Guelph Students for Environmental Change

The Meeting

1. Update on the Retofit
2. Workshop Proposal for working with administration

Time Sensitive

3. Interview with a climate change skeptic
4. GSEC Holiday Potluck Social

Not So Time Sensitive

5. Intermural GSEC team for the Winter semester
6. Otesha Cycling and Presenting Tour and Change your World!
7. Sustainable consumption guide really easy to read
8. Deep sea trolling Petition in Canada [online]
9. Spirit Bear Petition [online]
10. Climate Change petition [online] to the Canadian government (great declaration)
11. Items GSEC has taken on so far and items that have been brainstormed.  E-mail the GSEC account if your interested any of these ideas or have new items (items from SLEF brainstorming and disposable brainstorming).
12. UofG Sustainability Coordinator as a resource for some of the ideas

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Update on the Retofit

RetroFit met with administration on Monday to propose a working group composed of students, administrators and faculty that’s purpose would be to assess and develop strategies to overcome barriers hindering RetroFit’s progress.  The proposal was approved!  There will be a meeting Tuesday at 5:30 in the Airport Lounge for those interested in attending.  (contact jennie.mcdowell@gmail.com for further explanation)

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Workshop Proposal for working with administration

Last week Jennie attended a workshop that she found to be very beneficial.  It was on how to more effectively influence administrators to be receptive to proposals you set forth. Jennie would like to run a mini workshop to share what she had
learned with the group. If there is interest, we can work towards setting a date. At the workshop Jennie also acquired a project to work on – getting sustainability principles incorperated into the economics curriculum.  She is looking for others who are interested in working on this project with her (she plans to start up early next semester)  Those interested can contact her at jennie.mcdowell@gmail.com

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Interview with a Climate Change Skeptic

Earlier this week, Pete spoke with Dr. Micktrick, a prominent skeptic on climate change.  Dr. Micktrick was willing to answer any number of questions we might bring to him and have his answers recorded.  Pete would like to initiate a dialogue of sorts between this Dr. Micktrick and some of Guelph’s other prominent scientists who are not skeptics on climate change.  The tentative plan is to create a list of question which we can ask, record the answers to, get outside feedback on, and potentially return to Dr. Micktrick with the comments given by other professionals on his answers.  We could look into posting these audiofiles on the GSEC website or even incorperating them into the EnviroSci symposium happening in January.  Here are the questions we brainstormed:

1. What evidence would you have to see now for you to believe that the worlds climate is changing?
2. What improvements do you suggest for current research methods?
3. Do you believe that efforts to reduce emissions and consumption are useless or unnecessary? Explain.
4.What are your opinions on the physical evidence collected thus far on climate change.
5. Can you explain the lack of published research refuting the current physical evidence.
6. Why do you think there is such a large consensus on climate change occurring?
7. How do you respond to northern indigenous cultures complaining about their traditional way of life being threatened by current warm trends? Other examples, pine beetle, artic ice, glaciers, severe weather, hottest day every recorded here in
Ontario, warmer winters.
8. What are your opinions on major oil industry and other at risk industries funding groups of climate change critics.  Some of the same ones who were funded to create doubt about cigarette second hand smoke.
9. What is your overall goal/what are you working towards by questioning climate change theories?
10. Do you believe that the appointment of Dr. Essex climate change skeptic will improve research in global changes in the climate?  How long do appointments last and what will he have voting power over?
11. Assuming climate change poses a huge risk in human life and economic capital should governments set up funds and policies to lessen the impacts of climate change?  Set up funds and policies to prevent future effects?

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GSEC Holiday Potluck Social

This wednesday at regular meeting time!  Two lovely ladies whose names escape me have offered to host it in their Edinburough Village Appt. They will be sending out directions and details.

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GSEC Intermurial Team

Hey GSEC…

Would anyone like to play on a GSEC intermural team? I am willing to be the “captain” (aka take care of the admin stuff). I was thinking INNERTUBE WATER POLO or indoor ULTIMATE FRISBEE. Here are the details:

Innertube water polo:
Thursdays at 7pm – starts Nov 30

Indoor ultimate frisbee:
Thursdays at 5:30pm – starts Nov 30

There, it doesn’t even conflict with GSEC meetings!

If you would like to play, give me an email before November 20th so I can sign us up (but you know you wanna email me today

*Kristi kmahy{at}uoguelph.ca

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Join an Otesha Cycling and Presenting Tour and Change your World!

Looking for an opportunity to live sustainably in a mobile community, volunteer, explore Canada, gain leadership skills, public speaking skills, and make a real difference in the world ? All from the seat of your bicycle? Are you between 18 and 30? Read on!

Applications are now being accepted for the Otesha Project’s 2007 cycling  and presenting tours.  This coming spring, summer and fall, over 80 young cyclists (15-20 per tour) will transform Canada, delivering inspiring and information-packed theatrical presentations to schools, camps and communities, challenging audiences and themselves to improve their environmental and social impacts.

The Otesha Project (www.otesha.ca) uses theatre to mobilize young people to create local and global change through their daily consumer choices. Since 2003, Otesha has run five cycling and presenting tours, and this year we’re running 5 more two-month tours!

“I know this experience will have a lasting and deep effect on my life when I go back home. I will take further action in my life to live more sustainably and I will be empowered to continue making a
positive impact on the world. This is only the tip of the iceberg, only the first few steps in a lifelong journey. This is only the beginning..” – Alicia, 2005 Tour Member

“I am currently in my 5th year of post-secondary education, but I believe that I learned more in my two months with this team than I have through all my years of formal schooling” – Brook, 2003 Tour Member

Tour members receive training and valuable experience in public speaking, facilitation, theatre, bike touring, bike maintenance, group living, media relations, consensus decision-making, sustainable living, and becoming vehicles of positive change. This is your opportunity to spend two months with a close-knit group of inspiring change-makers!
Where and When:
Sunshine Coast Tour – May-June
Rocky Mountain Tour – May-June
East Coast Tour – July-August
Lake Superior Tour – Mid August- Mid October
Georgian Bay Tour – Mid August- Mid October

ARE YOU INTRIGUED??
Awesome! An information kit (with details on the Otesha Project, the individual tours, fundraising goals, scholarships and application forms) can be found at http://www.otesha.ca/bike+tours/[1], by email at applications@otesha.ca, or by phone at 613-237-6065. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until all positions are filled, at which time we will have a waiting list, so apply now.

NOTE: The Otesha Project is an equal opportunity organization and we value the different expertise and diversity of our volunteers and employees. We strive to make our programs accessible and will work with committed individuals to ensure participation.

We also have paid positions, internships, and enhanced training opportunities related to these tours, including tour coordinator and leader positions. Please see http://www.otesha.ca/the+project/opportunities.en.html[2] for further information.

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Sustainable Consumption Guide

This is a sustainable consumption guide for youth 14-18 put together by the Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention – thought it might be a good resource or outreach to either first years, or for the groups interested in going to local high schools.

http://www.c2p2online.com/main.php3?section=41&heading=241[3]

Cheers,
Gillian

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Petitions about Canadian Deep Sea Trawling!

Leisha Clarke Doherty would like you to send a message about ?Blame
Canada!? at:

http://write-a-letter.greenpeace.org/107/b970bdfda854f740b291ac07d6670b04[4]

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Spirit Bear Petition

Protection for an endangered bear in BC threatened by logging; for more information visit www.spiritbearyouth.org and go to the “voice your support” option to sign petition.

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Petition the Canadian Government about Climate change
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/CYCC/petition.html[5]
Read the declaration its really good.

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Brainstorming ideas
Names or e-mails beside items are people who have agreed to take e-mails from others interested about the idea. For example if your interested in muggy Monday contact myriamjl{at}gmail{dot}com , she will take your e-mail and next
meeting we will begin organizing for the idea to become action in working groups) Beside the e-mails I also added how many people are actually helping out with the ideas.
-Retrofit Contact: (gsec[at]uoguelph[dot]ca) (10 people from GSEC so far)
-No pipeline for Guelph initiative Contact: (gsec[at]uoguelph[dot]ca) (6 people so far) (one person has e-mailed back showing interest)
- ethical paper policy: Peter (prose{at}uoguelph{dot}ca) (just Peter)
- skill share: Kerry (kschutte{at}uoguelph{dot}ca)
- outdoor recycling
- swap centre: Jon (jchoquet{at}uoguelph{dot}ca)
- energy retrofit and other projects
- documnetary series
- vermi-composting: Gabe (gsmith01{at}uoguelph{dot}ca)
- composting giveaway
- reuseables in centre 6, daily grind, L/A pit: Kimberley Ootjers (kootjers{at}uoguelph.ca)
- muggy mondays, lug-a-mug: Myriam (myriamjl{at}gmail{dot}com) (5 people from GSEC so far)
- anti-idling tool
- sustainability pledge environment radio: Kristi Mahy (kmahy{at}duoguelph{dot}ca) (Kristi and Sylvie so far)

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UoG Sustainability Coordinator

I just wanted to let you know that if any GSECers are interested in the following Brainstorm items, they can email me at gmaurice[at]uoguelph.ca, or call my campus extension 8129 to learn more about available resources, and the past or current efforts going on around these ideas.
Thanks! Awesome email formatting btw, it’s really easy to find the parts you’re
interested in! Cheerio,
Gillian Maurice
Sustainability Coordinator
www.pr.uoguelph.ca/sustain
gmaurice[at]uoguelph.ca OR sustain[at]pr.uoguelph.ca
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Brainstorming ideas
- outdoor recycling
- composting giveaway
- reuseables in centre 6, daily grind, L/A pit
- anti-idling tool
- sustainability pledge
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