For one hour on Saturday night (March 28th), the planet will undergo a rolling blackout from 8:30pm-9:30pm your local time. 2848 cities, towns, and municipalities in 84 countries have pledged to participate, including monuments such as the Empire State Building and the pyramids of Giza.
This event calls attention to the issue of climate change and the need for global action. The goal is to get 1 billion people to “vote Earth” by switching off their lights and thereby reducing electricity use and cutting carbon emissions.
The results of this action will be presented at the Global Climate Change Conference scheduled in Copenhagen later this year where the international community will work on governmental response to climate change and what comes next after the Kyoto Protocol.
Will you vote Earth?
Students from the LEAF (Learn and Service Environmental Field) school (Anthropology 101, 102, and 103) have posted their reflections: sharing their most significant experiences and what they have learned. Winter quarter took the LEAF school to Snoqualmie Pass to learn about tracking wildlife with the Cascade Citizens Wildlife Monitoring Project, to Camano Island Coffee Roasters to learn about the global impacts of drinking coffee, to Whidbey Island to remove invasive plants, and to La Conner to participate in the Storming the Sound conference, a discussion about environmental education.
You can see some of the photos of their work throughout the quarter on EdmondsCC.ning.com.
You can also read the students’ reflections on their learning, in the comments section of the earlier post. Here are a few of their thoughts:
I realized that this is where things can start. After words are said they can be put into action. I find this another way to be part of the community we live in. — Thuyvi Nguuyen, student
This quarter opened up the path to future careers by working more closely with organizations that are looking for volunteers and interns… I learned about the jobs and people I may be working with in the future if I continue pursuing an anthropology degree. — Corbin, student
While taking this class my interest in sustainability and environmental awareness has grown. I have found ways I can incorporate these interests into my everyday life as well as my future ambitions pursuing business.— Hayley Sanders, student
The hands-on education and direct exposure to…local and globally sustainable business, industry and agriculture is something I will carry with me for the rest of my academic career and on to whichever industry I eventually find myself in. — Ryan Gilmore, student
This entire class has really helped me learn all about plants and the environment. With every adventure, plants were pointed out, given names, uses, and linked to the environment. I would like to thank the LEAF school for teaching me a lot of (now obvious) stuff about plants and the environment! — Zane Doyle, student
I want go into the education field…Being able to study animal habits, outside, first-hand, could never be equaled in a classroom…I now have a great desire to offer the opportunity to learn in an outdoor classroom to children. — David Green, student
Even the smallest decisions a person makes as a consumer can create a huge and long lasting effect on a community across the world that could forever impact their way of life. — Whitney Silva, student
Teaching the LEAF School is one of the great privileges of my life. I love the opportunity to teach outdoors. Our community partners teach me something new in every class. Watching each of you gain in your appreciation of plants, animals and other humans is delightful. — Tom Murphy, anthropology instructor
Find more photos like this on Edmonds Community College
There’s another kudo for Edmonds Community College’s award-winning service-learning program. This time the honor goes to a member of the English department. Washington Campus Compact named English instructor Jennifer Inslee as a Learn and Serve America Leadership Fellow. Inslee was recognized, in part, for her work helping to create the Profiles in the Art of Living exhibit telling the stories of Edmonds Community College students. As a Fellow, Inslee will receive a $500 stipend as well as a $425 registration to the Continuums of Service Conference April 16-18, in Seattle. She will also attend a Leadership Fellows retreat this summer.
You can read more about the conference and our partner, Washington Campus Compact, here.
Hello Leaflets:
It is that time again in the quarter where you get to share a reflective story of your experiences during the LEAF School while answering the questions posted below. For many of you, this is your second quarter and your tickle has grown a bit stronger. The tickle I am referring to is your realization or personal revolution gained from this service-learning class. May it come from the PCC Natural Market tour in Edmonds, snow tracking for Northwest Conservation or from conferences LEAF students attended this quarter. Please share:
What was your most significant learning experience this quarter?
What elements of the class contributed most to that learning experience?
Web link:
Fall LEAF School Reflection.
Did you know that at the beginning of March, 12,000 student activists descended on the nation’s capitol for a summit “to hold our elected officials accountable for rebuilding our economy and reclaiming our future through bold climate and clean energy policy” (from Power Shift’s website)?
It may have passed you by - I didn’t hear any talk of it on this campus, but it’s a strong and growing movement of young people demanding a shift from extraction-based, pollution-emitting energy sources to cleaner energy technologies. They are also making the case for connecting this shift to the creation of green jobs and the subsequent boost to the economy, with the additional domestic manufacturing, installation, and local power generation, that such a shift would create. Many blogs have reported on the summit - here’s a google search for power shift ‘09.
Check out Power Shift’s website: www.powershift09.org to learn more.
On Monday, March 2, some Power Shift folks along with other groups joined together to protest the capitol’s source of power, coal:
Comments about the protest can be found here.
There’s a lot going on in this area. Here are a couple of more organizations to check out: Focus the Nation & Energy Action Coalition