This is late, but:

Tomorrow/today (Saturday) is the "Where on Earth are We Going?" Environmental symposium. It goes from 8:30-12:30 and it's in Exley 150. Afterward, there will be tables set up to have people call their reps and senators about climate change legislation (maybe more on exactly what legislation later).

What: Where on Earth are We Going symposium
When: 4/25 (Saturday, aka today), 8:30-12:30
Where: Exley 150

Why Bother?

Last month, Alexa Jay wrote a Wespeak questioning the value of doing the "little things" in our everyday lives to help minimize waste and energy consumption and reduce our carbon footprints. Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma (he's speaking at Yale on Wednesday), asks these same questions in a New York Times Magazine piece called "Why Bother?" But ultimately, he argues, it is very necessary to bother. Here's a segment:

For us to wait for legislation or technology to solve the problem of how we’re living our lives suggests we’re not really serious about changing — something our politicians cannot fail to notice. They will not move until we do. Indeed, to look to leaders and experts, to laws and money and grand schemes, to save us from our predicament represents precisely the sort of thinking — passive, delegated, dependent for solutions on specialists — that helped get us into this mess in the first place. It’s hard to believe that the same sort of thinking could now get us out of it.

Take a look, and if you know her, forward it on to Alexa.

Wesfest Events!

These are listed on the calendar (at the bottom of this page/also on the website), but here's what's happening this weekend. Prefrosh (and any other interested parties) very welcome:

Thursday:

10-11am:
Environmental Sustainability Panel
Grace, Elisa, and Barry Chernoff will talk about sustainability initiatives and environmentalism at Wesleyan.
Where: Shanklin 107

Friday:

11:30-1:30(ish):
EON at the Student Activities Fair
We'll have a table! Yay. You can come ask questions/probably do some other things like a bottled water taste test (maybe, I'm not sure if this is actually happening). Just come.
Where: The bottom of Foss Hill

2-3pm:
Environmental Sustainability Panel
Nate, Dana, and Bill Nelligan will talk about sustainability initiatives and environmentalism at Wesleyan.
Where: PAC 001

Saturday:

11am-4pm:
TAG SALEEEE
There will be a tag sale at Earth House. Before the tag sale, you can drop off stuff in the vestibule inside the front door. See the facebook event for more details. Also, there will be some information about EON's Waste Not! Program, which collects all your crap at the end of the year and holds a giant sale the following fall (see the Waste Not! website for more info).
Where: Earth House (corner of High and Lawn)

Water (Ab)Use

As a good little environmentalist I was brought up knowing that wasting water was a very bad thing. My mom even had a song she sang with the lyrics "you are wasting water, water, running down the drain." It was very catchy and has stuck with me through life. With this little tune in my head as I conscientiously turn off the tap while I brush my teeth, I was pretty certain I was using very little water in my daily life.

This video changed that for me and made me realize how wasteful we are with water as an American culture. The global water crisis is very real and needs urgent attention. I urge you to watch this clip and benefit from a little reality check.

Trayless Tuesday is TODAY!

In an effort to encourage students to waste less food, there will be no trays available today in Usdan (except for those who absolutely need them). Yippee!

First Friday 5/4: Parks and fun

GET OUT!

Outdoors, that is. Spring is coming, we think! Learn about the natural resources that surround us and how you can enjoy them.

Come talk with Jim Little from the CT Forest and Park Association and Oriana Korol from Wesleyan's Outing Club

When: Friday, April 4 @ 4:30 pm
Where: Center for Community Partnerships (corner of Church and High)