last week of Jan update. New coordinator!

We have a new coordinator - Lisa Meersman is now our third coordinator. Congratulations! The position was filled by consensus at last week's meeting. A couple members expressed interest in being assistant coordinators. Soon, oh so very soon.

Our next meeting will be Feb 5 at 6:30 pm

Other Events

Look Up and See Green:
Eco-roof on the Urban Plaza! Go to 4th floor and check it out! Interested in helping maintain it and learn about eco-roofs?
Contact Derek at dereka@pdx.edu

Karen Coulter
Karen speaks on a variety of projects. Currently, she resides in Eastern Oregon, monitoring timber sales. She can speak on forest sales and laws, biological and medicinal characteristics of plants, deep ecology, or nonviolent direct action. Interested in any of these?

Sustainability Presentations
Feb 6-7, Feb 20-21, Mar 6-7
Native American Student & Community Center @ PSU

Feb 6 - 7 Local/Sustainable Food Systems: Kristy Obbink (PPS Nutrition Services - Farm to Schools – “Eat, Think, Grow); Portland Farmers Markets; Farmers; Growing Gardens

Feb 20 - 21 Sustainable Cities & Community Governance : Reps from Metro, Coalition for a Livable Future, City of Portland Office for Sustainable Development

Mar 6 - 7 Indigenous Perspectives & Practices for a Sustainable Future: Columbia River InterTribal Fish Commission; the Elahka Alliance (Ecotrust Native Program); Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Native Plant Recovery

These events are open to the public; FREE for students; $5 suggested donation
Contact Judy BlueHorse Skelton for more info about the series judyblue@pdx.edu

week of MLK day

Next meeting is Thursday, Jan 22 at 6:30 pm in Smith 229. If you're feeling generous, bring raisins. Or something edible. I, PJ, like raisins, but I understand not everybody feels fondly about raisins, so I will bring something different.


Coordinator decision, this next meeting, Jan 22

We now have 3 members interested in being the third coordinator, and 1 member interested in acting as an assistant coordinator. I am listing the most recent nominee plus re-listing the others. Hopefully, we'll be able to make this decision in one meeting. Remember, everyone must agree to successfully elect someone.

In addition to the coordinator nominees in the previous blog entry, we have one more -

Lisa:

Hello fellow Environmental Club members!

My name is Lisa, and I am a freshman here at PSU.

I am motivated by positive interactions.

I first came across Environmental Club last July, when I circled around the ballroom in Smith Center, collecting information from various clubs that were representing themselves to all the incoming freshman at orientation. When I approached the Environmental Club booth, I specifically remember the kindness and enthusiasm that Becca and Heather welcomed me with, and while joining environmental club was already in my plans, my interaction with the two of them made me even more excited about attending PSU and getting involved in the club.

The welcoming first impressions of the Environmental Club that I experienced last summer have remained true throughout my first year at PSU. I appreciate the friendliness and openness that I have come across with each member that I have met. It is inspiring to be around, and collaborate with people that are all passionate and dedicated to promoting positive environmental change in our community.

By taking the role as one of the coordinators in this club, I hope to carry out and strengthen the positive community that the existing coordinators have already put in place. I believe that through a strong core community of environmentalists and an optimistic approach toward every project, person, or group that we encounter, we will be able to accomplish any goal that we set for ourselves.

As for time commitment, I cannot say that I have an extremely flexible schedule, however, I am willing to give any time that I have to Environmental Club. I work sixteen hours a week in the Architecture Department, but I am free every evening and weekend (except for Wednesdays), and I am also available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Although I am fairly busy, I work best when I am involved and busy with projects that I am passionate about, so I feel that you can count on me to be a dependable coordinator!

I do not have an abundance of experience in organizing, although I have really enjoyed the few things I have organized in the past. Last May, I put together a “Ride Your Bike to School Day” at my high school, and talked with local businesses to donate items such as organic seeds for me to hand out to bikers. In addition, as a senior project in my high school, I facilitated the development of an annual student exchange between my school and a school in China. I raised money to get the program started, and went to China to meet with school administrators.

While PSU is one of the most environmentally-conscious schools in the nation, it still has a long way to go. My hope is that since I am still very new to PSU, I will have a lot of time to work with the Environmental Club to make changes toward environmental awareness and sustainability in our community.

Thank you to all of you!

Welcome back from Winter Break!

Our next meeting is Thursday, Jan 22 at 6:30 pm. The location will be announced soon. Regular meetings will probably be held every other Thursday at 6:30 pm, though we may alternate meeting days this term if the time slot doesn't work for some people. Does Thursday work for you?

Open coordinator position
To be decided at this next meeting on Jan 22!

We have 2 members - Caitlin and Miranda - interested in being the third coordinator, and 1 member - Hanna - interested in acting as an assistant coordinator. If there are any last minute nominations, send me your info or bring it up at the meeting. The decision of who will serve as the third coordinator and approval of assistant coordinator/s will be made with consensus (everybody must agree, or at least, nobody must disagree - a person can abstain).

Powershift 2009
Fri, Feb 27 - Mon, Mar 2
Washington D.C.
Power Shift 2009 is the second national youth summit to solve the climate crisis. Join 10,000 other young in Washington DC to demand bold, comprehensive and immediate federal climate action from our new Congress and President. Young people have the political power. Now we need to use it! Help us demand a better future, with more investment in a new green economy, a shift from dirty power to clean renewable sources, and a national climate plan that gets us back on track.

Deadline: Jan 21 to register people at reduced rate. Funding may be available to help with airfare.

Facebook events page - http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=108737550356