10
edits
Changes
→Inspired by the Middlebury Conference
'''Building Activism on Campus:''' We should inspire a new climate of activism at Williams. We need to strengthen and expand the groups that are working on climate change and incorporate new groups into our movement by reaching out to them.
1. [[Thursday Night Group]] and [[Greensense]] should be strengthened by continuing to reach out to knowledgeable people from diverse backgrounds. We need to engage people with things they want to do and use their talents in the best possible way. Professors can have a huge influence on students in various classes to encourage them to get involved. Thursday Night Group can ask its members to reach out to professors in every department. The best way to build a group identity is to engage people in projects, especially ones that have visible results. We can include people who don't come to meetings if we bring them projects that are simple but have observable results, thereby "opening the door" to slightly more in depth projects.
2. Hold periodic brainstorming sessions to include group members ideas and input into the group's direction.
'''On-Campus Education:'''
1.Use our opportunities when students are in the outdoors to bring up facts about climate change to inspire interest and investment. This could consist a sheet of information that would be read off by leaders to their groups and hopefully inspire some sort of discussion. The sheet would consist of some observable present and future effects of climate change in the Berkshires as well as some prompts of discussion questions. Would be a great addition to the WOOLF and other first-days programs since that is the time that students are most receptive to new ideas and policies.
2.Create a student position to help events become more sustainable. This person could operate through the co-sponsorship fund and other party throwing groups to provide the extra hands necessary for green events. We could use funds (LUCE grant?) to give money to groups to buy party supplies from more sustainable sources, fund parties if they comply with certain recycling standards, such as recycling signage for cups, bottles, cans, etc.
7.Communicate with first-year students before they arrive on campus about buying Energy Star appliances and sharing appliances such as refrigerators. Include a flyer in the freshman packet and add purchasing tips to the Bell Book.
8. Continue planning for Focus the Nation on January 31, 2008 including trying to get people involved with spreading the word to their secondary schools.
'''Institutional Buy In:'''