environmentalism. The Earth Day celebration took place on the HUB Lawn. Local elementary school student read poems, professors spoke, bands played, and at 3pm there was a “Crazy Daze” (not sure exactly what that was).

However, it was cold an rainy on Earth Day. The main act cancelled their event, but students and area residents still sang and danced on the muddy HUB lawn.

Bike Path Improvement on Campus

Eco Action partnered with the Penn State Cycling club to advocate for more bike paths and improved biker safety on campus.