Last Wednesday’s showing of Planet Earth was a minor success, with only limited technological difficulty and an applaudable attendance for the first night. Next week will feature the “Deserts”, “Caves”, and “Ice Worlds” episodes, and we will be joined by the Environmental Science Club who is working hard to bring the film “Fresh” to campus as part of our Food Week programming. Of course, Food Week accompanies Michael Pollan’s visit to the campus on February 25th.

Visit Artist Cup Cafe, or the Creative Crust, or any of the other businesses participating in First Fridays.

I did want to reach out for brainstorming on an issue brought up by dining services. Efforts to reduce bottle wastes have struggled as student feedback pans any changes. Specifically, Michael Zanie would like to shift more consumption to the fountain beverages, which while cheaper are used less frequently. However, because the most popular beverages are drinks that cannot be obtained from the soda dispensers, we are still in need of creative strategies. The purchase of another dispenser for gatorade and similar sports beverages is being considered, though permanent water bottles might require a just distribution plan. Efforts to phase out bottle water in favor of free water bottles have apparently waned.

Finally, I do encourage everyone to head down into Meadville today for the monthly “First Fridays” event. Businesses usually open until only five or six p.m. will stay open until eight. Also, visit the Meadville Council on the Arts gallery on the second floor of the Markethouse, opening tonight. As part of Ryan Cole’s promotion of the programming, receipts from participating First Friday’s businesses can be entered into a Game Room drawing for local gift certificates. This week may be your best shot at winning $25 given the novelty of the plan.

Feel free to bring your less green friends to see Planet Earth, a series of near universal appeal.

Every Wednesday in February visit Grounds for Change to watch three episodes of Planet Earth, a documentary produced by BBC that redefined the potential of nature videos. The event is sponsored by Allegheny Student Government and reflects a commitment to sustainability from across the campus.

The first fifty people (which will probably be everyone) are encouraged to pick out a beverage free of charge, including coffee, hot chocolate, and tea. We encourage tips and donations to the wonderful Grounds for Change crew, who operate on a volunteer basis and make due with just enough funding. Like all small and local businesses, GFC promotes green values such as community and sustainability, and requires conscientious patronage to thrive.

The first week will hopefully feature Ryan Cole’s First Fridays campaign, a parallel movement to promote businesses in Meadville. Of course, the general goal is to enlighten our peers about the need for local eating, in keeping with our upcoming guest Michael Pollan.

Students for Environmental Action
January 28, 2010

Recyclemania!
- Going on NOW until March 20th.
-Eco Reps are in charge of this event

Garbage Police Agian?!
-WHEN should we do this?

Ideas for this Spring Semester
-road/ forest/ river clean-up!
-earth week extravaganza!
-hydroponic plant systems!
-new PR committee!

POTLUCK DINNER!
Where: Brandi Kautz’s hizzle (3 doors down from library on East College St.)
When: Sunday, Feb. 7th @ 5pm (come early if you want to use the kitchen!)
What: everyone prepares and brings a food entree and we all share and eat! (if you have food allergies PLEASE email me with that info)
and watch the super bowl with brian!
Who: YOU
Why: to make crafts and eat yummy organic/local/vegetarian/whatever food!
RSVP by Friday please

For the meeting on Thursday (9pm, room 206 in the cc)
-bring one sided scrap paper
-collect plastic bottle wrappers
-any ideas for how to look similar to be the GARBAGE POLICE!

eat your green beans!
Maranda Nemeth

S.E.A. Secretary

If junior high students can help out at the farm over their summer break, Allegheny students should be of even more service.

There is a trip to the Vines Farm that we think will particularly interest you next Sunday, January 31st. Due to wintery conditions we will be taking a hike through the Vines’ untilled and wild property before returning to their nice, warm house for cookies, tea, and watching the film “Battle In Seattle”. If you haven’t tried the Vines’ cookies yet you better watch out- you will learn that you love them so much you will do anything to get them.

To join us in our adventure at the Vines Farm (the sustainable, area farm that has a stand of baked goods in McKinley’s) please e-mail me (henslef@allegheny.edu) and tell me you would like to come. Then meet up in the parking lot behind Steffee on Sunday, January 31st at 12:30PM wearing warm clothes (boots are a plus). We will plan to get back to campus around 4:30; this time is terrific for just taking a breather from campus to come back all refreshed.

Bring friends (just let us know the head count!) and join in the winter fun!

Hello!

Do you want to be part of a volunteer service project that only requires about 1/2 hour per week? Do you want to help reduce needless food waste while simultaneously helping out Meadville food service agencies?  We need volunteers interested in a “Food Rescue” project!

What: Catering events often have leftovers, which they have to throw out afterwards.  The Meadville Soup Kitchen needs to feed lines of hungry people every day.  Let’s connect these two.

Why: food embodies so much energy.  A slice of bread has likely been transported from the midwest, grown on fields irrigated and fertilized, all of this requiring our limited resources of fossil fuel.  Wouldn’t it be better to do something useful with that bread at the end of the line, instead of dumping it in the landfill?

How you can be involved: Interested volunteers would sign up for a certain lunch period (or dinner) on certain days, and if there was a catering event with leftovers, they would pick up the food and drop it off in a central fridge.  This will usually take less than 20 minutes. We also would need drivers (ACCEL van can be borrowed) to transport the food to the Soup Kitchen/Women’s Services.

Please email Sandra Wayman at swayman524@gmail.com if you are generally interested in this new project!  We’ll formulate a schedule and work out details once we get some interested people.  Let us know soon, we want to get this up and running as soon as possible!

Thanks!
Sandra Wayman
Sylvia Kauffman
Brett Fuchs

Tu B'Shvat day celebrations- by Hillel!

Join Hillel for Tu B’Shvat – A Jewish Celebration of the Earth

Shabbat services, dinner and a traditional Tu B’Shvat seder. Taste traditional fruits and learn about Judaism’s relationship with the environment on Friday January 29, 2010 at 5 PM at the Jewish Community Center (corner of Park and Allegheny St). Event led by Rabbi Ron Bernstein-Goff.