2008 Woodie Awards
Saving the Planet One National Holiday at a Time
Mika Maekawa
Issue date: 4/27/06 Section: News
Rain on their parade? Not for these righteous kids. This past Saturday, the Smith Environmental Coalition (SEC) hosted an Earth Day Festival in room 103/104 of the Campus Center to celebrate Mother Earth and spread ecological awareness.
Originally set to take place on Chapin Lawn, rainy weather drove these enthusiasts inside where several SEC clubs had informational booths. Members of Clean Energy, MASSPIRG, Heifer International and Smith Association of Class Activists-to name a few-invited students and Northampton residents to enjoy free food and peruse piles of free clothing while learning valuable energy-saving tactics.
The event was prefaced by a number of hanging facts and figures on environmentalism, but despite publicity, the turn out was "a little disappointing," as one on-looker of the festivities pointed out. Yet some remained enthusiastic. Co-Recycling Coordinator Julie Goshe '07 said, "It's really fun that people are coming together like this. We have a bunch of different organizations coming together with similar goals."
The Smith Environmental Coalition, created just two years ago, is a fast-growing organization that includes members from Gaia, MASSPIRG, the ES&P program and the Sustainability Committee, as well as enthusiasts from the greater Smith community. By pulling together a number of groups that pursue an agenda of "environmental activism," the SEC, through collaborations, hopes to see a heightened environmental and social awareness on campus. More than anything, the SEC provides resources-whether it is simply facilitating a dialogue between several groups or connecting and expanding specific efforts.
Earth Day comes around just once a year, but these student activists remind us daily to appreciate our surroundings and work to preserve the environment for future generations. Smith's Clean Energy association is acclaimed as one of the most dedicated environmental groups in the country. Although many other schools, like Evergreen State College who uses 100 percent clean energy, are more ecologically efficient than Smith College, the program is growing. Recycling is made very accessible to students, and house Earth Reps are a great resource.
Originally set to take place on Chapin Lawn, rainy weather drove these enthusiasts inside where several SEC clubs had informational booths. Members of Clean Energy, MASSPIRG, Heifer International and Smith Association of Class Activists-to name a few-invited students and Northampton residents to enjoy free food and peruse piles of free clothing while learning valuable energy-saving tactics.
The event was prefaced by a number of hanging facts and figures on environmentalism, but despite publicity, the turn out was "a little disappointing," as one on-looker of the festivities pointed out. Yet some remained enthusiastic. Co-Recycling Coordinator Julie Goshe '07 said, "It's really fun that people are coming together like this. We have a bunch of different organizations coming together with similar goals."
The Smith Environmental Coalition, created just two years ago, is a fast-growing organization that includes members from Gaia, MASSPIRG, the ES&P program and the Sustainability Committee, as well as enthusiasts from the greater Smith community. By pulling together a number of groups that pursue an agenda of "environmental activism," the SEC, through collaborations, hopes to see a heightened environmental and social awareness on campus. More than anything, the SEC provides resources-whether it is simply facilitating a dialogue between several groups or connecting and expanding specific efforts.
Earth Day comes around just once a year, but these student activists remind us daily to appreciate our surroundings and work to preserve the environment for future generations. Smith's Clean Energy association is acclaimed as one of the most dedicated environmental groups in the country. Although many other schools, like Evergreen State College who uses 100 percent clean energy, are more ecologically efficient than Smith College, the program is growing. Recycling is made very accessible to students, and house Earth Reps are a great resource.
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