Clean Power Chicago Campaign Action

“Keep Chicago clean”

By: Kristen Holdsworth

I have never been to an action before let alone knew what it would entail nevertheless; I couldn’t deny the opportunity at hand. Chicago is estimated to be dependent on 60% nuclear and 40% coal but, there is an opportunity to change those numbers. As a DePaul transfer, Chicago Youth Climate Coalition member and concerned resident I am overflowing with excitement for what the Clean Power Chicago campaign can instigate in the city, and so are many other Chicagoans! 

The hour spent outside city hall involved educating the public and spreading the word about this new choice! Together, 100 supporters wore green hardhats and held posters accompanying our calls of, “You can choose clean energy”, “Keep Chicago clean”. Others offered informational pamphlets and petition signings that many were very accepting of. Not long after, all of us occupied the lobby outside the mayor’s office in anticipation of presenting 2,000 petition signatures to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s representative. I truly felt like I was making a difference in the changes and choices we face today and that couldn’t give me more hope than I could ask for. I can only ask you, what better place to start than right here, right now?

Pictures of the event supplied by Cecily Surma:

It's a new school year

It's the start of a new school year at Depaul. We hope your summer went well!

This blog is going to be going through an overhaul in the next few week so keep your eye on this space!

Guess what opens this weekend!?

DePaul's own urban farm!


We are proud to announce that this weekend DePaul's very own urban farm is opening. The hard work of DePaul's Urban Farming Organization is finally coming full circle. This farm is an amazing step forward in DePaul's mission to be more sustainable.

UFO is inviting the DePaul community to come out this weekend and help the first seeds of the season! Seeding will run from 10 am to 2 pm Friday through Sunday. Please come at the start of every hour as there will be a brief orientation before your work begins. The location of the garden is on Belden and Bissell. You can't miss it!

Please wear clothes and shoes you don't mind getting dirty. Also, remember to bring water and snacks because this weekend might be a hot one!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Parking Day is Tomorrow!

On Monday April 16^th, DePaul will join the global movement of PARK(ing) Day. Starting at 2pm and going until to 5pm, the ECC, DePaul Urban Explorers (DUE) and the Ray Meyer Fitness Center will temporarily transform four parking spaces behind the student center. PARK(ing) Day is, “to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat,” as the mission states. PARK(ing) Day addresses social issues in urban environments, such as access to parks. Although, we are fortunate to have Lincoln Park down from our campus, this event is a way for DePaul to culturally express, socialize and play in a green environment. The four parking spaces will be covered in sod, there will be benches, there will be grills, treats from Floriole Cafe & Bakery and oh outdoor games, tents and snow cones galore! The Ray has even invited Pedal to the People, to come and get your bike ready for spring. If you feel like skipping the library for a study break, join us in our makeshift park. Happy start of Earth Week Everyone.

EDIBLE EARTH APRIL 22nd

Come join the Urban Farming Organization, the St. Vincent & Louise House, and The Environmental Concerns Committee for a night of amazing food and conversation!

Bring a dish to pass along! We only require that the dish must be as local and organic as possibly. Vegan/vegetarian dishes are also strongly encouraged.

EARTH WEEK 2012

Senior Sendoff: Hemal Lalabhai

This winter quarter saw the graduation of one of ECC's very own, Hemal Lalabhai.

It goes without saying that Hemal is extremely passionate about the environment and ECC's mission. He graduates this winter quarter with a degree in environmental studies. The next step in Hemal's journey is a move to South Africa where he will be working on the restoration of a pygmy hippo habitat.

ECC wishes Hemal all the best. South Africa, and the hippos, are lucky to have you.

DePaul Student Perspective: CYCC’s Youth Environmental Leadership Retreat By Katie Abma

I have been hearing about the Chicago Youth Climate Coalition (CYCC) for about a year now, but had yet to attend any of their meetings or hear of an event such as their annual Youth Environmental Leadership Retreat.  Finally, something I was able to go to.

I am currently a senior at DePaul University and when this opportunity was presented at one of the University’s Environmental Concerns Committee (ECC) meeting, I felt like this may be the last time I’d get an opportunity to participate in something like this as a DePaul undergrad. The ECC has grown so much in the relatively short time I’ve been a part of it, and I felt it was important that I go to help represent DePaul as a university that cares about sustainability.

I didn’t quite know what to expect from the retreat—I knew it was being student run, so I was a little nervous that it’d be all over the place. It was nothing of the sort! I should have had more faith in my fellow students. Everyone who was a part of running the workshops and overall flow of the weekend (I unfortunately couldn’t stay the night or for Saturday) did an amazing job at creating a schedule that wasn’t scatterbrained but also wasn’t restrictive.

 

I think I would have really enjoyed the workshops being offered on Saturday, so I was upset that I couldn’t commit my day to it due to the huge amount of homework I had. However, I did like how Friday night was about getting to know your values:  where they come from and why they are yours, in order to know when they are being violated. I found the structure of the retreat—beginning with personal reflection activities and then moving onto creating change and “the world we would like to live in”—to make a lot of sense.

I was inspired but also overwhelmed by everyone’s passion for a common cause. I’ve never been a huge activist type person; I tend to prefer working behind the scenes to attempt to create much needed positive change in systems that exist. But I’ve always admired activism and hope to make it a bigger part of my life, and sustainability issues are those that I feel most passionate about, so this was a perfect place for me to start.

I truly feel like I gained a lot from attending the Friday night section of the retreat. In that short time, I felt connected to the people around me, and part of something vitally important for humankind and all species. I look forward to working with CYCC in the future, and especially to what we as a collective group may be capable of accomplishing.

An Edible Event for the Earth

by Jessica Walsh, member of the Environmental Concerns Committee

Yummy Kale Salad

   The big question during last Wednesday’s Edible Earth banquet was, “How often do you really know what’s on your plate?”  To answer that question, DePaul students began to fill the Vincent & Louise House (V&L House) with organic, locally produced and home-cooked platters around 6 o’clock. 

   Jonathan Eiseman, the Student Government Association’s Senator for Sustainability kicked the dinner off around 6:20 pm with a brief welcome and introduction.  

After that came a brief keynote address by Elise Hawley, the Assistant Director of the Environmental Concerns Committee (ECC), in which she spoke of challenging students to become more aware of the food we eat, think about where it is grown, and see how far food has to travel to get to our plates.

Buckwheat Pancakes 

   Before the chow down began, Robby Hawkinson from the V&L House led the group of about 60 students in a short Buddhist prayer on the importance of nurturing one’s body with food that comes straight from the earth’s soil.  With food on each of the three floors in the house, participants were able to move throughout space, engaging in great conversations and meeting new faces.

Crunchy Pita Bread

   The first floor consisted of the breads and entrées such as buckwheat pancakes and a scrumptious wild rice entrée.  The second floor was packed with wholesome appetizers, vegetable soups and fresh salads, and the third floor was filled with delicious desserts.  After the night was over I left the V&L House with a full and happy stomach and with an awareness of the meal and the ingredients I had just consumed.

      Overall, the V&L House was packed with organic, healthy meals, important discussion, and real cool people.  Wednesday night was another successful partnership between the ECC, the Urban Farming Organization (UFO), and the V&L House, creating a sustainable dinner for the community of DePaul students.  If you were not able to attend Edible Earth last Wednesday, we are already planning another one to take place at the end of the Earth Week celebrations on Earth Day, Sunday the 22^nd of April.  Keep your eyes peeled for more information coming soon!

This Wednesday February 29th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Vincent & Louise House the ECC, UFO, and V&L are banning together to promote sustainable food, spiritually, and academic commemoratory. The groups created this Edible Earth event, because we strongly believe eating sustainably benefits not only us, but our environment positively allowing us to coexist on Mother Earth. We believe it is our duty to share this meaningful message with fellow DePaul students, in hopes to generate a stronger community and raise awareness. Overall, we believe everyone could be more knowledgeable about the food we eat and the environment. We anticipate this event will be a solid building block for future stewardship. Our mission is for Edible Earth to be a quarterly event, where we can eat real food, build relationships, and have meaningful discussions about sustainability.

Edible Posters

This weekend several members of ECC and the Urban Farming Organization (UFO) met up in the library and created posters for Edible Earth. Check out some pictures from the event!

Edible Earth is Coming....

Join us for a night of great food and sustainability!

Please bring a dish to share!