'Green' group invites students to get involved
"Think globally, act locally" is more than just a catchy phrase for students from Grassroots, a campus group dedicated to educating the public about environmental issues. This year, it was a call to action.
The students reached out to Rochester City School No. 19 in the neighboring 19th Ward as part of a year-long environmental education program for fourth- and fifth-grade classes. The project was one of many the group undertook as part of an effort to address a wide range of environmental and conservation issues affecting the University and surrounding community--from the successful campaign to establish recycling centers on campus to working with University administration to propose that current and future construction projects be more energy efficient.
Lindsay Clark '06, who is majoring in anthropology, says the group's approach is not only to identify issues, but to tackle them head on.
"Since I've joined the group, I've made a switch from being environmentally conscious to environmentally active. It's not just a recycling club. In fact, I've been surprised at how ambitious and creative this group is when it comes to getting things accomplished."
Grassroots members began organizing the education outreach project last summer, with the help of University REACH funding. The program kicked off in the fall with eight Grassroots members volunteering to teach one-hour weekly classes on topics ranging from the basic elements of habitat to the risks posed by pesticide application.
"The goal of the program is not simply to teach a rudimentary understanding of the challenges posed to our natural environment," says Grassroots president Andrew Hall '06. "It is more to imbue the students with a sense of their own potential and corresponding responsibility within the global community. It's about connections and understanding how their little corner of Rochester affects and is affected by all the other little corners of our world. My hope leaving the classroom each week was that every student would gain a sense of self-empowerment and an impression of their own ability to shape the world around them, for better or worse."
In addition to education programs, the group also works on other fronts to promote sustainability, energy efficiency, and conservation on campus. One of their more ambitious undertakings this year has been to lobby for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the planned construction of a new biomedical engineering/optics building on the River Campus. Sam Frommer '06 and Audrey Stewart '04 put together a 25-page proposal on the benefits of a "green" design and presented it to the student senate and University administration.
"The senate passed a resolution supporting our proposal," says Frommer. "Now we're focusing on raising the funds it would take to make the LEED certification a reality."
Another new program the group sponsored this year was a clothing exchange in Wilson Commons, where students, faculty, and staff could drop off used items and take other items in return. Carl Adair '07, an English major from Rochester, says the program was a big hit and an effective yet subtle way to address sustainability and reuse.
"While many students may perceive environmental groups to be preachy and elitist, this program approaches the idea of recycling and communicates that message in a nonaggressive way. In fact, lots of students I know think it's really chic to get clothes second hand. We tap into that sentiment and use it as an opportunity to say, 'Hey, trading clothes is just one small way to reuse and recycle.' From there, we let students draw their own conclusions," says Adair.
The group also took advantage of the annual Earth Day celebration on April 23 to raise awareness on many issues. Working with other student groups, University administration, city officials, and local companies such as Rochester Gas and Electric, Grassroots members put together what they describe as the most successful Earth Day event in recent history.
Brian McCann '03, who now works as a technical associate for the Center for Visual Science, and Annie Podkaminer '05 oversaw planning for the day's festivities that included student performances, free vegetarian and vegan food samples, representatives from local groups such as the Green Party and Sierra Club, as well as presentations from experts on solar energy, urban growth, farming, and pollution.
"We called up all the environmental groups in the Rochester area and invited them to come set up a booth at the event," says Podkaminer. "The response was really positive."
"A lot of people stepped up to make this year's event one of the biggest ever," adds McCann. "There's definitely an energy and momentum building in this group. I really encourage other students to come check the group out and find a way to get involved."
Freshmen and returning students who are interested in learning more can talk to Grassroots members during the annual Activities Fair, or they can join one of the group meetings, which take place every Monday at 8 p.m. in Wilson Commons 122. For more details, visit www.sa.rochester.edu/grassroots.
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