Mason Goes Green

Tar Sands, Pipelines, and Our Changing Climate

2011-11-08T16:31:00.001-05:00

In an effort to raise awareness and encourage the Mason community to stand against the proposed construction of the Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline, George Mason’s Environmental Action Group shifted the agenda of their November 2nd meeting to devote the entirety of their evening to host a discussion on how the implementation of the proposed Keystone XL Tar Sands oil pipeline would lead to catastrophic and perilous consequences for both the natural environment and humanity. Yiming, an organizer with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and Sieren, an environmental consultant who specializes in carbon emissions reduction, led the discussion. Both Yiming and Sieren have been at the forefront of the movement to stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. In fact, after meeting at a Tar Sands related action, Yiming and Sieren decided to stay in contact. After much discussion, they decided to work together to develop a presentation that would cover highlight the overarching issues and conflicts surrounding the debate over the implementation of the Keystone XL.

What resulted from this collaboration was a 45-minute presentation entitled “Being the Change We Hope For,” a compelling and thoroughly researched overview of the inherently unsafe nature of the Keystone XL pipeline. In the course of the evening, Yiming and Sieren discussed how the installation of the pipeline and subsequent extraction of tar sands oil would adversely affect the Canadian Boreal Forest, one of the world’s largest intact ecosystems in the world. While Yiming and Sieren highlighted the regional environmental problems the pipeline would produce, the majority of their talk laid stress on the pipeline’s adverse contributions to the global environment and TransCanada’s misrepresentation of the pipeline’s economic benefits. To emphasize the severity of the situation, Sieren explained how the burning of tar sands oil would lead to rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which would in turn result in increased ocean acidification and rising sea levels. Audience members dryly noted that this was hardly a recipe for stability in these trying economic times.To wrap up their talk, Yiming and Sieren urged the roughly 30 members of the Mason community in attendance to come to the November 6^th Circle of Hope action.

With the conclusion of the talk, members stuck around to watch the film “H2Oil,” a documentary about the war waging between water and oil in the middle of Canada’s boreal forests. While many members left the screening feeling shocked and horrified about the extent of tar sands expansion in Canada, Jason Von-Kundra, a member of the Environmental Action Group’s Steering Committee stated, “While this was hard to watch, I want everyone to know that we’re going to win this fight. This documentary was released a few years ago and since then, our numbers have grown. We will continue to fight this fight, and we can do this.”

Von-Kundra had a point. When a member of the group asked how many people would be attending on Sunday, more than two-thirds of the audience raised their hands.

Mason's Green Plan Slated in Gold: $100,000 sustainability fund established

2011-08-24T19:04:00.016-04:00

Mason wasn’t kidding when it said it was committed to becoming more sustainable. Recently, university administration approved the Patriot Green Fund (PGF), an innovative student-led initiative to accelerate George Mason University’s sustainability transformation and commitment to climate neutrality via the Presidents’ Climate Commitment. The fund was established to foster an environment where Mason can flourish academically through the practice of environmental, social, and economic stewardship. Beginning in the fall of 2011, the PGF will provide $100,000 annually to finance projects that have a high value in all three of these areas of sustainability. The fund will also work to raise awareness of and support for building a culture of sustainability on campus and in our communities. The PGF will empower students by providing them with an unprecedented opportunity to lead and direct projects that will create positive change.

Lenna Storm, University Sustainability Manager, is excited about the new program, “This is an unprecedented opportunity for students to make a visible and direct impact on sustainability at Mason, and it would not have happened without the dedication of the campus’ environmentally-minded students.” Students, faculty, and staff will be able to submit applications for funding starting in fall 2011. For the Mason community that was involved in this effort to get the green fund passed, the significance of the achievement can’t be understated.

In 2008, members of the Environmental Action Group (EAG) developed a strong desire to raise additional funds to speed up Mason’s commitment to advancing sustainability and achieving climate neutrality. “In spring 2009, our group had a frank discussion, and realized that if we were really going to walk the walk, we’d have to do more than host a few campus cleanups a semester. Then we got to work, and haven’t slowed down since,” said Alexandra Tyson, a rising senior involved with the PGF campaign since her freshman year.

According to Jason Von-Kundra, who became involved with the PGF campaign in 2009, what really stirred him up about the campaign was how innovative it is. “This fund will give students the opportunity to design projects that will create positive environmental, social, and economic impacts. For example, a student could conduct an original research project, or create a program to increase composting on campus. This will enhance student research and engagement throughout campus, which in turn, will help Mason fulfill our commitment to achieve climate neutrality” said Von-Kundra, referring to Mason’s pledge to emit net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050.

Over the course of the campaign, the EAG collected 2,012 signatures from members of the student body who pledged to support the fund. The symbolism of the number isn’t lost on the group. “It’s pretty funny. A lot of people have been speculating that in 2012, the earth is supposed to undergo a new beginning. Well, we see the PGF as part of this shift; it’s a stepping stone in the path to a clean energy future,” said Anartia Gamboa, one of the PGF campaign’s coordinator.

Presently, the Office of Sustainability (OoS) and PGF Committee are working to develop the governing documents for the PGF, as well as the PGF application forms, application guidelines, and samples. The OoS is planning to promote the PGF heavily. Ce Garrison, an intern at the Office of Sustainability, is planning to hit the streets. “We believe people are more inclined to remember a face than an email. PGF projects will require working with a diverse group of people throughout Mason, and we want to show students that they’ll have a ton of support if they decide to get involved.”

For more information on the PGF, application deadlines and how to apply for funding please go to pgf.gmu.edu.

GMU Student Lauren Peery showing her support for the Patriot Green Fund. Photo Credit: Colin Bennett

Sustainability Heroes: July

2011-07-19T10:48:00.000-04:00

Jason Von Kundra, Sustainability Intern

by Alex Tyson

July 2011

For many young activists, the environmental movement is something they get involved with in their late teens. While they may have joined environmental groups in high school, the transition to becoming a full-fledged environmentalist usually doesn’t occur until college. This was not the case for Jason Von-Kundra.

Jason was born on a fall day in Fairfax, Virginia to a mother who currently teaches classes in Southwest Virginia about Permaculture, a principled design system for ecological living which strives to integrate ecologically sustainable qualities into our individual lives and communities. To say Jason was conscious of the environment at a young age would be something of an understatement. In fact, Jason credits childhood experiences for leading him to his current work. While other kids traveled outside armed with their My Little Pony or Power Rangers backpacks, Jason brought a different kind of bag: a recycling one. As Jason put it, “I was raised to recycle. Whenever we went to the mall, my mom would make us take our recycling bags. We would just carry them around.” And carry he did. No matter whether Jason was in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where he attended high school, or back in Fairfax, Jason has always been passionate about environmental protection.

When Jason arrived at Mason after transferring from Northern Virginia Community College, Jason initially thought he would major in physics After some time he considered geology. Yet, his zeal for environmental protection couldn’t be satiated. As Jason noted, “My background is looking at the science of the issue.” Jason felt that his penchant for logical reasoning would be advantageous when studying environmental science. His sharply analytical mind was noticed; Jason was elected co-chair of the Environmental Action Group (EAG) after just one semester in Fall 2009. Within his first week in the club, Jason jumped at the opportunity to help organize Virginia Powershift, a conference for students and youth that informed students about pressing environmental and social justice issues. Since then, Jason has hardly slowed down. After Powershift, Jason helped lead a sustainable food campaign on campus. As part of the campaign, Jason met with dining staff and personnel, and lobbied dining services to include more vegetarian and vegan options on campus. His efforts on behalf of the EAG have helped steer dining services to lay groundwork for the establishment a new vegetarian restaurant on campus.

In addition to his previous achievements, Jason’s biggest accomplishment has just been made public. After lobbying the administration for nearly three years, the EAG helped pass the Patriot Green Fund. The Patriot Green Fund came about after students at Mason began to develop a strong interest in raising additional funds to enable Mason to move ahead in executing projects to reduce Mason’ greenhouse gas emissions. Students proposed the Patriot Green Fund, which was to assess a small fee per student to support this desire. The administration agreed with the students that more funding was needed, and requested the creation of a pilot for the Patriot Green Fund. As of July 1, 2011, the Budget and Planning Committee will provide $100,000 per year to accelerate our ability to achieve our goals outlined in CAP. This fund will significantly expand efforts to bring Mason into the sustainable future that faculty, students and President Merten are calling for, while allowing students to play a direct and important role in deciding which projects will be funded.

To Jason, the establishment of the fund signifies coming a step closer to his vision of Mason in the future. According to Jason, “ My favorite things about Mason are the incredible community of passionate students, faculty, and staff that are working hard to create positive social change, for the environment and other issues.” To him, the PGF and the community that helped pass it are integral to helping create a sustainable Mason. Jason states, “ I want to make Mason sustainable in a way where we have a close-loop system. {By} actually using the gardens on campus. Providing the food in cafeterias. Composting it down, using the soil to fertilize plants so we can provide our needs on our own.”

As a full-time student who has consistently worked throughout college (presently at the Office of Sustainability), one might wonder how Jason manages to do so much. Jason asserts that his tireless work ethic comes from an intrinsic force within, and a particular visit to coalfields in Appalachia. When defining the moment in his life that changed his outlook most significantly, Jason quips “One of the most important moments of my life was going out to climate ground zero, the Appalachian coal fields plagued with mountaintop removal. There I made the decision that I will do whatever it takes to protect our planet and its inhabitants.” This shocking vision of environmental degradation fueled Jason’s fire. Jason states, “I’m motivated to preserve the planet for future generations. We’re taught to pick up after ourselves. But we haven’t been doing that. We’re handing a planet to the next generation that isn’t in the same condition it is now. Why I do what I do is to enable future generations to have an inhabitable, clean, safe planet to live on. Your family is the most important thing in the world. I want to have kids one day. I think they deserve the same things what I was given.”

Farmers market future in question

2011-04-29T02:22:00.000-04:00

from Broadside http://broadsideonline.com/2011/04/25/farmers-market-future-in-question-3501/

By Jeffrey Giorgi / Asst. News Editor

While the farmer’s market is not currently going to appear at Mason, there is a possibilty that it will return in the future. File photo

On Earth Day 2009, amidst blue skies, rain and even hail, the farmers market made its debut at George Mason University. Students and faculty were able to buy organic fruits, vegetables and various all-natural foods. Since then, the market has moved around campus, but now, they may be without a home for the future.

“We were only active for about a month before the students left,” said Jean Janssen, president of Smart Markets Inc. of the farmers market’s first appearance at Mason. “They put us in Lot K for the summer where we did very, very poorly. We didn’t have any way of letting the community know we were there because they wouldn’t let us put any signs up.”

For Mark Kraner, executive director of retail operations at Mason, the handling of the farmers market was a matter of logistics.

“One of the things we asked was for it to be focused toward the people on our campus. Trying to bring more bodies onto our campus that are not a part of [the Mason community] is not always the best thing to do,” Kraner said. “We weren’t trying to get the neighborhood to come in, especially since there are two farmers markets in Fairfax.”

Many of the vendors were hesitant to come back after the initial outing because of poor profits. But in fall 2009, the farmers market reappeared on the North Plaza, a spot that, while better, still had problems.

“Almost every week when we arrived, there was something set up,” Janssen said. “We weren’t plugged into the life of the university enough to know what was happening in the plaza.”

The market left Mason in October 2009 after a successful and stressful two months.

“Everyone could see the potential to do well,” Janssen said. “It was just a matter of managing it. Those two months all the vendors could see a potential profit.”

The market was supposed to reappear in spring 2010 but more issues arose and the re-opening was delayed.

“We decided not to open until last fall and then it would be a year-round market,” Janssen said.

So the market made its return, this time just outside of Southside. With a plan to remain on campus year round, things looked bright for the future of the market.

“We came to an agreement and came up with a space-use agreement for this year,” Kraner said. “[Janssen’s] request was thatthey not be located on the plaza and we worked out a space for it, and it was by Southside. It was a mutual agreement as to location. She chose the day and time which she thought would be best.”

However, what looked good on paper did not pan out, and a drop in profits ultimately caused the market to close again.

“We just didn’t get the foot traffic,” Janssen said. “On this campus you don’t have students crossing through large parts of the campus throughout the day. They park and go straight to their classes, and foot traffic was so bad that all our vendors dropped out.”

Janssen added that the process was part of the problem.

“If we were a part of the university where we worked with a committee, or a working group, we would be hearing the voices that tell us that location is a bad idea,” Janssen said.

Only speaking with one part of a community can make planning difficult and a lack of community can create problems where there might not otherwise be any if multiple factions were involved, Janssen said.

“That is why I’ve always felt we lost the opportunity to do on this campus what other markets are doing on other college campuses,” Janssen said.
On Thursday at 1 p.m. a meeting will be held to discuss the farmer’s market at Mason.

“We’re going to be looking at the market in general,” said Dan Waxman, professional and alumni development manager. “Things like a desire to have a market here on campus and if the community will want it because there is an express interest from people on campus.”

Whether the farmers market will return remains undetermined.

“Why [Janssen] hasn’t come back this spring, I’ll be honest,” Kraner said. “I have sent her a letter asking when she’s going to return and she has not replied so I can’t answer the question, because she hasn’t communicated that to me.”

The Prince William campus hosts a successful farmers market on Thursdays. Prince William focuses on attracting the surrounding communities, and Mason focuses solely on drawing its students and staff.

“When you think about it logically, it may not be the best thing for a farmers market,” Kraner said. “That’s what we think is happening, but we don’t know for a fact.”

But according to Janssen, the potential for return still remains, under the right circumstances.

“We wouldn’t try to come back in the summer unless … you actually get the Skins here,” Janssen said. “And if the traffic circle is no longer in need of construction … I don’t see why we can’t just set up for three hours a day.”

Some feel the market has provided the opportunity for students to have a healthier diet and to help the community.

“Our farmers market has provided a great addition for university life here at Mason and served as another resource for learning about the planet and the value of food,” Waxman said.

Bike to Mason Day a success

2011-04-25T15:21:00.001-04:00

from Broadside 4/25/2011 http://broadsideonline.com/2011/04/25/bike-to-mason-day-a-success-3508/

Bike to Mason Day a success

By Nathan Dorfman / Staff Writer

Mason has hosted a 5k for Victims’ Rights Week for the past 15 years. Photo by Gregory Connolly

About 100 students, faculty, staff and community members traveled via bicycle to George Mason University in celebration of Bike to Mason Day on Thursday.

Participants biked to Mason for numerous reasons.

“It’s a great stress relief,” said Nancy Bagwell of Arlington. “I’ve been on a bike since I was 6 and I’ve never stopped riding. My 68th birthday is coming up next month.”

For others, money played into their decision.

“Gas is almost $4 a gallon, but it didn’t cost me anything to get here today,” said Rick Holt, a human resources trainer at Mason and member of the Mason Bike Advocate Council. “I get my workout right there in two hours and have more energy.”

By biking, you save money and help the environment at the same time, Holt said.

“I support the campus efforts for this,” said Bethany Usher, associate director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Mason. “We biked on a multi-use path from Burke Centre.”

The Washington region hosted a Bike to Work Day for a long time, but it always fell on Mason’s commencement weekend, said Josh Cantor, director of Mason Parking and Transportation. For this reason, Mason started its own Bike to Mason Day in 2007.

The League of American Bicyclists has named Mason a bicycle-friendly university. Mason earned this status through five E’s: engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation, Holt said.

Cantor said he seeks to make biking a more accessible means of commuting to Mason, by adding bike lanes, racks and shelters around campus.

Students interested in biking can get involved with the on-campus Bike Village program, which repairs bicycles and provides bicycles at a reasonable price.
“I hardly ever bike on the road with cars,” said Bagwell, who primarily cycles on trails and sidewalks. “There are plenty of trails around here.”

Commuters can also use a multi-modal approach by biking part of the way and then taking a shuttle or the Metro.

A lot of people think they cannot bike to campus, but doing it once a week, or even once a month, is more reasonable and more impactful than people realize, Cantor said.

“It’s not an all-or-nothing proposition,” Cantor said.

The transportation office is also looking for a bike intern, Cantor said.

Faculty and staff interested in biking can join the Bicycle Commuter Benefit Program. Members of the program can earn two free parking passes from the transportation office and a $20 voucher for use at local bike shops.

The Bicycle Commuter Benefit Program may be available to students in the future.

“Biking is a continual effort and part of a larger transportation program,” Cantor said.

The transportation program at Mason, which also incorporates shuttles, carpooling and walking, discourages driving alone.
“We’re always open to feedback,” Cantor said.

For more information, you can visit transportation.gmu.edu

Mason Groups Work Together to Promote Sustainable Food: Multiple Events On The Table

2010-11-18T00:06:00.000-05:00

By Nya Jackson

While most students are excited about sharing a Thanksgiving meal with their family or friends, Mason’s agriART class and the Environmental Action Group (EAG) are more concerned with educating students about how that home cooked meal is sourced. The EAG is co-hosting a Vegan Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner this Thursday, November 18th with Mason’s Animal Rights Collective. The dinner will be in the Potomac Heights Kitchen and Dining Area from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. The agriART class is hosting Screens and Greens, a film and local food festival, Friday November 19th in the School of Art Building, Room 1007 from 4:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

The EAG will be enjoying an environmentally friendly Thanksgiving dinner free of any animal products. Jason Von Kundra, co-chair of the EAG, “encourages non-vegans to come and taste how delicious vegan food is”. The EAG will be collecting donations for Farm Sanctuary who “works to protect farm animals from cruelty, inspire change in the way society views and treats farm animals, and promote compassionate vegan living.” For every $30 donated, Farm Sanctuary is able to rescue and rehabilitate one turkey. While event attendees are encouraged to donate, it is not required.

The EAG’s Facebook event page for the Vegan Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner encourages students to “find out why vegan food is better for the environment” and provides a link to the Vegan Outreach website. According to David Brubaker, PhD, at the Center for a Livable Future at Johns Hopkins University, “the way that we breed animals for food is a threat to the planet. It pollutes our environment while consuming huge amounts of water, grain, petroleum, pesticides and drugs. The results are disastrous.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates in Notes from Underground that “a single dairy cow produces about 120 pounds of wet manure per day, which is equivalent to the waste produced by 20–40 people.”

To learn more about the environmental impact of consuming meat visit the Vegan Outreach website; to taste home-cooked vegan food stop by the EAG’s Vegan Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner.

The agriArt class at Mason, which explores the connection between art and agriculture, will be showing two movies during their film and local food festival on Friday. The first movie is Food Inc, an Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary Feature examining the American food industry that is largely hidden from consumers. The second film featured is Dirt! which examines the relationship between humans and ‘living dirt’. Shanna Carvell, an agriART student, stated the goal of the event is to, “inform participants of American food culture and world ecology involving food.” Part of the event is a project for the agriART class where they are providing all local food for a family style pot-luck. While most advocates of local food define local as within a 200 mile radius, the agriARTclass stipulates that ingredients for the dinner must come within a 100 mile radius from campus.

To aid students in finding local ingredients for their dishes the agriART class has “contacted local farms in the area for produce, dairy and meat and are in the process of making orders”. They are also mapping where the ingredients in all of the dishes came from for participants in the film festival to show students that it is possible to eat local and still enjoy some of their favorite foods. The first feature, Food Inc., will begin at 4:00 p.m. The family style dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the First Floor Lobby. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own utensils and plates to cut down on waste. The second feature, Dirt! will begin at 7pm.

The event is being sponsored by the agriART class, the GMU Organic Garden Association, Mason’s Sustainability Office, and SOA Green. For more information please contact Shanna Carvell at scarvell@gmu.edu.

Mason Campus Garden Consortium

2010-11-06T20:32:00.003-04:00

Last Thursday members from the three organic gardens on campus, the Mason Organic Garden, SoA Green Garden, and the Child Development Center Garden, met to discuss pooling their resources to strengthen sustainable gardening efforts on campus. The meeting was organized by the Office of Sustainability Project Specialist, Danielle Wyman, who also manages the Mason Organic Garden behind Potomac Heights Student Apartments. Attendees included Sustainability Coordinator Lenna Storm, AgriArt Professor Mark Cooley, Auxiliary Enterprises Project Manager Daniel Waxman, Child Development Center (CDC) Director Tina Morris, CDC Lead Teacher and Garden Operations Manager Dorothea Tyree, Mason Organic Garden members Amanda Wall, Cassondra Coleman, and Nya Jackson, and SoA Green Garden members Justin Raphael Roykovich, Vina Sananikone, and Liz Edwards.

One of the common concerns discussed among the three gardens was summer maintenance. Wyman noted that the Mason Organic Garden struggled with finding enough volunteers to manage the garden over the summer and had to hire former Mason Organic Garden member, Yuka Taylor, to assist with daily maintenance. The SoA Green garden expressed similar concerns. “I was here last summer and managed the garden but all of the SoA Green leadership will be graduating making volunteer recruitment or sharing important” said Roykovich.

Lenna Storm, the Campus Sustainability Coordinator suggested “maintenance free summer planting”. If we can incorporate permaculture principles into the gardens it will minimize the daily maintenance and we won’t need as much volunteer labor which is difficult to find during the summer. Cooley agreed it was important to get more students involved in the gardens but believes there are shortcomings with the organizations created to manage the gardens.

Eventually the leaders of these groups graduate and there’s no guarantee that we’ll be able to recruit more members. “We need to work the gardens into the curriculum” stated Cooley. Cooley also suggested following the community garden structure where members of the Mason community pay for plots during the summer and are responsible for maintaining the plots and entitled to the produce harvested. Wyman supported this idea saying a few Resident Advisors (RA’s) had expressed interest in garden plots. While no decision was made regarding summer garden maintenance the discussion did get the group thinking ahead about summer plans.

The group also discussed sharing funding among the three gardens. In April the Mason Organic Garden received a $5,000 grant from Transurban-Fluor which expired November 1st. Wyman expressed the difficulty she expressed with spending the grant. “It’s hard when you’re used to operating with no money and then you have $5,000 to spend. $5,000 is a lot for one garden.” said Wyman. SoA Green was more than happy to help with spending money. “We don’t have any money. We can definitely use some” said Sananikone. The CDC is also interested in sharing grant money depending on the stipulations from the grant making organization.

Lastly the group discussed the name of the Mason Organic Garden. Waxman noted that since all three gardens don’t use pesticides or other chemicals they’re all organic and suggested the Mason Organic Garden change its name to the Potomac Heights Garden. Mason Organic Garden manager, Danielle Wyman and member Nya Jackson agreed. Jackson told Waxman she would get back to him with a final decision after she spoke to fellow garden members and got their approval.

The Mason Campus Garden Consortium ,which encompasses the three gardens present at the meeting, have agreed to meet again in late February to begin planning for the 2011 growing season. The Mason Organic Garden will organize the meeting. In addition to the Mason Campus Garden Consortium, there are other efforts on campus to collaborate and combine efforts. This Monday the Office of Sustainability is hosting a Sustainability Lunch and Learn to bring Mason students, faculty, and staff together to discuss how to promote sustainability at Mason. If successful the Office of Sustainability is looking to make it a weekly occurrence. The Sustainability Lunch and Learn will take place in the Paul Robeson Room in the Johnson Center from 12pm-1pm. For more information please contact the Office of Sustainability Outreach Coordinator, Colin Bennett, at cbennet6@gmu.edu.

For more information about the Mason Campus Garden Consortium please contact Sustainability Projects Specialist, Danielle Wyman, at dwyman@gmu.edu.

Images From Mountain Justice Fall Summit

2010-10-27T12:14:00.002-04:00

All photos by Colin Bennett. To see the piece that accompanies these images, please click here.

Mountaintop removal from a distance


Surveying a mountaintop removal site on Kayford Mountain

Marching through the woods

Entering the MTR site

John Johnson at the rally

Planting trees

Quit coal

Planting trees

Walking onto MTR site

From left: Ken Hechler, Mike Roselle, Jesse Johnson, Larry Gibson

EAG Continues Fight Against Mountaintop Removal- Two Students Risk Arrest in West Virginia

2010-10-27T11:44:00.003-04:00

This past weekend seven people from Mason traveled to Kayford Mountain in southern West Virginia to attend the annual Mountain Justice Fall Summit. Mountain Justice Fall Summit is an anti-mountaintop removal event designed, according to its description, to give participants the chance to, “Stand up for the mountains and future of Appalachia.” This was the third consecutive year that Mason students attended the event. Two people from the Mason group, Allison Rutledge and Robbie Krieger, were among several dozen individuals that risked arrest by participating in direct action. Specifically, they trespassed on a mountaintop removal site to plant trees as a form of symbolic protest.

The three day event featured educational components including workshops, panel discussions, movie showings, and site tours of an active mountaintop removal site. It also included camping and live bluegrass music. “The festive air of music, campfire, and the really friendly people reminded me of the church mission trips I took every summer in high school,” said Mason student Krieger, “you always walk away fulfilled.” The week’s activities culminated with a rally and more direct action activities.

Speakers at the rally included Larry Gibson, a well-known, long-time mountaintop removal opponent; Mike Roselle, co-founder of Earth First!; Jesse Johnson, Mountain Party candidate for U.S. Senate in West Virginia; and Ken Hechler, former secretary of state and Congressperson from West Virginia. Many people in attendance cheered loudly when Hechler, a longtime opponent of mountaintop removal, proudly proclaimed, “I may be 96 but there’s a fire in my belly. I’m here to help save these beautiful mountains of West Virginia and put people back to work doing useful things.”

Ce Garrison, one of the Mason students who traveled to West Virginia, said, “I attended the event because I wanted to know what the people of West Virginia are going through. I wanted a chance to see firsthand what I had been fighting against for the past year.” She saw MTR sites before this one, but she was particularly moved by a panel discussion featuring coalfield residents, “The people were so open and honest about their situations, and it was heartbreaking. I cannot imagine having to get permission [from a coal company] to visit my loved one's grave sites.”

Now that the summit’s over, Garrison proclaimed she is more motivated than ever to end MTR and help the coal field residents. “Larry Gibson and the others were such an inspiration to me and I want to help them find a place in the world where their homes are safe from destruction and their bodies safe from poison. I want to find an alternative for people in West Virginia to work that won't have them choosing between their families and their jobs.”

Krieger feels as though he now has an idea of what the people in Appalachia are dealing with. He grew up in a log cabin where as a child he played with his friends. When he was 15 the area, “was ransacked in favor of multi-million dollar McMansions.” He feels that after this experience he knows, “what it’s like to lose precious property.” Partly as a result of that he was one of the approximately 35 people to risk arrest by planting trees on the site. “At first I was nervous about the action's uncertainty, but after talking with like-minded people I felt I should go out and fight the good fight with my comrades.”

Emily Miles, another Mason student, said her favorite part of the event was, “seeing my friends bravely walking onto the reclamation site and being there to support them.” She feels the event was a symbolic action, “in which [we] are taking back the mountains and doing the job that the big coal companies are legally required to do, restore the ecosystems of the mountains, but don't.” She concluded, “I thought the action was a great way to involve a large group of people that want to abolish mountaintop removal.”

In addition to planting trees, several attendees unfurled a banner at the site stating, “Reclamation FAIL,” in reference to what opponents of mountaintop removal say is a refusal of coal companies to put sufficient effort into attempting to repair the ecosystems that they have destroyed. Although security for the coal company arrived on scene and called the police, ultimately no arrests were made. Now that it’s over Krieger says, “though it was a long few days, West Virginia residents and their families are going to continue to be threatened by these hungry firms every single day. Now I just want to keep the fire burning and keep the message alive.”

To see more pictures from the event, click here.

Protesters trespassing on coal company property to plant trees.

Editor’s Note: This trip was part of Mason students’ active campaign to help abolish mountaintop removal. Their previous actions include raising awareness about the issue on campus, testifying at a recent EPA hearing on coal-ash disposal, lobbying at the state capital in Richmond, attending Appalachia Rising in Washington D.C., and participating in civil disobedience at the White House and at the EPA Headquarters. On Monday, the EAG cosponsored an event featuring, Tricia Shapiro, the author of the just-published book "Mountain Justice: Homegrown Resistance to Mountaintop Removal, For the Future of Us All" to continue to bring attention to the issue. More events and activities will be taking place throughout the end of the semester and into next year; announcements will be made as they become available. Stay tuned for a video companion piece to this which will posted soon.

Mountain Justice Comes to Mason

2010-10-21T23:08:00.005-04:00

Next Monday, October 25th, the GMU Environmental Action Group (EAG) and Mason’s Office of Sustainability will be hosting Tricia Shapiro, author of the just-published book "Mountain Justice: Homegrown Resistance to Mountaintop Removal, For the Future of Us All" at Mason. Tricia Shapiro has been covering anti-mountaintop removal activism as an “embedded freelance writer” since 2004. Her discussion will be in Meeting Room B of the Johnson Center at 7:30 p.m.

This event, which is sponsored by Campus Progress, is part of Mason students’ active campaign to help abolish mountaintop removal. Their actions previous include raising awareness about the issue on campus, testifying at a recent EPA hearing on coal-ash disposal, lobbying at the state capital in Richmond, attending Appalachia Rising in Washington D.C., and participating in civil disobedience at the White House and at the EPA Headquarters. This weekend the EAG will be attending the 2010 Mountain Justice Fall Summit on Kayford Mountain in West Virginia which, according to event planners “will build on the momentum of Appalachia Rising”.

Jason Von Kundra, co-chair of Mason's Environmental Action Group hopes this event will lead to more than increased awareness, "helping to end mountaintop removal has been one of our priorities for a long time and we are gaining momentum. I'm hoping that people come to this event get inspired to take action. As students, we have tremendous potential to make change," he concluded, "as more people at Mason learn about the issue, they inevitably feel compelled to do something about it."

Don Vanstory, a senior at Mason, has attended previous EAG events focused on mountaintop removal including the film screening of Coal Country. Don believes mountaintop removal is an example of “corporate elite’s greed triumphing the concerns of Appalachian residents”. Don admits he doesn’t know a lot about the topic but hopes the Tricia Shapiro event will teach him more about the issue.

Ms. Shapiro will be leading a free discussion on mountaintop removal, which is open to the public, describing the experiences of Appalachian residents living in communities effected by mountaintop removal, and recent efforts to end the devastating form of strip-mining including Appalachian Rising and Mountain Justice Fall Summit. She will also discuss her experiences with the Mountain Justice and Climate Ground Zero organizations while writing the book.

While Ms. Shapiro has been active in the fight to abolish mountaintop removal, her new book focuses on the accounts of other participants rather than her own experiences. According to Steve Fisher, editor of Fighting Back in Appalachia: Traditions of Resistance and Change, “Shapiro allows the participants in this battle to speak for themselves about their motivations, hopes, and fears. And it is from these voices that we come to understand that their fight is our fight too.”

Colin Bennett, Mason's Sustainability Outreach Coordinator is thrilled that Ms. Shapiro will be speaking at Mason, "mountaintop removal is an issue of growing concern among the Mason community, especially Mason students. Everyday more people are realizing exactly where much of our electricity comes from- coal obtained by blowing up mountains which destroys communities throughout Appalachia, including right here in Virginia. Having Ms. Shapiro at Mason, a person so obviously knowledgeable about mountaintop removal, will certainly raise awareness about the issue.”

The book, Mountain Justice, is available from Amazon....

Is Mason America's Most Vegan-Friendly School? Not According to PETA.

2010-10-20T22:44:00.003-04:00

Perhaps you missed it (most people did) but Mason was recently competing in PETA2’s Most Vegan Friendly College competition. The contest’s blink-and-you-missed-it first round ended yesterday and Mason was knocked out by our perennial rivals: UMD. The news here isn’t that we lost, it’s that we were even competing at all. Ask any vegan at Mason how they feel about their food choices on campus and you’ll most likely get a barrage of complaints against Sodexo and Mason Dining and the lack of vegan options at Mason.

The contest, which started in 2006, works like this: schools are put into one of three categories- small colleges, large colleges, or colleges in Canada. In both the small and large college categories, 32 schools are divided into eastern and western divisions and pitted against each other in pairs. Each school is supposed to get its fans to go the website and vote for it. Mason was put into the large college category in the eastern division, head-to-head with UMD. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Terps won. In some of the other match-ups, NYU beat Cornell, BU bested UConn, and the University of Florida topped VCU. UMD now faces off against Towson in round two.

Luckily, Mason’s populace hasn’t been hoodwinked into showing school pride where it doesn’t deserve it. The profile of GMU on PETA2’s website claims, “Prospective students wanting to be within a stone's throw of the U.S. capital and within arm's reach of delicious vegan food—look no further. Within the past year, GMU has really kicked its vegan offerings into high gear, in direct response to negotiations and discussions with students.” It even goes so far as to say, “it's easy to see why GMU has been called the number one up-and-coming university in the U.S.!” To many vegans, this seems like a slap in the face. According to oft-quoted co-chair of Mason’s Environmental Action Group Jason Von Kundra, “There are no good vegan options on campus and there is hardly any ingredient transparency at most dining locations. I, along with several other vegans at GMU, get all of our food outside of campus because it's so bad.”

While it would be nice to to actually be a vegan-friendly school, Mason still has a long way to. To have received recognition this year, even by simply making it out of the first round, would have been a step in the wrong direction as it would have allowed Sodexo to pat itself on the back for the few paltry measures they have implemented. Hopefully by next year, with the help of the Environmental Action Group and other concerned students, Mason will have something to be proud of in terms of its dining options. The EAG is currently pushing Sodexo and Mason Dining to adopt sustainable food practices, including offering more vegan and vegetarian options. The EAG is even demanding an all vegan/vegetarian eating establishment on the Fairfax campus. That would go a long way toward giving Mason something to be proud of.

Editors Note: When asked for the specific results of the competition, a representative from PETA2 refused to provide numbers beyond saying that last year, “more than 20,000 votes were cast in the competition.” It remains unclear as to how many people actually voted or how many votes Mason received.

More Sustainable Foods at Mason

2010-10-18T18:28:00.005-04:00

Last Thursday the Environmental Action Group’s Sustainable Foods Working Group met with Mason Dining Services senior administration to discuss the use of more local, sustainable foods in Mason dining facilities. The group met with Sodexo Resident District Manager Denise Ammaccapane, Executive Campus Chef Peter Schoebel, and Mason Dining’s Dietian Lois Durant. The student lead group consisted of Environmental Action Group members Darius Salimi and Jason Von Kundra, GMU Organic Garden Association member Nya Jackson, and Sustainability Projects Specialist Danielle Wyman. The delegation claimed to be representing over three hundred and fifty members of the Environmental Action Group.

The largest concern of the student lead delegation was the lack of local, organic produce in Mason’s dining services. Executive Campus Chef Peter Schoebel responded to student concerns by stating that he does use local produce, when available, but “we [the students] just don’t know it”. Keany Produce Company, Mason’s produce provider, provides local fruits and vegetables by default when they are available. Due to Schoebel’s time limitations he stated that “I don’t have the time to go through the produce order list and create labels for which food is local”. The Sustainable Food Working Group will be working with two service learners, appointed to work with Dining Services, to assist with creating local food labels to be prominently displayed at Mason Dining facilities to make the Mason community aware of which foods and ingredients are being sourced locally. Denise Ammaccapane, Sodexo Resident District Manager, has also volunteered her marketing student interns, to help with designing labels for locally sourced produce.

Signs for locally sourced produce wasn’t the only labeling issue discussed at the meeting. Environmental Action Group Co-chair, Jason Von Kundra, who is a vegan, expressed his discontent with the prominent labeling of vegan dishes at Southside. Currently, there is a binder with the list of ingredients that are present in dishes but Von Kundra doesn’t think this current system of labeling is convenient. “The list of ingredients should be directly in front of the dishes they correspond to not over in a corner somewhere” said Von Kundra. The Sustainable Foods Working Group also wasn’t satisfied with the current symbols used to identify gluten free dishes, and dishes containing soy, dairy, peanuts, and other ingredients students might possibly be allergic to. The student group will be working with Mason Dining’s Dietian Lois Durant, who is directly employed by Sodexo, to improve the allergy symbols used. Schoebel also claims to be working with Mason’s IT department to fix the labeling glitches.

The conversion of George’s to a vegetarian restaurant was also discussed during the meeting. Ammacaccapane said converting George’s to a vegetarian restaurant had been discussed in the past but there wasn’t enough support for the restaurant. Salimi expressed the need for a vegetarian restaurant on campus. “It’s crazy that I pay $9 to get into Southside to eat without a meal plan and only have one or two vegetarian options available to me. I want the same number of food options as non vegetarians” said Salimi. Ammacaccapane, Schobel, and Durant seemed open to the idea but asked for more information from the student group including where they would like to have a vegetarian restaurant on campus, what the menu and staffing would look like, and what students are willing to pay for a meal. Schoebel volunteered to do a cost analysis of a vegetarian restaurant to see if it is feasible.

Lastly the group discussed the use of garden produce in Southside. Last month the Organic Garden Association donated over 10 pounds of basil to Southside for them to use for their menu that day. The basil wasn’t used in the menu that day. Schobel stated that if the produce from the garden is to be used in Southside he needs advance notice of produce available from the garden that he can use in the next week or two. He also suggested that the Organic Garden Association consider using the garden produce in other dining facilities that have more flexibility in their menus since they are dealing with a lesser volume of customers.

The group will be meeting again in two weeks to discuss their progress and further areas where they can work together. Some members of the Sustainable Foods Working Group seemed optimistic after their meeting. Danielle Wyman, Office of Sustainability Projects Specialist, expressed her excitement after the meeting. “I feel very excited and encouraged that Sodexo seems ready to really move forward with what we all are asking for!” Others have chosen to wait until after some results have been seen to call the meeting a success. Von Kundra of the EAG had this to add. “At the 2010 Longwood Sustainability Conference I was impressed with all the sustainable initiatives Aramark, one of Sodexo’s biggest competitors, is doing at Longwood University. I was even more impressed when I learned that Longwood does not have any environmental group. At GMU, our environmental group has presented the issue and the ball is the hands of Mason Dining and Sodexo to make changes here on campus. I can’t consider [the meeting] a success until we see some changes made.”

If you are interested in learning more about the Sustainable Foods Campaign please contact the Environmental Action Group at gmueag@gmail.com

Exciting Gardening Events This Weekend

2010-10-13T19:06:00.004-04:00

By Nya Jackson, Senior Staff Writer

This weekend GMU’s Organic Garden Association (GOGA) will be celebrating the season with two exciting garden-themed events. On Saturday October 16th the group will be hosting a permaculture workshop from 10am-4pm in Research Building 1, Room 161. On Sunday October 17th from 4:30pm-8pm they will be hosting their first-ever Fall Harvest Festival in the Art and Design Building.

In an effort to teach the Mason community about sustainable agriculture GOGA is offering a permaculture workshop lead by expert Cassa Von Kundra. Permaculture is an approach to gardening that designs agriculture systems that minimize work, turns “wastes” into resources, increases productivity and yields, and restores natural environments.

Danielle Wyman, Sustainability Projects Specialist in Mason’s Office of Sustainability expressed her excitement about the upcoming workshop. “I am really looking forward to Mason's first-ever permaculture workshop! This will truly give Mason's community a full-circle understanding of the pillars and practical applications of sustainable agriculture." The workshop will include a discussion about sustainable agriculture lead by Von Kundra and a hands-on component to give participants a chance to get their hands dirty. If you are interested in attending this free event please register at http://tinyurl.com/gmu-permaculture-workshop. Lunch will be provided to event attendees.

To celebrate its fall harvest the Organic Garden Association will host its first ever Fall Harvest Festival on Sunday. The festival will feature dishes prepared by Mason’s own Café-GMU made from fresh produce from the garden. There will also be live music and a garden tour at 5pm. The extra food harvested from the garden this fall will be donated to Food for Others.

Amanda Wall, GOGA President, is excited about having this informal partnership with Food for Others.“ The garden crew and Food for Others both have similar missions of providing our community with nutritional food during their time of need. The garden crew is excited to be able to donate fresh food to go with the other food given to clients”. In addition to the food the Organic Garden Association is donating from their fall harvest they are asking those who attend the event to bring a can of food to donate to Food for Others. A representative from Food for Others will be at the event to collect the donations. If you are interested in attending this event the Organic Garden Association is asking everyone to register at http://tinyurl.com/gmu-harvest-fest.

Mason to Visit Appalachia

2010-10-05T23:52:00.007-04:00

This weekend people from Mason will be joining other folks from the Capitol region on a trip to central Appalachia. Specifically they will be traveling to Kayford, West Virginia, in the heart of the Appalachian coalfields. The purpose of the trip is twofold: to learn about and see the devastation caused by mountaintop removal firsthand and to celebrate Appalachian culture that is under siege from it.

The plan is to travel west on Friday afternoon, stopping at the Little Grill Collective in Harrisonburg for dinner. From there, the group will head into West Virginia and camp on Friday night. Saturday morning they will tour mountaintop removal sites and hear stories from coalfield residents that have been directly impacted by it. Saturday afternoon and evening will be spent at the Changing of the Leaves Festival on Kayford Mountain. The event, hosted by well-known anti-mountaintop removal crusader Larry Gibson, promises live music, a potluck dinner, and new friendships.

According to the website for Keepers of the Mountains Foundation Larry’s family has been living on Kayford mountain since the 1700's. Coal companies began stripping the mountain in 1986 and Larry has been fighting for his land ever since. Mason’s Environmental Action Group has been active in the struggle against mountaintop removal, educating the Mason community about the

On Sunday morning the group will head back to suburbia but not before stopping at Virginia Safari Park for some fun with animals.

All-in-all, the weekend promises to be a great time for all that attend. Although this is not an official Mason trip, anyone interested in attending is encouraged to send an email to gmueag@gmail.com for more information or check out the Facebook event: Awesome Appalachia Weekend. For people that would like to learn more about mountaintop removal and how to join the fight against it but already have plans for this weekend, there is another, similar event on October 22nd through 24th also on Kayford Mountain: Mountain Justice Fall Summit. Mason will definitely have a presence at this event as well so be on the lookout for more information which will be coming soon.

See a video of Larry Gibson from the recent Voices of the Mountains conference (which was part of Appalachia Rising):

Obama Does the Right Thing: Solar Power to Return to White House

2010-10-05T10:07:00.003-04:00

EaEarly Tuesday morning news broke that solar power will be returning to the White House. According to the AP, the panels will provide both hot water and electricity for the most famous residence in the country. This is good news for environmentalists and clean energy advocates that have been pushing Obama to reinstall the solar panels that were put on the White House by Jimmy Carter and subsequently taken down by Reagan.

Last month, organizers led by environmental author and activist Bill McKibben (who spoke at this year’s Fall for the Book) brought one of the original panels that graced the White House roof some 30 years ago to Washington with the request that Obama led the way in creating a clean energy economy by reinstalling the panel. At the time, officials from the White House denied the request.

This news comes on the heels of an announcement made last week by the White House that, “a company called BrightSource plans to break ground this month on a new, revolutionary type of solar power plant [in California]. This will put about 1,000 people to work building the facility. And once completed, it will power up to 140,000 homes, making it the largest such plant in the world.” Obama takes credit for this step toward creating a clean energy economy claiming that his administration’s clean energy incentives made this project possible.

The AP reports that “the plans will be formally announced later Tuesday by White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairwoman Nancy Sutley and Energy Secretary Steven Chu."

See a video of the announcement: See"
See
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Mountaintop removal: Students rally to help Appalachia

2010-10-04T18:35:00.008-04:00

By Holly Smucker

The piece originally appeared in Broadside, George Mason University's student newspaper, on Monday, October 4, 2010.

On Monday, September 27th more than 2,000 people from all over the nation gathered in Washington, DC to protest mountaintop removal in a movement called Appalachia Rising. Preceding Monday’s events there was a two-day conference held at Georgetown University consisting of workshops, speakers, and live music preparing participants for the day of action. Several Mason students from the Environmental Action Group attended the conference and march. Three students, Emily Miles, Jason Von Kundra, and myself, along with more than 100 other people got arrested while trying to bring attention to the issue.

Occurring specifically in the Appalachian Mountains, mountaintop removal (MTR) is an extremely destructive form of strip mining where coal companies clear-cut the forests on mountaintops then blow them up with explosives to get to the coal that lies underneath. The solid debris from this is then dumped into the valleys burying the forest and streams. The liquid waste from coal washing is stored in slurry impoundments which contain heavy metals that are toxic to human health. These impoundments have frequently leaked into the streams and into ground water, harming and depleting the indigenous species. Since many of the residents of Appalachia depend on wells for their drinking water, families throughout the region can’t drink the water from their taps. Many people have died, or have been become extremely ill from the combination of polluted water and coal ash disposal.

Several different workshops were offered at the conference over the weekend, including sessions on coal ash, climate change, post-mined land use, and mono-economies. Unable to attend them all, I chose to attend sessions on natural gas hydrofracking, direct action, and non-violence trainings. In the hydrofracking session we discussed what it is, how it’s done, and the effects it has on the environment. Hydraulic fracturing is a process of fracturing rock in order to release the natural gas within the shale formation. While not directly related to MTR, natural gas hydrofracking is still an environmental crisis because it too contaminates ground water. In the other two sessions we debated on what the best form of direct action is and were shown how to act when encountering the police during Monday’s protest.

At the protest I was joined by a vast array of people coming from all over the US and even Canada. Many residents from the Appalachian Mountains spoke to us about their first-hand experiences with MTR and lead the march to the White House. Starting at Freedom Plaza, we marched through the streets of DC to the Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters where we demanded they “do their job” by enforcing the Clean Water Act. Next we stopped and chanted outside PNC Bank because they fund MTR projects. The march ended at Lafayette Park where several Appalachian residents spoke a few last encouraging words before those who chose to risk arrest headed toward the White House.

My friends, Lianne Roe and Allison Rutledge, who are also Mason students that participated in Appalachia Rising, were there supporting me at the White House on the other side of the police tape. Deeply concerned about MTR, Lianne told me, “I was willing to participate for three entire days and in the rain because I love the mountains. My family is from the region and we're at risk health-wise due to valley fills and sub-standard coal ash disposal practices. It simply isn't right that the most bio-diverse, beautiful, and environmentally essential places in our country are being destroyed.” Allison, also very passionate about the issue, asserts “There are people out there who don't have clean drinking water because of it [MTR]. More than 500 mountains have already been obliterated and over 2,000 miles of streams have been buried forever. This has to be stopped and it’s why I to continue the fight.”

Helping to end mountaintop removal is one of the Environmental Action Group’s priorities this year. They will be taking several trips to Appalachia in October to see the devastation caused by MTR first-hand. To learn more or to get involved, send an email to gmueag@gmail.com or visit www.gmu.edu/org/environment

Over 100 people got arrested at the White House for protesting against mountaintop removal.

Photo copyright Lauren Peery

Mason Students Risk Freedom to End Mountaintop Removal

2010-09-28T21:57:00.009-04:00

For the past three days members of Mason’s Environmental Action Group attended Appalachia Rising, an event designed to galvanize people in the fight against mountaintop removal. According to the event’s organizers it was “an unprecedented gathering of Appalachian people and their allies in the movement to abolish all forms of surface mining”. The weekend featured workshops, speakers, and live music all focused on ending the environmental and human health catastrophe that is mountaintop removal coal mining

The event culminated on Monday with a rally, march around downtown D.C., and a protest at the White House with more than 2000 people, including a contingent from the EAG. In order to bring attention to the issue, over 100 people intentionally got arrested for non-violent, civil disobedience, including three Mason students.

Holly Smucker, a first-year music education major was one of those that got arrested. According to Smucker, “Mountaintop Removal is an awful practice that is not only destroying the mountains, but polluting the water and killing the citizens of Appalachia. Our message yesterday to the EPA and to Obama needed to be voiced loud and clear: we weren’t going to move until they abolished mountaintop removal. In fact, if they hadn’t arrested us we might have still been out there square dancing and chanting.”

Allison Rutledge attended all three days of Appalachia Rising but did not get arrested on Monday. That said, she is equally passionate about the issue, “Mountaintop removal is an extremely destructive and devastating practice. It not only destroys mountains but entire communities as well. There are people out there who don't have clean drinking water because of it. More than 500 mountains have already been obliterated and over 2000 miles of streams have been buried forever. This has to be stopped and it’s why I to continue the fight.”

See photos from the protest below.

Check out more coverage of the rally and protest:

NPR

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130173751

CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/27/white.house.protest/index.html

Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/27/AR2010092702615.html

WYMT Television

http://www.wkyt.com/wymtnews/headlines/103889689.html

Learn more about mountaintop removal and what you can do to help:

http://www.ilovemountains.org/

Join the EAG in their efforts to end mountaintop removal and other environmental initiatives:

http://www.gmu.edu/org/environment/

All photos copyright Lauren Peery.

Holly Smucker

Jason Von Kundra

Appalachia Rising: A Movement to Abolish Mountaintop Removal

2010-09-22T13:07:00.000-04:00

This piece appeared in the September 20th issue of Broadside in the GMU Environmental Action Group's weekly column, the Mason Ecosphere.

From September 25th through the 27th members of the Environmental Action Group (EAG) will be participating in Appalachia Rising, a mass mobilization in Washington D.C. to end mountaintop removal (MTR), a devastating form of coal production. Unlike traditional mining that extracts coal from underground, mountaintop removal does exactly what its na

me implies- the tops of mountains are blown off in order to reach the seams of coal underneath. The resulting debris is then pushed into the adjacent valleys, completely burying the streams and rivers located there. The result are enormous areas throughout Appalachia that are almost completely devoid of life. Not only is mountaintop removal an environmental catastrophe, it's also a violation of human rights because it destroys the homelands of coalfield residents and damages their health and lifespans through toxic substances that contaminate their air and water. To date more than 500 mountains in Appalachia have been destroyed, over 2000 miles of streams and rivers have been buried, and an estimated area in excess of 1 million acres has been lies in ruin. The goal of Appalachia Rising is to demand a permanent end to mountaintop removal and a just transition to a clean energy economy in Appalachia.

Mountaintop Removal Site near Appalachia, Virginia. Five EAG members visited this site in Spring 2010. Photo by Christi Kruse

Appalachia Rising will consist of two major parts. The first part will focus on providing participants with the skills they need to be effective allies in the fight against MTR. On Saturday, informational workshops will be offered on mountaintop removal and other issues related to coal. Topics include coal ash disposal, stopping new coal-fired power plants, coal and climate change, and the human health impacts of mountaintop removal. On Sunday, skills-based workshops will focus on training participants on how to organize to end MTR. For both of these days events will take place at George Washington University starting at 9:00 a.m. The second part of Appalachia Rising will focus on mass mobilization to end mountaintop removal. The plan is to pressure government leaders to eradicate this violation of human rights by holding a rally at Freedom Plaza and then marching to the White House to bring the issue to the attention of President Obama.

Thousands of concerned people are expected to be participating in these events, and we would like for Mason students to join us. You can register to be a part of Appalachia Rising at http://appalachiarising.org/. If you are interested in joining a large group of Mason students that will be participating in Appalachia Rising, please email the Environmental Action Group at gmueag@gmail.com. We hope that you will join us in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet thousands of other environmental and human rights organizers while contributing to the end of one of the most environmentally destructive practices in the the history of this country. We can bring an end to mountaintop removal but we need your help- please join us.

An Exciting Semester with the EAG

2010-09-08T00:06:00.000-04:00

This piece appeared in the September 7th issue of Broadside in the GMU Environmental Action Group's weekly column, the Mason Ecosphere.

Mason Ecosphere
Jason Von Kundra

From everyone here in the GMU Environmental Action Group (EAG), we welcome you to campus. The EAG is honored to continue writing our weekly column, the Mason Ecosphere in Broadside this semester.

In addition to having more of our usual hikes, movie nights, and famous dance parties, this fall the EAG is running three big campaigns: ending mountaintop removal coal mining, advocating for more sustainable foods on campus, and passing the Patriot Green Fund.

The EAG has worked on ending mountaintop removal for the past two years and will continue to work on the issue until this social and environmental devastation stops. Mountaintop removal is a form of surface mining where coal companies clear-cut forests on mountains, blow up the mountaintops with explosives, and dump the waste containing heavy metals in valleys and streams. This practice is destroying mountains, watersheds, and communities throughout Appalachia. The EAG is organizing a screening of the documentary film Coal Country and a panel of experts on mountaintop removal. Then the EAG will be taking action with thousands of other concerned citizens involved in the struggle by participating in Appalachia Rising, a mass mobilization in the District of Colombia on September 25th through the 27th where people will call for an end to this destructive practice.

Sustainable foods is also an important issue which connects to every student that eats on campus. The EAG is starting a new campaign this semester in which students will advocate for more local, organic, vegetarian, and vegan food options. We are also looking at the entire environmental impact of our dining service including packaging, shipping, and the disposal of food.

Finally, the EAG is campaigning to pass policy through the administration that will provide funding for a green endowment, sustainable capital improvements, and research funding for student projects related to sustainability. The Patriot Green Fund, a proposal currently being considered by the university is expected to be presented to the Board of Visitors in the spring. If passed, students will soon see solar panels and wind turbines on campus that will help Mason to reach its goal of climate neutrality. President Alan Merten committed George Mason to climate neutrality by signing the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007.

To join the EAG or get more information, check out our website at gmu.edu/org/environment and make sure to join the Facebook group. We meet every Wednesday at 7:30pm in the Johnson Center Meeting Room A.

EPA Holds First Public Hearing on Coal Ash Proposal

2010-08-31T06:33:00.000-04:00

On Monday, August 30th, the Environmental Protection Agency held its first public hearing on a proposal to address risks of unsafe coal ash disposal. The EPA is proposing an unprecedented national rule to ensure the safe disposal and management of coal ash from coal-fired power plants. Students from George Mason, Virginia Tech, and University of Maryland joined hundreds of other citizens at the hearing in Arlington, VA to deliver statements in support of strict regulation of this hazardous waste.

Coal is dirty from mining to burning. Coal ash, a byproduct of the combustion of coal at power plants contains contaminants such as mercury, cadmium and arsenic, which are associated with cancer and various other serious health effects. Coal ash is disposed of in liquid form at large surface impoundments and in solid form at landfills. The dangers associated with structurally unsafe coal ash impoundments came to national attention in 2008 when an impoundment holding disposed waste ash broke open, creating a massive spill in Kingston that covered millions of cubic yards of land and river. The spill displaced residents, required hundreds of millions of dollars in cleanup costs and caused widespread environmental damage.

In testimony at the hearing, GMU student Emily Miles criticized the coal industry for “continually putting profits over people”. She urged the EPA to regulate the coal industry to limit their destruction. “As a concerned citizen, I am here today to tell the EPA to do its job and protect people and the environment.” Kara Dodson, a student at Virginia Tech working on their Beyond Coal Campaign, described the negative health effects that coal ash from her campus’ coal-fired power plant has on students. Jason Von Kundra, an earth science major at Mason, delivered a statement urging the EPA to put stricter regulation on the coal industry to embrace the “clean energy economy that our country and our president are calling for”.

Six more hearing on the proposed rule to address coal ash are scheduled for September. Public comments may also be submitted by email to rcra-docket@epa.gov and should be identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-RCRA-2009-0640.

Three Mason Students Join Others in Creative Sit-In at EPA Headquarters to Call for Stronger Action on Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining

2010-07-08T23:10:00.001-04:00

WASHINGTON— Today, activists with the Rainforest Action Network staged sit-in at the EPA headquarters to demand stronger protection for Appalachia’s drinking water and an end to the devastating practice of mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mining. Three of the activists inside the EPA building are Mason students including Allison Rutledge and Jason Von Kundra.

After entering the EPA building, activists sat down in the center of the lobby, locked themselves together with metal ‘lock boxes,’ and began to play West Virginia’s adopted state song, John Denver’s ‘Take me Home, Country Roads,’ with intermittent sounds of Appalachia’s mountains being blown apart by MTR explosives spliced into the song. An additional activist climbed to the top of the EPA front door on Constitution Ave and hung a banner reading: ‘Blowing up mountains for coal contaminates Appalachia’s water, Stop MTR.’

“We’re sitting down inside the EPA to demand the EPA stand up to protect Appalachia’s precious drinking water, historic mountains and public health from the devastation of mountaintop removal,” said Scott Parkin of Rainforest Action Network, who participated in the sit-in. “At issue here is not whether mountaintop removal mining is bad for the environment or human health, because we know it is and the EPA has said it is. At issue is whether President Obama’s EPA will do something about it. So far, it seems it is easier to poison Appalachia’s drinking water than to defy King Coal.”

With the nation’s eyes on the BP disaster, the EPA, without publicly announcing the action, recently gave the green light for a major new mountaintop removal coal mining permit in Logan County, West Virginia. The permit would allow the destruction of nearly three miles of currently clean streams and 760 acres of forest, in a county where at least 13 percent of the land has already been permitted for surface coal mining. This is the first permit decision the EPA has issued under the new MTR guidelines, which came out last April and were anticipated to provide tougher oversight of the practice.

“This is a devastating first decision under guidelines that had offered so much hope for Appalachian residents who thought the EPA was standing up for their health and water quality in the face of a horrific mining practice,” said Amanda Starbuck of the Rainforest Action Network. “The grand words being spoken by Administrator Jackson in Washington are simply not being reflected in the EPA’s actions on-the-ground. Moving forward, it is clear that the EPA cannot end mountaintop removal coal mining pollution, as it has committed to, without abolishing mountaintop removal all together.”

For decades, Appalachian residents have been decrying the impact of mountaintop removal coal mining—the practice of blowing up whole mountains (and dumping the toxic debris into nearby streams and valleys) to reach seams of coal. Environmentalists, leading scientists, congressional representatives and even late coal state Senator Byrd have all called for the end to this mining practice.

A paper released in January 2009 by a dozen leading scientists in the journal Scienceconcluded that mountaintop coal mining is so destructive that the government should stop giving out new permits all together. “The science is so overwhelming that the only conclusion that one can reach is that mountaintop mining needs to be stopped,” said Margaret Palmer, a professor at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences and the study’s lead author.

Since 1992, nearly 2,000 miles of Appalachian streams have been filled at a rate of 120 miles per year by surface mining practices. A recent EPA study found elevated levels of highly toxic selenium in streams downstream from valley fills. These impairments are linked to contamination of surface water supplies and resulting health concerns, as well as widespread impacts to stream life in downstream rivers and streams. Further, the estimated scale of deforestation from existing Appalachian surface mining operations is equivalent in size to the state of Delaware.

The Pine Creek permit is currently awaiting approval from the Army Corps of Engineers.

Here are some photos from today's action.

Here is the sound track played on loop from within the building.

An open letter to all opponents of coal

2010-06-02T11:54:00.000-04:00

By Colin Bennett

Coal is dirty. Everyone knows that. Saying otherwise is like saying that the Earth is flat; it’s just not true. The negative connotation that comes when people think about coal is practically part of our national psyche. Consider that the majority of children raised in the United States during the last century grew up being told that if they were bad, they would get a lump of coal for Christmas. Or, consider the images of a boy from 19th-Century America like Dick Van Dyke’s chimney sweep character in Mary Poppins, covered in soot, holding his broom. Even more people can probably picture a miner, face darkened with coal dust, sick, even dying, from black lung.

The point is that people already know that coal is dirty; thus, in the fight against mountaintop removal and the expansion of coal-fired power plants, we already have the advantage. But the coal industry and its supporters are feeling the heat; just a few short years ago, very few people were talking about coal. I certainly don’t remember seeing any advertisements about coal at all. Now, in face of looming climate legislation, they are spending vast sums of money spreading the lie of so-called "clean" coal. Unfortunately, though the deck is stacked against them, they are gaining ground.

Take the 2008 presidential campaign, for instance: both Senator John McCain and then Senator Barack Obama espoused "clean coal," while they crisscrossed the country. The reason for their language is obvious (albeit inconsequential). What is important is the fact that they got away with it. The coal industry, in a few short years, has successfully bamboozled much of the U.S. public into believing that "clean" coal is possible. President Obama even talked about “clean coal” his State of the Union address. Unfortunately, so many current anti-coal campaigns are perpetuating the problem; they are using the language of the coal lobby thereby legitimizing that position. The Coen Brothers television spot (put out by thisisreality.org) is cute but it ultimately just legitimizes the coal lobby’s claim. Quite frankly, I am disappointed. We are letting the coal industry frame the debate, thereby losing the high ground.

We can still regain the upper hand and win the fight against coal. In order to do that we need to stop using the term, "clean coal," even when it is immediately followed or preceded by "there’s no such thing as." Simply saying, "clean coal," puts a wedge into people’s minds that clean coal could be a reality.

Let me give you an example: Santa Claus. As soon as you hear, or in this case, read, the words "Santa Claus," an image of a jolly old man with a white beard and a red suit pops into your head. The same is true when you hear about the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy, or unicorns. Everyone knows that these things do not actually exist, yet, most people could describe, probably in vivid detail, what each of these mythical beings look like, all the while knowing they don’t exist. Of course, each of these examples are present, be it in children’s books, Hollywood movies, or embodied by a person in a red suit ringing a bell on a street corner in December. Even though "clean" coal fortunately doesn’t have quite the same status as Santa Claus, the coal industry’s goal is clearly to get the idea that coal can be clean into the minds of as many people as possible.

Many people have undoubtedly seen the picture of the shiny black piece of coal with a power cord sticking out of it, accompanied by the caption "Clean coal means celebrating our energy independence 365 days a year." There’s nothing apparently dirty about that shiny black piece of coal. In fact, one could argue that the shiny black piece of coal looks downright clean. This is their attempt to create an image of ‘clean coal’ that people can reference in their minds when they hear the term "clean" coal; like Santa Claus and unicorns, although fantastical, ‘clean coal’ will exist if repeated enough.

So here is my suggestion: stop validating the term "clean coal" with its use. Completely eliminate the term from everything you do. Coal is dirty. Period. Perpetuate that reality, not the myth of so-called "clean" coal. Reinforce the images that people already have of coal. We should spend our money and time showing people the images that will remind them about how dirty coal really is. Although I’m not in the advertising industry, I have a suggestion for a television commercial. It’s just a rough description but you should get the picture.

Start with historical shots that exemplify the fact that coal is dirty: begin with the miner and the boy covered in soot, show chimneys billowing black smoke circa 19th century Pittsburgh, and men shoveling coal into furnaces. The narrator (I’m thinking Dick Van Dyke) says "Coal is dirty. Since the time that humans first started burning coal, first for heat, then for transportation, and now for electricity, we have been polluting our atmosphere at an astronomical rate." With each example, a corresponding image should be presented, such as: a coal stove, a steam engine, a coal-fired power plant, a city shrouded in smog. The narrator continues, "Now, with mountaintop removal, coal companies are destroying entire communities and ecosystems, making coal dirtier than ever, yet the coal companies are spending millions upon millions of dollars trying to trick you into thinking otherwise. Don’t believe the hype. Coal is dirty. Period."

It might not be perfect but I definitely think it gets the point across: Coal is dirty. Repeat that message and repeat it often. The cards are stacked in our favor; if we play our hand correctly we can win this battle.

Mountaintop removal coal mining in southwest Virginia.

Mason Farmers Market: “Where Innovation Meets Tradition”

2010-05-05T23:12:00.000-04:00

By Nya Jackson

Mason’s prospective students webpage proudly boasts that George Mason University is an institution “Where Innovation Meets Tradition”. As a student at Mason for three years I have found this statement to be true, which is why it’s saddening that the Mason’s Farmers Market has not returned and might not be returning next year either. Last fall, Smart Markets Inc., the premiere farmers' market in Northern Virginia, contracted with Mason to create the Mason Farmers' Market. It quickly became a popular alternative to Mason Dining as one of the few options available for students to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables and other foods.

Mark Kraner, Assistant Vice President of University Life, has been working to ensure that the farmers' market returns to campus in the fall. Mr. Kraner says the reason Smart Markets did not return to campus this semester was due to “a few of the vendors that conflicted with the contract with Smart Markets”.

While it is important that all contracts are honored, the solution to the breach of contract is not to kick Smart Markets off campus but to create a better contract that allows the Mason Farmers' Market to become a welcomed tradition at Mason. According to Jean Janssen, founder of Smart Markets, “prepared food vendors are the attraction at campus markets because students want food that is already prepared, especially when many students don’t have kitchens in their dorms to prepare fresh, uncooked produce.”

The previous contract between Smart Markets and Mason last fall didn’t allow for vendors to cook food on site or serve foods that were offered for immediate consumption and current talks about not having prepared food vendors will result in a market that isn’t attractive to students or potential vendors. "Mason left a lot of vendors stranded without income when they kicked us off campus after the fall semester and many of them are not willing to come back unless we are confident we will be here year-round” says Ms. Janssen who is concerned about ensuring all of her vendors have a stable market to sell their produce.

According to Derek Luhowiak, part owner of LocalSixFortySeven, a street cart owned by him and his wife, who source all the ingredients locally and cook everything to order, the university receives approximately 15% of sales from Sodexo and “of course we could not compete with Sodexo”. Derek went on to say “I was under the impression that universities were a place of higher learning and free thinking, a place where ideas were created. Not anymore; it’s all business and money.”

Upset vendors aren’t the only frustrated group Mason has to deal with, students are upset as well. “If the market doesn't come back I will lose faith in the university's sense of responsibility towards its students" says Kyleigh Purks, creator of the 'Rescue the Mason Farmers' Market’ Facebook group.

The question becomes: What is a market worth? According to Janssen and her vendors the combined revenue from the three prepared food vendors in the market was in the neighborhood of $5200. That means that the most Mason lost to the market in the two months the market was on campus was 15% of $5200 or about $750 and that assumes that all of that $5200 would have otherwise been spent on university food services. It seems safe to say that $750 isn’t a tremendous loss, certainly not when you consider all of the tangible and intangible benefits of the market.

The market allows us to support our local economy. Normally only about 17 cents of every dollar that we spend at the grocery store goes to a farmer but with the farmers' market all of the money goes to the farmer. The Mason Farmers' Market allowed students, faculty, and staff to reduce their ecological footprint since locally-grown produce does not travel as far as food sold in grocery stores and served by Sodexo. The difference in mileage saves fossil fuels and puts Mason on the right track toward achieving climate neutrality, to which President Merten has committed the university by signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.

While University Life wants the Masons Farmers' Market to return to campus next September and remain through the entire school year, it can’t happen with the contract they had with Smart Markets last fall. According to Ms. Janssen, “we need to have more control over who is in the market to make up for the losses we suffer in the winter months when the produce is no longer coming to market”.

If we stop thinking about how much money the University could be “losing” each week to the vendors we might begin to realize that the market does bring something to campus rather than take anything away. When will we see the value of the market and make the Mason Farmers Market another example of “Where Innovation Meets Tradition” to boast to prospective and current students alike?

Environmental Film Festival a Success

2010-04-30T13:20:00.000-04:00

By Colin Bennett

On April 26, just a few days after the 40th anniversary of the first Earth Day, Mason celebrated, in part, with an environmental film festival. Thanks largely to the help of Campus Progress four films were screened and over two dozen people attended at least one of the movies, each showcasing salient environmental issues.

The day started with Earth Days a look "back to the dawn and development of the modern environmental movement—from its post-war rustlings in the 1950s and the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson’s incendiary bestseller Silent Spring, to the first wildly successful Earth Day celebration in 1970 and the subsequent firestorm of political action."

Earth Days, was followed by the heartbreaking film, The Garden. This movie provided an "unflinching look at the struggle between these Latino urban farmers, the City of Los Angles and a powerful developer who wants to evict them to build warehouses."

The last two movies in the series examined mountaintop removal, a hugely destructive form of coal mining that is devastating entire communities throughout Appalachia from Tennessee to Maryland. Burning the Future, examined "the explosive conflict between the coal industry and residents of West Virginia." Deep Down: A Story From the Heart of Coal Country showcased one family's struggle as they were pressured by a coal company to sell their land so it could be destroyed for the coal underneath. Deep Down was screened through an arrangement with folks involved with making the film. Their goal is to get the movie in front of as many people as possible to showcase the devastation that is mountaintop removal.

According to Mason student Nya Jackson, "The movies really made me examine my own choices as they relate to the environment; from where my food comes from to how my electricity is produced, I'm now even more dedicated to making responsible decisions so I can do my part to protect the planet."

Another Mason student, Anthony Murray echoed Nya's sentiments, "These films did a great job of raising awareness about important environmental issues. I'm glad that so many students came out to see them; hopefully they will go back and spread the message to their friends."

Considering the success of this event, the Office of Sustainability, is planning on hosting more film screenings in the future. In the fall, they plan on hosting a series of films looking at different aspects of the climate crisis as part of their Climate Education and Outreach Campaign.

Once again, thanks goes out to Campus Progress for their help with this event. To learn more about the Office of Sustainability's effort to combat the climate crisis, please see their website at green.gmu.edu.

Coca-Cola has No Place at Mason

2010-04-30T11:01:00.000-04:00

This piece was originally published on Connect2Mason on 4/27/2010 http://www.connect2mason.com/content/letter-editor-coca-cola-has-no-place-mason

By Jason Von Kundra

According to Killer Coke, a campaign against the Coca-Cola corporation, the company is guilty of a "gruesome cycle of murders, kidnapping, and torture," perpetrated mainly against union organizers in Columbia and other South American countries. In India, Coke has been accused of illegally siphoning from local ground water supplies, a practice Indian farmers say has caused severe droughts. What was a company like that doing at Mason's Earth Week celebration and why is Mason doing business with Coke in the first place?

The Coca-Cola corporation makes more than just soda. Powerade, Minute Maid, Dasani (bottled water), Gold Peak tea (served in Southside), Vitaminwater and even the supposedly eco-friendly Odwalla are all made by Coke. Coca-Cola also owns 40% of Honest Tea with the option to purchase the company outright in 2011. The point is, Coke is ubiquitous, everywhere you turn there are Coke products. In fact, at Mason, Coke products are just about the only beverages you can buy.

Fortunately, people across the world are taking action against the corporate behemoth. According to the India Resource Center, "the High Power Committee established by the state government of Kerala in India has recommended that Coca-Cola be held liable for [$ 48 million] for damages caused as a result of the company’s bottling operations in [India]."

Cokejustice.org, the website for the International Campaign to Hold Coca-Cola accountable, says that over 20colleges and universities in the U.S. and U.K. have stopped doing business with the company over the last several years. In Norway, students successfully campaigned last year to get rid of Coke on their campuses. The Foundation for Student Life in Oslo made the decision not to renew Coca-Cola's exclusive contract and applies to colleges and universities across Norway.

United Students Against Sweatshops report that, "Rutgers University, had a ten year contract with Coca-Cola that, among other things, let the company create specially designed Rutgers-themed vending machines and marketing materials. The university had received a million dollars a year in return from Coca-Cola. In May 2005 after a two year campaign around Coke's human rights abuses, Rutgers did not renew the contract and removed all Coke products from its campus." In addition to Rutgers, other schools that have removed Coke products from their campus includeBard College, Carleton College, Lake Forest College, Oberlin College, and Salem State College.

The cause of these boycotts is simple: the Coca-Cola corporation is an irresponsible company that is causing misery and suffering all over the world.

The case against Coke goes on-and-on. A simple internet search will return dozens of accusations of Coke's wrongdoing from the alleged murders in Columbia and ground water draining in India, to its use of high-fructose corn syrup and aggressive marketing to children. Knowing this, how can Mason continue an exclusive contract with Coca-Cola? It's time for Mason students to do the right thing and demand Mason to end its relationship with Coke once and for all.

Mason Wins $5000 for Environmental Protection Program

2010-04-27T22:23:00.000-04:00

This article was originally published in Broadside, George Mason University's student newspaper on 4/26/10.

By Allison Rutledge

Just in time for Earth Day, Mason's Office of Sustainability received word that they had been awarded a $5000 grant for their Student Training for Environmental Protection program. For a week this summer college students from all over the U.S and Puerto Rico will be coming together at Prince William Forest to learn how to turn their passion for the environment into action. Colin Bennett, Outreach Coordinator for the Office of Sustainability and director of the program, submitted it to the Brighter Planet Project Fund competition at the beginning of April. The program had to compete against seven other environmental projects to see which one could receive the most votes during the 15 day voting period. Through the efforts of people across Mason reaching out to their friends and family to encourage them to vote, the resulting 2233 votes won the program $5,000 dollars. This money will help greatly with aiding the students that will require scholarships in order to attend. '

This year marks the second Student Training for Environmental Protection organized by the Office of Sustainability. According to Bennett, "This program teaches students how to become successful environmental advocates, students will leave this program with the skills and knowledge needed to lead strong and successful groups that will be able to run effective environmental campaigns on their campuses or in their communities." These skills will allow students to be part of the movement that solves climate change, environmental injustice, and economic failure.

Shelby Steinberg, senior Elementary Education major, is looking forward to the program even though she is graduating in May. "I have friends that went last year and they said it was one of the best experiences they had while at Mason. I know that they really enjoyed their time at, creating valuable relationships with other individuals of similar environmental interests and concerns. I know that the things I learn will be applicable to my future jobs and goals, as I plan on teaching the values of the environment to the students in my elementary classrooms."

In addition to the Brighter Planet grant, the Student Training for Environmental Protection is supported by the Environmental Action Group, the Mason Organic Garden Association, University Life, and Campus Progress. "We are greatly appreciative of all the people and organizations that have come together to help us make this program a reality," said Bennett. "With their help we will be able to train part of a new generation of environmental leaders. "

In addition to learning Bennett promises that students will meet awesome people, eat great food, participate in fun activities and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Participants from last year’s program have said it was one of the most empowering experiences of their life. Environmental Science and Policy graduate student Ashley Mott, a participant in last year's program said, "If I went in with any expectations, I definitely came out of it blown away because it far exceeded any expectations I had. I learned more in a week than I have in previous years of my life. The Student Training for Environmental protection was a truly incredible experience with incredible people."

For more information about the program, contact Colin Bennett at cbennet6@gmu.edu.

Weather Is Not Climate

2010-03-04T15:11:00.001-05:00

By Colin Bennett
March 4, 2010

Weather is what we experience day-to-day or week-to-week; a few weeks ago it was bitterly cold in the D.C. area but there was no snow. More recently, there has been a lot of snow but the temperature has been warmer. Both the bitter cold and the blizzards are examples of weather. Climate on the other hand, is what we experience over long periods of time. In the D.C. area the climate can be generally described as hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Spring and fall are obviously marked by the transition between the intensity of winter and summer. Sometimes it gets remarkably hot in the summer just as sometimes it gets exceptionally cold in the winter. A particularly warm January period not disprove that it’s winter just as a lot of snow does not disprove that our planet is warming.

With the recent snow storms in the area, some have mistakenly jumped to the conclusion that our planet must be getting colder. Apparently, their logic is something along the lines of "it's snowing; there must be no such thing as global warming!" Unreasonable claims like these are made by people like Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and other Fox News personalities and parroted by people that don’t want to learn the facts about our warming planet and its changing climate. The truth is, the presence of snow, even record amounts of snow, does not disprove the fact that Earth is getting warmer and our climate is in crisis. In fact, major storms could add to the body of evidence that support the fact that our climate is changing (for the worse) and humans are responsible for it. Paradoxically, the same can be said of the lack of snow at the winter Olympics in Vancouver.

There are a number of media sources that are at best, grossly misinformed and at worst, purposely trying to deceive the American public. Take this recent statement from the Washington Times, “Record snowfall illustrates the obvious: The global warming fraud is without equal in modern science.” The idiocy of that statement barely warrants comment; it’s like saying that because it’s raining in the desert, it’s no longer a desert. It could snow everyday for a month and that would prove nothing other than we are experiencing an extreme weather event. Unfortunately, some of the people making these asinine statements (that have no basis in scientific fact) include some our highest elected officials. Senator Jim DeMint (R- South Carolina) recently tweeted "It's going to keep snowing in DC until Al Gore cries "uncle". Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe, one of the most vocal global warming skeptics in Washington, went so far as to publicize an igloo on Capitol Hill, built by his grandchildren, with a sign on it that said "Al Gore's New Home".

Contrary to some 'news' reports, evidence suggests that our recent storms could actually be a result of climate change. Warm air holds more moisture than cold air. Warmer air leads to increased evaporation, increased evaporation leads to more moisture in the atmosphere, and increased moisture in the atmosphere can lead to stronger storms. Already, this winter has delivered the most snow in D.C. and Baltimore since records began. In fact, as reported by Time, two of the major storms that buried D.C. and Baltimore this winter, “in December and during the first weekend of February, are already among the 10 heaviest snowfalls those cities have ever recorded.” Philadelphia has seen three of its snowiest storms ever this winter.

However, as stated before, weather is not climate- a single snow storm, or even a series of snow storms is not indicative of overall climate trends, just as the lack of snow where it's typically common does not prove that our planet is warming. The scientific community is still in consensus about real, anthropogenic climate change, despite record snow in D.C. Decades of research conducted by thousands of scientists all over the globe provide the evidence.

Fortunately, most media sources actually understand what’s going on. Time Magazine has a great article covering the relationship between the recent snow and climate change, 'Another Blizzard: What Happened to Global Warming?' Rachel Maddow of MSNBC has an excellent segment from one of her recent shows 'Global warming isn't the opposite of snow.' The Washington Post has also been doing responsible reporting on the issue, 'Harsh winter a sign of disruptive climate change, report says.'

While future extreme weather events are likely to cause a few people to make ridiculous claims, it is incumbent upon responsible Americans to avoid irresponsible media outlets that make fallacious statements and seek out sources that will provide the facts about our warming planet and changing climate.

Mason Students Support Historic Environmental Legislation

2010-03-03T14:54:00.000-05:00

By Allison Rutledge

March 1, 2010

An edited version of this article was published in Broadside, George Mason University's student newspaper on 3/01/10

Over the past month, members of Mason's Environmental Action Group (EAG) have been working hard to help pass legislation to protect streams and mountains in the commonwealth. In particular, one bill, the “Stream Saver" bill would stop coal companies from dumping surface mining waste in streams, effectively ending mountaintop removal in Virginia.

The EAG is familiar with the environmental destruction caused by the extraction of coal. Last October, five EAG members traveled to the coal fields of West Virginia for the annual Mountain Justice Fall Summit. The students witnessed the impacts of mountaintop removal, the predominate type of surface mining in Appalachia. Mountaintop removal is the practice of leveling the tops of mountains through massive explosions and dumping the resulting debris in the adjacent valleys, a common location for streams. The waste pollutes the watersheds, decreases biodiversity, and deprives Virginia residents of clean drinking water. This type of mining has already destroyed 67 Virginian mountains. A 2001 assessment by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that the waste from mountaintop removal mining has affected 151 miles of streams in Virginia. Many more miles of streams have been destroyed since 2001 and, according to the EAG, will continue to be destroyed if action is not taken. The Stream Saver bill would stop this practice.

Mason students Emily Miles and Jason Von Kundra traveled to Richmond on January 18th to voice their opinions to their legislators regarding various environmental bills, including the Stream Saver bill formally known as Senate Bill 564. The students met with four state senators and two legislative aides to ask for their support. They met Senator Chap Petersen, who represents the district where Mason’s Fairfax campus stands. According to Von Kundra, “Senator Peterson seemed sincerely interested in everything we discussed. He admitted he was not familiar with mountaintop removal coal mining which prevented him from taking a stance on the issue. A documentary film about mountaintop removal, Coal Country, explains the issue well and has made a big impact on me. Other members of the EAG and I plan on giving the film to Petersen in the near future.” The two students also met Senator Ticer, the patron of the bill, and Senator Whipple, a co-patron.

Von Kundra went to Richmond again on Thursday, February 11th, for a hearing on the Stream Saver bill. Senator Petersen described the hearing as “one of the largest public hearings in the history of the State Capitol.” The hearing room, an overflow room, and the halls surrounding each were packed with people. During the nearly three hour hearing, both supporters and opponents were given the chance to voice their opinions to the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee.

To protect their interests, one coal company bussed over a hundred coal workers to speak against the bill at the hearing. Most of the bill’s opponents came in defense of jobs in the coal industry, although this bill only applies to surface mining which, because of its highly mechanized nature, employs far less workers than traditional underground mining. In Virginia, surface mining represents approximately 30% of the total coal industry. Tommy Hudson of the Virginia Coal Association gave the jobs breakdown at the hearing: of the 4,797 coal mining jobs in the commonwealth, 1,433 are related to surface mining.

The supporters of the bill spoke of environmental, economic, and social injustice caused by mountaintop removal; they see this bill as a solution to those problems. Residents from Southwest Virginia, where mountaintop removal is currently taking place, came to protect their communities including the streams and mountains. Kathy Selvage, a Wise County native and co-founder of the Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards brought water from her tap that had been polluted by mountaintop removal; she urged legislators to support the bill. Another Southwest Virginia resident described the nearly constant blasting from the explosives used to break up the top of the mountains before dumping the debris in the streams. This blasting occurs dangerously close to homes, keeping people up at night and endangering lives.

Both sides received 45 minutes to present their case.

Following the hearing, members of the EAG collected photo petitions to send to Senator Petersen, in order to show him that Mason students support the bill. This past Friday they wandered the JC with cameras and signs that read “Save Our Mountains and Streams, Support SB 564” and “Not One More Mile!” taking pictures of anyone that wanted to send a message to their elected official. Before snapping a picture of a Mason student holding one of the signs, Gopi Raghu, an electrical engineering major, explained that “Not One More Mile!” means the polluting of Virginian streams must stop now.

On Monday, February 15th, the Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee choose to "leave the bill in committee" and postpone the voting of the bill to next year. This is the first time such legislation has been considered in the Virginia General Assembly. The fact that legislation to stop mountaintop removal was considered this year makes this is a historic time for preservation of our natural resources. Opponents of mountaintop removal are pleased with the momentum gained from this bill: support from numerous senators, a productive public hearing, and more attention to the issue. Mason students are proud to be part of the effort.

Hope for a Climate Bill

2010-03-01T23:05:00.001-05:00

By Nya Jackson
March 1, 2010

With the likelihood of the passage of a healthcare bill before the November elections looking bleak, Democrats in Congress are increasingly turning their attention to the passage of a climate bill. The Washington Post recently reported that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) called on Senator John Kerry (D-MA) to produce a new climate bill as soon as possible. Kerry is working with Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (I-CT) to draft a bill that can attract bipartisan support. “Finally some good news,” was the response of Jason Von Kundra, co-chair of Mason's Environmental Action Group, when he heard of Reid’s call for a climate bill. Von Kundra’s reaction represents the sentiment of many Mason students to the prospect of a climate bill in the near future.

“The majority leader is deadly serious about making progress this year on climate and energy reform," Kerry said in a statement to reporters recently. It’s great that the majority leader is deeply involved in the process of getting a climate bill drafted, but Colin Bennett of Mason's Office of Sustainability wants to know if Republicans are in support of the bill. “Passing a climate bill will require the Senate to come together as a whole, to draft a bill that protects the environment, while also taking our economy into consideration. The Democrats can't do it alone,” said Bennett. Looking back on the well-publicized health-care fight, Republican support for this bill will prove crucial.

Jeremy Symons, senior vice president of the National Wildlife Federation, reported to the Washington Post that the only way to create a bipartisan coalition is to seek Republican input on the bill early in the process to “create the overall architecture of legislation, not waiting until after the bill is drafted and looking for what concessions or what changes need to be made to round up three Republican votes.” Biology student Jose Gayoso regards bi-partisan support from the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources as the first test to whether climate legislation will pass this year. “If the bill doesn’t originate from this committee, whose members are regarded as having expertise on the issue, and can’t receive bi-partisan support within the committee it’s unlikely to have success in the Senate as a whole” said Gayoso. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, will be a crucial vote for this bill.

Not only does Senate Majority Leader Reid’s push for a climate bill give environmentalists, public health advocates, and other supporters of climate legislation reason for hope, but President Obama is also committed to the issue. Last December, at the international climate negotiations in Copenhagen the President pledged climate action in the U.S. including creating a system to cap U.S. greenhouse gas levels and helping to mobilize $100 billion in annual funding from developed countries by 2020 to help poorer nations. Although winning Republican support for a climate bill might require adding provisions favored by the oil industries, or scaling back the legislation's scope, Von Kundra believes that the U.S. needs to demonstrate progress to maintain international credibility and he's hopeful that, “November elections, the recent U.S. pledges in Copenhagen, and pressure from Reid and Obama will result in a climate bill this year”.

The Fight to Stop Mountaintop Removal Continues

2010-02-27T00:08:00.000-05:00

By attending Week in Washington, Mason students will join over a hundred people living in areas impacted by mountaintop removal to urge federal legislators to stop destroying our mountains, streams, and communities. Organized by the Alliance for Appalachia, the fifth annual Week in Washington is an event with one clear message: stop mountaintop removal by passing the Clean Water Protection Act.

Mountaintop removal coal mining blasts the tops of mountains with explosives and dumps waste into nearby valleys, burying and polluting streams. This practice devastates the region’s ecology and communities. Constant blasting, increased flooding, and polluted tap water has driven residents in the coalfields to cry out, ‘enough is enough, this must stop’. Emily Miles and Jason Von Kundra, two students registered to attend, look forward to the opportunity to speak with their legislators alongside other supporters of the Clean Water Protection Act.

Anyone interested in protecting our nation’s mountains and streams is encouraged to read more about the event at www.ilovemountains.org/wiw and contact Jvonkund@gmu.edu to connect with Mason students who are attending the event.

The Debate is Over: Climate Change is Here

2010-02-25T10:08:00.000-05:00

By Emily Miles
February 25, 2010

With all of the nonsense portrayed in the media over climate change lately, it is hardly a wonder that there is still a significant minority of Americans that do not believe in its existence. Yet, with the average American generating about 5 tons of carbon dioxide each year, it is only common sense that humans should and do in fact have such a large-scale impact as to affect the earth’s natural processes. Science can only agree with this. For example, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), comprised of over 750 of the world’s top climatologists, says that climate change is now “unequivocal, as is now evident from observation of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level, and we humans are the cause.” The IPCC also states that “the warming trend over the last 50 years (1955 to 2005) is nearly twice that for the last 100 years.” As human industrialism and population growth has especially increased over the past 55 years, this is compelling evidence that humans are the root of this current climate crisis. Even worse, our destructive behaviors are causing a synergistic effect to occur. With increases in oceanic acidification, oceans are now giving off carbon dioxide rather than absorbing it like it has done in the past. As tundra thaws, global warming will be further increased as sequestered green house gases trapped within the soil are released. And remember, it is a scientist’s duty to be skeptical. Yet, according to a 2008 poll by academics of the University of Illinois, 97 percent of all climatologists agree that climate change is man-made. The evidence is clear, climate change exists, and action must be taken now.

Climate change is not only an environmental issue, but it is also, and more importantly, an ethical issue. This crisis will drastically affect humans on a global scale and will hit developing countries the hardest. By the end of this century, according to a University of Washington study led by David Battisti, about half of the world could face severe food shortages. Severe droughts in many areas could affect water supplies, while many areas such as the Middle East already suffer from an insufficient amount of water. The Pentagon has even declared climate change an issue of national security, and, according to its public report called An Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and Its Implication for United States National Security, “Violence and disruption stemming from the stresses created by abrupt changes in the climate pose a different kind of threat to national security than we are accustomed to today. Military confrontation may be triggered by a desperate need for natural resources such as energy, food and water… conflicts over land and water use are likely to become more severe—and more violent.” This general instability on the planet caused by climate change could cause millions of deaths worldwide and keep us from realizing our dreams of reaching world peace. By continuing to ignore the effects of our environmental actions, we will not only hurting the planet, but we will also be hurting ourselves and our fellow human beings.

Feds Aim to Cut Greenhouse Gas Pollution 28% by 2020

2010-01-29T11:35:00.000-05:00

By Colin Bennett
January 29, 2010

According a statement released by the White House, President Obama has directed all federal agencies to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by 28 percent by 2020. Considering the U.S. government is the largest consumer of energy in the country, the results of the cuts have the potential to be significant. In 2008, the combined total spent on electricity and fuel by all federal departments and agencies was over $24.5 billion. If the Feds reach their target they claim that they will save a "cumulative total of $8 to $11 billion in avoided energy costs through 2020." According to the White House, the savings is equal to more than 200 million barrels of oil and taking 17 million cars off the road for one year.

“As the largest energy consumer in the United States, we have a responsibility to American citizens to reduce our energy use and become more efficient,” said President Obama. “Our goal is to lower costs, reduce pollution, and shift Federal energy expenses away from oil and towards local, clean energy.”

President Obama hopes that Reducing and reporting GHG pollution "will ensure that the Federal Government leads by example in building the clean energy economy." Although specific on how the reduction goals will be met are sparse, the White House claims that "Actions taken under this Executive Order will spur clean energy investments that create new private-sector jobs, drive long-term savings, build local market capacity, and foster innovation and entrepreneurship in clean energy industries."

Of the few examples that they do provide, installing solar panels tops the list, although there is no mention of whether or not President Obama will replace the solar panels that Jimmy Carter put on the White House in the seventies (that were subsequently taken down by Ronald Regan). Other examples of emission reducing practices the Feds plan to employ include "tapping landfills for renewable energy, putting energy management systems in Federal buildings, and replacing older vehicles with more fuel efficient hybrid models."

Reactions from most environmental groups have yet to come out but Jason Von Kundra, Co-chair of Mason's Environmental Action Group has a lot to say about the president's goal. "The executive order is merely a baby step toward building the clean energy economy. To establish energy independence, mitigate the impact of climate change, and create new jobs, greater reduction commitments are necessary on the national level. This low reduction effecting only the federal government has a high baseline of 2008 emissions, an inadequate reduction for 2020, and lacks any commitment for 2050." Von Kundra also states that, "According to the International Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2007 assessment, an 80%-95% reduction of GHG concentration by the year 2050 is needed to stay below 450ppm, which is still dangerously too high if we want to stabilize the climate. I appreciate Obama’s step in the right direction, but I’m holding my applause until I hear a commitment to carbon neutrality that will truly lead the way to a clean energy economy."

Federal efforts to reduce pollution can be tracked at the White House's Council of Environmental Quality website at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq.

Note: This piece has been edited since its original posting. Jason Von Kundra's quote "This low reduction effecting only the federal government has a high baseline of 2008 emissions, an inadequate reduction for 2010, and lacks any commitment for 2050" was corrected to say 2020 instead of 2010. The remainder of the piece is untouched.

As Planet Continues to Warm, Mason Takes Action

2010-01-28T13:28:00.000-05:00

By Colin Bennett

Earlier this month Mason's Office of Sustainability published its first Climate Action Plan for the school. Essentially, the goal of the plan is for Mason to reach climate neutrality by 2050, not a moment to soon as NASA announced last week that 2009 "was tied for the second warmest since 1880." Moreover, "In the Southern Hemisphere, 2009 was the warmest year on record." In fact, according to NASA, the last decade was the warmest decade on record.

According to Dr. James Hansen, Director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, "There's always interest in the annual temperature numbers and a given year's ranking, but the ranking often misses the point." He says that El-Nino and La-Nina are responsible for annual variability in global temperature, but he continues, "When we average temperature over five or ten years to minimize that variability, we find global warming is continuing unabated."

Today, as the nation debates the merits of President Obama's State of the Union Address and Congress continues to drag its feet on climate legislation, Mason is hard at work on reducing its climate emissions. According to the climate plan, Mason's target for reaching climate neutrality by 2050 will be via an at least 80% reduction in emissions with the remaining greenhouse gases that the school is responsible for to be offset through an appropriate offset strategy. Technological advances and appropriate policies will reduce the universities climate footprint substantially; however, a significant component of the plan calls reaching out to the Mason community. Specifically, in order to reach the goal every individual at Mason will need to do their part.

A newly formed Climate Action Team overseen by Mason's Office of Sustainability will help with the out-reach efforts around campus. The team will be responsible for helping to organize climate related events, offering presentations on Mason's climate commitment, and disseminating climate messages throughout appropriate venues. Most importantly though, the Climate Action Team will be responsible for getting members of the Mason community to sign the Mason Climate Pledge.

Signers of the Mason Climate Pledge commit to helping Mason achieve climate neutrality with "actions as simple as turning out lights when leaving a room and powering down computers when not in use". To date, almost 1000 people from Mason have signed the pledge, becoming Mason Climate Champions by doing so. With hope, and the dedication of the Climate Action Team, at least 50% of the Mason community will sign the pledge and become a climate champion by this time next year.

This image is a five year global temperature average from 2003 to 2007. Red represents above average temperatures.

Photo Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

Powerful Tool to Regulate Greenhouse Gases Under Attack

2010-01-14T09:38:00.000-05:00

By Colin Bennett

In early 2007 the U.S. Supreme Court, in Massachusetts v. EPA, ruled that greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, are air pollutants covered by the Clean Air Act, and as such, can be regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Two years later the EPA responded by proposing a finding that GHGs "contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare". Then, in September of 2009 the EPA followed up with "a proposal that is focused on large facilities emitting over 25,000 tons of greenhouse gases a year. These facilities would be required to obtain permits that would demonstrate they are using the best practices and technologies to minimize GHG emissions." This decision was lauded by environmentalists who were excited by the prospect of the federal government finally taking on climate change. (A summary of the EPA's proposed rule can be found here.)

Specifically, the EPA would regulate facilities that emit 25,000 tons per year or more of carbon dioxide equivalents including refineries, power plants, and cement production facilities. The carbon dioxide equivalents include corresponding amounts of methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. According to the EPA, "The proposed thresholds would “tailor” the permit programs to limit which facilities would be required to obtain [NSR and title V] permits and would cover nearly 70 percent of the national GHG emissions that come from stationary sources, including those from the nation’s largest emitters—including power plants, refineries, and cement production facilities."

Now, under an amendment added to an unrelated bill, the EPA is in danger of losing its authority to regulate GHGs. According to a press release from the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the amendment, introduced by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), "would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from spending money on regulating carbon dioxide from stationary sources under the Clean Air Act for a period of one year." According to the Washington Post, "two Washington lobbyists, Jeffrey R. Holmstead and Roger R. Martella, Jr., helped craft the original amendment Murkowski planned to offer on the floor last fall. Both Holmstead, who heads the Environmental Strategies Group and Bracewell & Guiliani, and Martella, a partner at Sidley Austin LLP, held senior posts at EPA under the Bush administration and represents multiple clients with an interest in climate legislation pending before Congress."

Fearing that any delay to federal action, especially a delay motivated by the interests of industry, will severely hamper our ability to curtail the worst effects of climate change, many environmental groups are crying foul. These groups, including the National Wildlife Federation, Earthjustice, Repower America, and the Union of Concerned Scientists are calling on the Senate to reject the amendment. Each of them has set up electronic 'action alerts' to allow citizens to contact their senators to voice their opposition to the amendment.

Although both the Post and the N.Y. Times are reporting that Senator Murkowski may end up delaying offering her amendment, groups opposed to the measure are not giving up the fight to see the amendment disappear for good.

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Photo Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Greenpeace calls on Trader Joe's to stop selling 'red-list' fish

2010-01-11T11:05:00.001-05:00

By Colin Bennett

Greenpeace, a sometimes controversial and often successful environmental organization, is calling upon the nation-wide food retailer Trader Joe's to stop selling fish species it claims are being harvested or farmed unsustainably.

The organization maintains a list of fish it says to avoid due to unsustainable harvesting or farming practices. Its list, dubbed the 'red-list' consists of 22 entries including Atlantic cod, halibut, and salmon, yellowfin tuna, pollack, red snapper, and all species of sharks. (The full list can be found here).

According to Casson Trenor, Greenpeace's Sustainable Seafood Markets Expert, Trader Joe's is the "worst performing national seafood retailer". The assertion is based on rating system containing four categories: Sustainable Seafood Policy (Trader Joe's doesn't have one); Seafood Sustainability Initiatives (Trader Joe's doesn't have any); Labeling & Transparency (Trader Joe's doesn't label its seafood); Red List Seafood Sales (Trader Joe's sells 15 of the 22 of the co-called red-list seafoods). The full scorecard, published in a report called "Carting Away the Oceans" contains ratings of the nation's 20 largest seafood retailers. Of all the retailers evaluated, Wegman's was rated the highest with a score of 5.9 out of 10.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, "Despite its social and economic importance, attempts to manage fisheries sustainably have been unsuccessful in many parts of the world due to several factors...the underlying crisis is real and an urgent response is required at global level." A study published in the journal Science claims that the world will run out of seafood by the middle of the century if fishing practices aren't changed drastically. "We really see the end of the line now," said the study's lead author Boris Worm, a marine biologist at Canada's Dalhousie University, in an interview with the Washington Post. "It's within our lifetime. Our children will see a world without seafood if we don't change things." Specifically, the study states that "business as usual would foreshadow serious threats to global food security, coastal water quality, and ecosystem stability, affecting current and future generations."

If you choose to eat fish or other seafood, there are several organizations that have guides to help you make informed decisions, including NOAA, the Marine Stewardship Council, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. If you choose to give up seafood completely, there are dozens of resources that will help you select healthy alternatives to animal protein. Vegan Outreach has a great guide, as does the USDA, and the Mayo Clinic.

If you are interested in contacting Trader Joe's to tell them how you feel about their lack of a sustainable seafood policy you can use Greenpeace's online contact form here. It allows you to write your own comment or submit a suggested comment.

Enjoy this short clip from the mock-website for Traitor Joe's:

Download the flash player

See these other articles related to seafood:

World's Fish Supply Running Out, Researchers Warn- Washington Post

Shrimp On Your Plate? Think Twice (Your Liver, Endangered Mangroves, And Poorly Paid Workers Will Thank You)- Planet Green

Last Act for the Bluefin- New York Times

New study calls for an end to mountaintop removal coal mining

2010-01-08T12:24:00.000-05:00

By Colin Bennett

“Mining permits are being issued despite the preponderance of scientific evidence that impacts are pervasive and irreversible and that mitigation cannot compensate for the losses.”

That quote comes from a study published yesterday (January 7, 2010) in the journal Science. The study, conducted by a dozen scientists from universities across the country, clearly shows that mountaintop removal (MTR) is irreversibly destroying large swaths of Appalachia. Furthermore, the authors call for an end to the horrific practice stating, "Regulators should no longer ignore rigorous science. The United States should take leadership on these issues, particularly since surface mining in many developing countries is expected to grow extensively."

Last October, as well as in November of 2008, two separate groups of Mason students visited a mountaintop removal site near Rock Creek, West Virgina. The trip was made as part of the annual Mountain Justice Fall Summit, a gathering of students and young people dedicated to doing their part to end mountaintop removal. The event was hosted by a coalition of environmental groups, including Coal River Wind, who wanted to give the participants the chance to see mountaintop removal up close.

"Seeing first-hand the destruction that occurs in order to get coal was an eyeopening experience. Looking at the barren land that was once a thriving mountain was shocking. It changed my perspective and made me more aware of where exactly the energy I use comes from and encouraged me to conserve more," said NCC student Allison Rutledge.

Gopi Raghu, a Junior studying Business at Mason said that he has never seen anything like it before. "Listening to Larry* speak I had the chance to see and hear first-hand the voice of a strong advocate for saving the mountains, often putting his life at risk to do so. It was a wake-up call for me because I didn't know people felt that strongly. After seeing what used to be a mountain I felt like crying. This was the most important part of the trip for me because I wish more people could see what I saw so they'd be willing to take action against mountaintop removal."

Physics major Jason Von Kundra never truly understood the devastation of mountaintop removal until he saw it first-hand. "Visiting Coal River Valley opened my eyes to communities living with the direct impact of MTR and limited ways of coping. Residents told their stories of polluted water, lowered land value, no economic diversity, and other social and economic issues caused by the coal companies. In addition to damaging communities, MTR ravages the land. Standing on the current top of Kayford Mountain, I looked at the unnaturally leveled plateau before me and had trouble imagining the ancient mountain that once stood there. Without vegetation, MTR sites do not support plant and animal life. Even 'reclaimed' sites have limited biodiversity with only one species of grass being planted by the coal companies. This is a tragedy in Appalachia, the most biodiverse region in the United States. I now know my responsibility to stop MTR on ethical and environmental grounds. By putting pressure on the EPA and congress, we can put an end to this havoc."

Clearly, seeing the devastation that is mountaintop removal first-hand makes people think twice about using electricity unnecessarily. Fortunately, for those of us that can't make the trip to see for ourselves, many organizations have put together videos that show what's really happening in Appalachia. Below is one such video from the organization I Love Mountains.

A growing number of organizations are calling for an immediate end to mountaintop removal. President Obama said in a recent interview, "It’s about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it’s inconvenient — especially when it’s inconvenient." Hopefully this study, along with the overwhelming evidence that already exists, President Obama and the EPA will give the political will to end, once-and-for-all, this appalling practice.

If you are interested, here is another video made by our friends at Yale: http://www.e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2198

*Larry Gibson owns the part of the mountain that hasn't been destroyed. The property has been in his family for generations. He refuses to sell to the coal companies because they will destroy the rest of the mountain.

Pictures from the first year of the Mason vegetable garden

2010-01-05T10:22:00.000-05:00

Although all of our pictures from the garden an be found on Facebook, we are trying to make them a little more accesible. As such, we are in the process of uploading them to Picassa, the Google photo site. Although they are not in order and some have yet to be edited, the photos can be found by clicking on the link following the sample photos below. We'd love to know what you think, both about the pictures and the garden in general; please comment on the pictures or on this blog post. Or, if you are more comfortable submitting your comments privately, please send them to me at cbennet6@gmu.edu.

As more pictures become available we will be posting them as well. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions on how we can improve our outreach, please let us know.

-Colin

See the entire album: http://picasaweb.google.com/colinthegreat/MasonGarden2009#

Mason Featured in the National Wildlife Federation's Campus Sustainability Yearbook

2009-11-02T13:15:00.000-05:00

If you're reading this you probably know that we've had a busy year. Whenever we finish one project we start a new one; in fact, we almost always start new initiatives before we complete what we're currently working on. That may seem a little nuts, but we've got a lot of responsibility to make Mason as environmentally friendly as we can. Luckily, in addition to our dedicated staff, people from across campus are doing their part to green Mason. Today, the National Wildlife Federation released its annual yearbook featuring campus sustainability case studies from across the country and six of our projects were highlighted.

We encourage you to take a look at some of the awesome things that are happening at Mason; hopefully they'll make you proud to be a Patriot.

http://www.nwf.org/campusEcology/resources/yearbook/dspYearbookbySchool.cfm?schoolCode=485#485

By the way, this is just the beginning; we have lots of other things lined up that will help Mason become the most environmentally friendly school of its size in the country.

Eating Locally- Last Day and Lessons Learned

2009-11-02T13:14:00.000-05:00

Well, it was certainly an interesting week.

Eating Locally- Day 6

2009-08-25T22:45:00.001-04:00

Monday. Five days of eating eggs, cheese, and tomatoes. Mostly. Although I haven’t forgotten how lucky I am to have food in the first place, I sure am sick of eggs, cheese, and tomatoes. When this is over, I don’t think I’ll eggs eat again for a very long time. Of course, I generally don’t eat many eggs to begin with, but that’s beside the point. The point is, almost 30 eggs in five days is just too much.

Anyway, for breakfast I had an apple. For lunch, tomato soup and leftover mashed potatoes, which, by the way, were just as good as they were the day before. I got lucky for dinner.

On Monday afternoon I visited Mason’s (non-certified) organic vegetable garden to do a little work. For those of those that haven’t heard, the garden suffered a minor catastrophe last month when almost all of vegetables died. In any case, when I was digging around where the potato plants used to be, I came across four good-sized potatoes. There were in pretty poor shape, rather wrinkly and soft, but I decided to give them a good home in my stomach none-the-less.

When, I got home a sliced all four of my potatoes into small wedges and fried them in butter. And although I was saving it until Tuesday (so I could celebrate) I decided to use the one small onion that I had. Instead of cooking it along with the potatoes, I chose to eat it raw so as to savor the full flavor. So, for dinner I had fried potatoes, more fried eggs, slices of a raw onion and the rest of a green pepper that I had the day before. It was the best meal that I have had this week. I honestly think that it was the onion that tied the whole thing together.

Tomorrow is Tuesday, my last full day of this experiment. I don’t have too much variety to look forward to, not that I had variety to begin with, so I can’t say that I’ll be sorry when it’s over. Among all the things that I’m looking forward to the most: garlic. And bread. And of course, hot sauce. Sriacha hot sauce.

Eating Locally- Days 4 and 5

2009-08-25T14:24:00.000-04:00

Writing about essentially the same thing for five days is difficult. At least for me. How many things am I eating? 16, I think. Eggs, tomatoes, cheese, apples, peaches, butter, basil. Those are the main items. Throw in some potatoes, yogurt, two peppers, an eggplant and onion (both yet to be eaten) honey, rosemary and thyme and you have my diet for the week. Of course, if you’ve been following my progress, you already know that. I also have some beets, but I doubt that I’ll end up harvesting them for this experiment. Trying to take those 16 items and make three meals a day for seven consecutive days with them is not easy. Well, it’s not easy to make interesting anyway.

Since I stayed up late at the movies on Friday night, I took advantage of a rare day off and slept late on Saturday, therefore missing breakfast. For lunch, I decided to try something different. Since I still had an abundance of eggs I tried mixing two of my hardboiled eggs with yogurt (instead of mayonnaise) to make an egg salad of sorts. I also fried a few eggs with cheese and made some more tomato ‘soup’. The egg salad definitely was not very good, but it wasn’t terrible. The tomato soup and the fried eggs were decent but I could already tell that I would be sick of them before too long. For dinner: more fried eggs.

Sunday was a different story, at least it ended differently. I started with just an apple for breakfast, mostly because I wasn’t particularly hungry. Since I felt that I had been doing exceeding well so far, especially in the name of overwhelming temptation (the Sriacha hot sauce lurking in my cabinet was calling my name) I figured I deserved a treat. I went into front yard to dig up what few potatoes I could. The actual potato plants had long since been removed due to the inane and idiotic rules of the homeowners association that governed my townhouse but I knew that at least a few potatoes lay just beneath the surface. To my delight, I actually found over a dozen of them, some as small as ping pong balls, others as large as my fist. Apparently my plants had been exceedingly productive in the few short weeks that they were able to photosynthesize. In any case, I’m a big fan of anticipation, so I decided to wait until dinner to enjoy my spuds. So for lunch I had…wait for it… yup, you guessed it: eggs.

I started preparing dinner much earlier than I needed to, partly because I was hungry but mostly because I was simply so excited to eat my homegrown potatoes. Since I had so many to work with, I decided to use about half of them to make fried potatoes and the other half to make mashed potatoes (my favorite). For frying, I sliced the potatoes similar to the way potato chips (another one of my favorites) are sliced and placed them, one-by-one, into hot butter. Although I have a propensity to burn things that I try to fry, I was exceedingly careful with my precious potatoes. In the end, I only had two or three slices that were too burnt to eat. The rest were delicious, even sans Sriacha, and I ate all of them.

As for the mashed potatoes, since milk, or more appropriately, soymilk, was not part of my diet this week, I had to add three times as much butter as I normally would in order to try to make the potatoes creamy enough, but even that wasn’t enough. In lieu of milk I ended up adding water to the potatoes to make them creamier. It reminded me of when I was kid and had to use water for my cereal when we ran out of cow’s milk. Luckily, after a thorough mixing, I couldn’t tell the difference and the mashed potatoes ended up being delicious as well, even without the hot sauce.

Like I already said, I had decided to treat myself and that included desert. I really don’t like plain yogurt, so I chopped up one of my remaining peaches and mixed it with a bowlful of yogurt. It probably would have been good if I had used a blender, but instead I decided to mix in some honey. The result was quite good. Not quite delicious, but close enough.

I went to sleep that night satiated and fully satisfied.

Eating Locally- Day 3

2009-08-23T18:04:00.001-04:00

Day three. For breakfast I had an apple and a black cherry yogurt. The apple was good, the yogurt was better. Made with whole milk, it had 9 grams of fat and 210 calories. According to MyPyramid.gov (part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture), my recommended daily allowance of calories is 2400. Considering the fact that their food pyramid still includes dead animals (meat) as part of a healthful diet, I don’t take too much stock in what the USDA has to say on the matter. I was pleased, however, to see that they do include “Tips & Resources” for vegetarians on their website: http://www.mypyramid.gov/tips_resources/vegetarian_diets.html.

For lunch I had two hard-boiled eggs and the rest of the tomato soup that I made last night. The soup was just as good today as it was yesterday. As much as I’ve enjoyed my dinner for the past two nights, I can’t say that I’m looking forward to the same thing tonight. I’ve been trying to think of ways that I could add variety, and there are a few ingredients that I haven’t used yet (squash and zucchini, potatoes, beets, and an onion or two) but I don’t want to run out of those things and be stuck just eating tomatoes and eggs.

So, instead of trying to decide what to eat, I decided to skip dinner and go to the movies. Since I love movies and it’s been a really long time since I’ve had the chance to go to the theater, I watched four movies and got home after midnight. I was hungry, but also tired, so not to have anything to eat before bed.

In any case, I have some experiments in mind for tomorrow. Hopefully it will be a more interesting food day.

Eating Locally- Day 2

2009-08-21T00:00:00.001-04:00

First of all, two quick notes. One, I was unable to locate my notebook that contains the prices I paid for all of the food that I’ll be eating this week. For those of you that are interested, I’ll look again tomorrow and let you know if I find it. Two, I actually purchased an additional item yesterday that I forgot to mention, eight ounces of honey from Mason’s own Environmental Studies on the Piedmont program.

Now, let me say, I’m eating well; I definitely have more than enough to eat and what I’m eating seems to be nutritiously complete (and delicious). That being said, even though this is only my second day of this experiment, there are certainly at least a few things that I already miss. First and foremost, I miss bread. I love bread. I have five favorite foods: mashed potatoes, blueberries, potato chips, nachos, and bread. I was definitely expecting to be able buy bread at the market yesterday, but the bread vendors were unfortunately not there. Not eating bread for a week will be a big adjustment for me. I also miss hot sauce. Especially Sriacha hot sauce. Oh well.

In any case, it occurred to me that although this is day two, I neglected to write about what I actually ate yesterday. For lunch, I had part of an apple. For dinner, I fried half of a tomato along with three eggs and some cheddar cheese, and added some fresh basil for flavor; essentially it was scrambled eggs with tomatoes, basil, and cheese. All of it was quite good, maybe even delicious.

Today, I finished the apple that I started at lunch yesterday for breakfast. For lunch, I had a peach and two of the 12 eggs that I hard-boiled last night. Dinner consisted of three more scrambled eggs; this time with tomatoes, peppers, basil, rosemary, thyme, and some cheddar cheese. I also harvested a whole bunch of tomatoes from my garden that I used to make a tomato soup of sorts. Essentially I diced about 12 smallish tomatoes that I fried in butter along with the fresh herbs. The result was a watery substance that I liken to a cross between soup, stew and spaghetti sauce. It was so good that I had two bowls.

As I started with, I’m eating plenty of good food and I have absolutely no reason to complain. Regardless of the fact that I’m lacking a few things that I’m accustomed to and might want, I’m acutely aware of the privilege that I have. I already realize that this experiment will not turn out the way that I expected, however, I think that it will end up being much more interesting than I expected. Check back tomorrow for further insights.

Eating Locally- Day 1

2009-08-19T21:47:00.001-04:00

So, it's day one and I'm in for an interesting week. Today's market had far less vendors, therefore far less variety, than I expected. What I did expect, considering the point in the Virginia growing season we are in, was a plethora of fresh vegetables. Instead, what I got was tomatoes, apples, peaches, eggs, cheese, butter and yogurt. That’s seven ingredients for the week. What I was hoping for included, at least, onions, peppers, beets, lettuce, collards, garlic, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, green beans, eggplants, and maybe even potatoes and melons; all things that I thought I could reasonably expect. The only produce that was offered today that I didn't purchase was raspberries and blackberries.

I thought that this week was going to be easy. And I say that fully well aware of the fact that I'm quite lucky to have food in the first place. All I'm trying to say is that I was hoping that I'd have a few more ingredients to live off of for the next week than the seven that I bought at the farmers' market and the few that I have at home. Speaking of which, as mentioned in yesterday's post, I do have a few things that I can add to my diet for the week. Those things include many more tomatoes, a few more peppers, two or three onions, three small beets, two small eggplants and three or four small potatoes. Luckily I also have basil, rosemary and thyme. Not including salt, the one thing that I’m adding to this experiment, I have 15 ingredients to subsist on for the week. Again, and I can’t stress this enough, I realize what a privilege it is to have such easy access to food.

Before I go on, I want to briefly write about food justice. I’ll expand upon this more later in the week, but for now, suffice it to say, that I am writing this mostly for people that don’t consider their own ability to access food on a daily basis. By conducting this experiment, I’m attempting to document my experience from the perspective of people that have almost complete access to just about any type of food whenever she or he so chooses; myself included. Eating 15 items during the course of the week will be a challenge when juxtaposed next to my ability to go the neighborhood supermarket, which in my case is less than a mile away, and buy food, quite literally, from around the world. Again, I’ll write more about this as the week progresses.

To end day one, I’ll give you some specifics. Today I bought three dozen eggs, or the equivalent of about five eggs a day (that’s a lot). I bought a pound of butter, 44 ounces of yogurt and approximately a pound and a half of cheese, Cheddar and Monterey Jack. I also purchased exactly five tomatoes, five peaches, and seven apples. I took notes as I was buying all of this, unfortunately, I left those notes at work and I’m now at home so I’ll let you know exactly how much these items cost on Thursday. (It was about $70.)

Oh, and just because I’m curious as to how this may or may not effect my weight, I weighed myself before I started. With my shoes off, clothes on, and pockets empty I weigh about 208 pounds; a good 30 pounds more than I’d like. With luck, this week will help me shed that unwanted baggage. Somehow, the thought of eating five eggs a day makes me doubt it…

Eating Locally- An Experiment

2009-08-18T16:55:00.000-04:00

Starting tomorrow, August 19, 2009, I will attempt to only eat food that comes from the George Mason University Farmers’ Market or food that I have grown myself. The purpose of this experiment is two-fold; first of all, I want to find out first-hand how difficult it is to subsist on a local diet. Secondly, I’d like to support the farmers’ market, and by extension, its farmers, by drawing attention to it. The only exception to getting food either from the market or from my yard will be salt. Also, since this farmer’s market sells prepared foods such as soups and pies in addition to vegetables and dairy products, I need to decide whether or not I will include those in my diet. Although these foods are prepared locally, the ingredients in the food is not necessarily sourced locally. I suppose that since this is my first such attempt at such a feat, I will include some of these prepared foods. If all goes well, I’ll attempt it again without the soups and pies.

While I’m not a strict vegan, I am a diehard vegetarian and I try to eat as few dairy products as possible. That said, I’m confident that I’ll will in fact be eating a lot of dairy products this week. Eggs, butter, and yogurt will certainly be a large part of my diet. I normally only eat two meals a day, lunch and dinner, and often only eat one, dinner, however, during this week I will try and eat a full three meals per day as I’ve heard it’s better for me.

Since, to the chagrin of the home owners association that rules my neighborhood like a feudal lord, I have a small garden at home, I will be able to supplement what I purchase at the market with my own vegetables and herbs. This season I have tomatoes, peppers, some onions, beets and a few eggplants and potatoes. I also have basil, rosemary and thyme.

I realize that this whole endeavor has some flaws, the largest of which being that even if I succeed in only eating locally grown food for a week, implying that I could do it for longer, this would only hold true for a few months of the year. Having a truly local diet (in northern Virginia) for a sustained period of time would obviously be much more difficult in the colder months. In any case, as stated previously, this is an experiment so I’ll learn what I can from it. I’ll be sharing my thoughts and observations throughout the week via this blog and I definitely welcome comments, questions, and criticisms. With hope, at the end of the week I’ll have inspired at least one person, myself, to make locally grown food as big a part of my diet as possible.

STEP program a huge success!

2009-08-06T14:27:00.000-04:00

Last month, two dozen students, including nine students from Mason, traveled to Prince William Forest, part of the National Park System, right outside of Washington, D.C. to take part in a weeklong training in environmental protection. During the week the students learned how to create a successful group that will be able to run and manage effective environmental campaigns on their campus. The program, called the Student Training for Environmental Protection (STEP), was run by the George Mason University Office of Sustainability.

See our event video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHgVJQbMqyo

The program focused on giving students the skills and knowledge they need to create the change that will turn passion for the environment into action that will protect it. Some of the workshops that were covered include: Recruiting, Leadership Development, Coalition Building, Campaign Planning, Event Planning, as well as, Public Speaking, How to get Media Attention, Message Development, Lobbying, and Anti-oppression..

The week culminated in a trip to Capitol Hill where students met with representatives of their Senator’s staff to ask for their support of an improved American Clean Energy and Security Act. Altogether, over 30 young people from nine states and Puerto Rico participated in the training and met with their Congressional staff to ask for a stronger climate bill.

Following in the footsteps of Power Shift 2009, the George Mason University Student Training for Environmental Protection program allowed the participants to create bonds with other student organizers from around the country while being trained and empowered with the skills needed to be part of the movement that solves climate change, environmental injustice, and economic failure.

With hope, we plan on having follow up events in the near future. Information will be posted soon.

-Colin

P.S. Here are some things that participants had to say about STEP:

If I went into STEP with any expectations, I definitely came out of STEP blown away because it far exceeded any expectations I had. I learned more in a week than I have in previous years of my life. STEP was a truly incredible experience with incredible people. You learn so much about yourself, about others, and really how to make a difference in your community, on your campus, and when you are around others. If you are looking to really learn about environmental leadership and activism, as well as a little bit more about yourself, then STEP is for you. You will have fun, meet great people, and learn how to empower yourself in the world around you.
-Ashley Mott, George Mason University Graduate Student

This single event has been one of the most empowering experiences of my life, I've already started to organize events and actually get things done! Thank you!
-Odessa Knipp, Virginia Wesleyan Class of 2009

STEP really allowed me to connect with other organizers from across the
country and beyond. I was able to learn from their experiences and build
wonderful new relationships. It's amazing what we could accomplish in one
week and I can't wait to hear about what we are all able to accomplish with the support and knowledge we all got from STEP.
-Molly Shea, Ohio University Class of 2010

Mason Spotlighted by Earth First!

2009-04-01T10:41:00.000-04:00

Apparently Earth First!, the sometimes controversial but always awesome environmental organization, thinks that Mason is doing a pretty good job when it comes to saving the world. Yesterday I received a forwarded message containing the following link:

http://earthfirst.com/green-college-spotlight-george-mason-university/

According to Earth First! "By far, the most impressive aspect of George Mason’s sustainability efforts thus far is its student, faculty and staff participation in green efforts."

Way to go Mason! Pretty soon we will be "the greenest of the green".

Help needed for a $200,000 grant!

2009-03-19T09:23:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

The GMU Office of Sustainability has applied for a $200,000 grant and we need your help to get at least 1000 votes and 500 comments in favor of it by noon on Friday! Please help us by following the link then sharing this message with as many people as possible

Step 1: Go to-
http://www.justmeans.com/competitionidea/8512/promoteidea.html

Step 2: Vote for our proposal and comment about how great it is

Step 3: Share this message directly with at least 10 people- friends, family, colleagues, teammates, boyfriend, girlfriend, et cetera and ask them to do the same, everyone can participate

Step 4: Post it on your facebook and other social networking profiles

Mason is doing so well in the America's Greenest Contest, in fact, we just passed UMD and are back in first place- we can do equally well with this.

Thank you, your support means so much! Please let me know if you have any questions.

-Colin

Mason Goes to Power Shift!

2009-02-26T14:40:00.000-05:00

This weekend over 60 people from Mason will be heading into D.C. for Power Shift 2009, the largest conference on global warming ever assembled in the United States and possibly the largest in the world. Following the success of Power Shift 2007, the first ever national youth conference on global warming that occurred at the University of Maryland, Power Shift 2009 will bring together people from every state and Canadian province, Puerto Rico, and other countries from around the world. Specifically, over 10,000 young people will gather on Friday at the D.C. Convention Center with the intention of creating the impetus for bold and decisive solutions to the climate crisis.

People across the globe are already feeling the effects of the climate crisis including in the United States. Nationally these effects include the massive drought in the southeast, the raging forest fires in the west, and the thawing permafrost in Alaska. The causes are myriad; the destruction of the Amazon rainforests for the production of animal feed, over consumption of electricity in the U.S. and other developed countries, and excessive petroleum use for vehicles around the world are all examples.

According to Lauren Peery, first-year Global and Environmental Change student, “Power Shift represents a chance for me to actually do something truly meaningful. I already know that our country needs to be a leader when it comes to global warming, after this weekend I hope to be able to take that knowledge and turn it into action.”

Through both issue and skills based workshops, participants will gain the knowledge and proficiency they need to effectively tackle one of the biggest threats our society has ever faced. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the climate crisis is second only to the possibility of global nuclear war in terms of threatening humanity. The event will feature speakers such as Van Jones and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as well as musical guests Santogold and The Roots. More importantly, Power Shift will inspire over 10,000 young people to rise up and demand a just transition to a clean energy future.

Power Shift will culminate on Monday with two opportunities to take action. The first is a massive lobby day where thousands of people will confront their elected officials and insist that they enact legislation that will truly solve the climate crisis. The second opportunity is the Capital Coal Action which will be the largest civil disobedience in defiance of global warming ever organized. Environmental leaders such as Bill McKibben, Wendell Barry, and the Dean of Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Gus Speth, will stand alongside young people that are willing to risk arrest to make a symbolic statement to our elected officials: act immediately to reduce emissions, create jobs and re-engage globally to tackle the climate and economic crises.

“This is our opportunity to show the world that America is ready to be a leader in the fight against global warming,” said Senior Accounting major Bob McMurtry. “I want to be able to look back and tell my grandkids that I was there; I was one of the people that took a stand and made sure that our planet had a second chance.”

The organizers of Power Shift claim that history will likely show Power Shift 2009 as the one event that truly turned the tide against the climate crisis; if they are correct you don’t want to miss your opportunity to be part of this historic occurrence.

For more information and to register go to www.powershift09.org.

How Do We Start a New Climate Culture?

2009-02-13T10:16:00.000-05:00

As many of you know, we've been promoting participation in Climate Culture which GMU was invited to be a charter member of. It's a site where the Mason community can learn ways to be more sustainable. In participating, we can also win up to $20,000, as well. If you haven't already signed up, you can learn more about it at: http://www.climateculture.com/americas_greenest_campus

Below is a web log entry I wrote for it. This is the first web log I've ever written and it may be my last as well. I'm not really the kind of person who blogs. Nevertheless, I thought I might weigh in, just this once.

This web log (perhaps my one and only) is dedicated to Colin Bennett, who is awesome.

Many people suggest that as humans are supposed to be the highest form of life on the planet, it is our responsibility to be caretakers of or stewards to it. This incredible burden is ultimately a great folly in the understanding of the role of humanity on Earth.

Without humankind’s influence, the planet would thrive, the natural order of life sustaining itself. Mother Earth does not need humans to manage her. Instead of trying to be stewards of the world, we must learn to recognize that humans do not exist outside of the ecosystem, outside of Nature. In so doing, we learn that the only thing we need to manage is ourselves.

All the damage already done will need some help, but if humans stop creating evermore obstacles for Mother Earth to overcome and, instead, live more harmoniously with the rest of Nature, things could very well work themselves out in the end.

We manage ourselves by managing our behaviors. The actions we take in our lives can have profound effects on ourselves, our friends, our surroundings, and on the world.

Take a moment to pick up a plastic bottle, remove the cap, and recycle it. In that instance, if five people see you do that, and even just one of them changes their behavior for the better of all life (and, yes, recycling one bottle benefits ALL life), then that’s one more person than the moment before.

Sure, the actions we commit to on the Reduction Center on this site might help the university win this contest, but it’s more important that we are helping ourselves, our families, our future children, that starving child in Africa, or the thousands of children living on the streets of Mumbai and elsewhere by putting the Earth and all its denizens above ourselves from time to time.

Seemingly small acts can have far greater consequences (good or bad) than we often realize. A misplaced word could change a child’s perspective about the world around her; an errant cigarette butt could end up in the throat of a sea gull, killing it; and a plastic bottle, discarded unceremoniously on the street, could be picked up by someone who’s life YOU changed when they saw you do the same.

Join the new climate culture.

Story about Energy Secretary Steven Chu's position on energy issues

2009-01-14T12:23:00.000-05:00

January 14, 2009

Chu Eschews Greens’ Line Against Coal, Nuclear Development

BY GEORGE LOBSENZ, http://theenergydaily.com/publications/ed/1926.html

In a clear sign that he will not toe the line drawn by some environmental groups, Energy Secretary-designate Steven Chu Tuesday gave a qualified endorsement to the continued use of coal-fired generation and said new nuclear plants are essential given that they are by far the nation’s largest source of carbon-free electricity for the foreseeable future.

Chu, appearing at a confirmation hearing held by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, also delivered surprisingly candid testimony on what he called the current “standoff” between the United States and China on global warming. He said the United States should go first on emissions cuts with the expectation that China would follow—a prescription that drew blunt skepticism from a prominent Democrat, Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, about whether China actually would follow or whether Congress would buy that approach.

Overall, though, Chu drew strong bipartisan praise in carefully navigating through a host of sensitive issues, including what to do about nuclear waste and recycling; whether the federal government ought to exert more authority over power line siting; and how he will respond to state demands to deliver more funding for cleanup at DOE’s heavily contaminated nuclear weapons sites.

While he has been widely praised for his scientific expertise as head of DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the past four years, Chu also showed nimble political footwork in a potentially tricky exchange with Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) on Chu’s stated preference for a carbon emissions cap-and-trade system over a carbon tax as the best approach on climate change.

Pressed by Corker about the potential for “loopholes” in a cap-and-trade system—and whether it was the best solution or just the “politically best” solution—Chu replied with a cagey smile: “I’ll leave that to you.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Corker responded, “you seem pretty good.”

Chu then provided an elegant, to-the-point answer: “The simpler a cap-and-trade system is, the happier I will be.”

Chu was questioned closely by both Republicans and Democrats on his views on coal and nuclear, with Republicans especially determined to pin him down on his willingness to go to bat within the Obama administration for continued development of those two energy resources, which together currently provide 70 percent of U.S. electricity but which are opposed by many environmentalists.

In particular, Chu was asked by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) about recent remarks in which Chu said continued widespread use of coal-fired generation would be a “nightmare” in light of its heavy emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main greenhouse gas. Some environmentalists have seized on those remarks to buttress a campaign to discredit “clean coal” technology, such as CO2 sequestration, as an effective solution to coal’s environmental problems.

Dorgan said while he is a strong supporter of more renewables and energy efficiency, he believed clean coal clearly is needed as well. “All of us understand that we have to use coal differently in the future,” Dorgan said, “but I think everybody knows we are going to use coal in the future.”

Chu hastened to agree—and to clarify that his “nightmare” remark was meant to refer to continued use of coal without CO2 capture.

“If the world continues to use coal the way we are using it today, then it is a pretty bad dream,” he said, adding that he was concerned China had not even begun to capture sulfur and other pollutants from some of its coal plants.

“But I also say coal is an abundant resource in the world…. India and China, Russia and the United States, I believe, will not turn their back on coal, so it is imperative we do it as cleanly as possible. I will continue to develop these [clean coal] technologies.”

Chu went on to suggest that the environmentalists’ campaign against clean coal is misguided because other countries will continue to use coal, meaning clean coal technology remains vital to solving climate change concerns.

“Some people in the United States want to turn off coal,” he said, but, “even if we do, China and India will not.”

However, Chu was notably hesitant about the feasibility of deploying carbon sequestration at the scale necessary to allow continued broad use of coal for electricity generation. He acknowledged that major research efforts will be needed to develop the infrastructure and find underground geologic structures capable of storing huge amounts of carbon from coal-fired plants. As for the prospects for success, he resorted to the studied understatement of dubious scientists, saying: “It’s a possibility, but it is a significant challenge.”

Corker appeared to tweak Chu over his carefully worded answer, saying of near-term sequestration solutions: “A lot of people feel that it is going to happen when donkeys fly.”

On nuclear, Chu pledged his full support to help utilities build new nuclear plants, most immediately by fixing DOE’s troubled loan guarantee program, under which the government is helping utilities underwrite the huge cost of building the first next-generation reactors.

More broadly, Chu clearly disagreed with those green groups that say new nuclear should not go forward as a clean energy source because there is no clear disposal plan for nuclear waste.

“I have stated and believe that nuclear power will be part of our energy mix going forward because it is carbon-free and because it is baseload,” he said.

“I certainly will be working to make as many people as possible happy [on the issue],” he added, but “nuclear power is 70 percent of our carbon-free electricity generation—that cannot be denied.”

However, Chu also acknowledged that President-elect Barack Obama’s stated opposition to the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository had raised many “thorny questions” because it appeared to leave DOE without any clear strategy for disposing of spent fuel from commercial reactors despite its legal obligation to take the waste.

Still, Chu said the lack of an immediate answer on waste disposal should not stop utilities from building the first several advanced reactors. He said spent fuel could be safely stored for years while DOE looks into the potential for spent fuel recycling—the long-term solution championed by the Bush administration in conjunction with Yucca Mountain—or other unspecified disposal options.

“In the long term, recycling can be part of the solution,” Chu asserted, noting that France, Japan, Russia and other nations are committed to that approach and moving to improve recycling technologies. At the same time, though, he conceded DOE will have to conduct substantial research to determine if it is “feasible” to carry out recycling in a way that is proliferation-resistant and economic.

Chu’s interest in recycling may be a tough pill for some Democrats and environmentalists to swallow because they have repeatedly attacked Bush for pursuing that option, saying the recovery of weapons-usable plutonium for commercial use would open a Pandora’s box of proliferation concerns.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) urged Chu to “make a break” with the Bush administration’s “flawed” spent fuel reprocessing plans, which at one point called for spending billions of dollars to build prototype facilities. Wyden complained that Bush’s recycling plan “essentially green lights more [nuclear] without dealing with the enormous amount of waste we have.”

In the end, Chu appeared to suggest that Obama’s solution might be to develop interim spent fuel storage and let the next administration worry about final disposal. “The recycling issue is something that we don’t need a solution today, or even 10 years from today,” he said. “We need to figure out a way to store that spent fuel safely.”

On other issues, Chu:

• Promised to review DOE-established transmission corridors in the Mid-Atlantic and Southwest where federal officials can override state opposition to the siting of new power lines. However, Chu danced around the larger question of giving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission more authority to site power lines, which industry officials and key lawmakers say is needed to build a national grid capable of transmitting more renewable power. “I know the bottlenecks and I know the frustration [over state opposition to power lines], Chu said. But he said that if the federal government flexes its muscle too much, “my feeling is the states and local people in these states may react,” slowing down the process even more.

• Showed some sympathy for complaints by Washington state officials that DOE has chronically underfunded the cleanup at its Hanford nuclear site, thus failing to meet legally enforceable deadlines for remedial action. Chu promised to respond to a request by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) that DOE provide an extra $2 billion over the next four years to speed the lagging Hanford cleanup. In that vein, he noted that he had urged Obama officials to include nuclear cleanup funds in the economic stimulus bill.

• Expressed striking optimism about the game-changing potential of energy efficiency technologies and advanced cellulosic ethanol to improve U.S. energy security. For example, he said new construction materials and techniques are available to reduce building-related energy use by 80 percent, but that major efforts are needed to convince the construction industry that these assertions were not “fluff.” On advanced biofuels, Chu said the brightest minds at the Berkeley lab and other research labs are focused on developing cellulosic or algae-based ethanol and he is convinced that breakthroughs will be seen in the next few years on commercial viability. “It is not a possibility, but a probability that we will develop those technologies, and very quickly, too,” he said.

Could Mason be America's Greenest Campus?

2009-01-12T10:29:00.000-05:00

George Mason University is now registered as a participant in America's Greenest Campus contest which means that we have the opportunity to win up to $20,000 for our sustainability efforts. Rather than go into detail I'll just give you the website and a brief description from it:

http://climateculture.com/americas_greenest_campus

"America's Greenest Campus is the first nationwide contest among colleges to reduce the carbon footprints of their students, faculty, alumni and staff. Think your school is green? Well, now it's time to walk the walk! You have until Earth Day, April 22, to get as many people affiliated with your school to reduce their carbon footprints as much as they can! We'll keep track of the number of people participating on your campus and how much they reduce in the leaderboard below. We'll announce the two winners – the school with the most participants and the school with the most carbon reductions per participant – on Earth Day."

Considering the size of Mason (and our commitment to sustainability) we definitely have a real shot at winning this. Please go to the website and register today. Then, after registering, encourage all your friends and colleagues to do so as well; we need as many Mason people as possible (at least 300) participating. And don't forget to keep track of your carbon cutting actions, everything you do will earn us points! As of this post we have 118 people registered, double that of any other school, and we are in third place overall! Way to go Mason!

http://climateculture.com/americas_greenest_campus

Let me know if you have any questions. And please forward this message far and wide.

Thanks!

-Colin

P.S. Students: don't forget to register for Power Shift, pretty much the greatest thing ever!

On behalf of Teddy Wilkinson: Some holiday reading...

2009-01-06T11:33:00.000-05:00

If Mason is truly interested in shifting towards sustainability, we must also works towards shifting our paradigm of thinking; We need to rethink what it means to be human beings and our role in the ecosystem. Without this corresponding fundamental change in attitude, many environmental efforts are superficial and temporary. In order to get serious about saving our planet, read this article by Wendell Berry:

http://harpers.org/archive/2008/05/0082022

Inspiration

2009-01-05T09:54:00.000-05:00

Below is a video about Colin Carlson, a 12 year old boy from Connecticut that was featured recently on NBC Nightly News regarding his environmental endeavors, specifically his work fighting the climate crisis. I am sharing this story because I helped mentor him and I like to see him recognized for his efforts. Additionally, considering all he has already done in his life, I think he sets an awesome example for all of us. Please share this with as many people as possible.

-Colin

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Grist's Eco-villian of 2008

2008-12-23T18:19:00.000-05:00

Don Blankenship, CEO of (really evil coal company) Massey Energy has been nominated for Grist's Eco-villian of 2008 and you should totally vote for him.

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/12/18/134750/22?source=daily

Here is what Grist has to say about him:

In addition to his customary pursuits -- violating mine safety laws, bullying politicians and regulators, bribing state Supreme Court judges, blowing the tops off mountains -- this spring the CEO of coal giant Massey Energy was caught on tape threatening to shoot a reporter (like, with a gun). Perhaps to distract attention from that savvy PR move, he was caught on tape in November saying climate change isn't real, "greeniacs" are "crazies," mass transit will destroy capitalism, and his media critics are "communists" and "atheists." Gives mustaches a bad name.

As if we didn't have enough bad news

2008-12-20T13:38:00.000-05:00

This sucks. There is no other way to put it.

TOP STORY

The Needle and the Damage Done
Images of oil addiction in Canada's tar sands

Pop quiz: After Saudi Arabia, which country has the most proven oil reserves? Wrong. Not only wrong, but wrong part of the world. Unless you guessed Canada -- in which case, congratulations! Big old Canada is screwing up the planet big time with a big drilling operation. Forest Ethics head Todd Paglia describes a recent visit, and explains how to fight back.

[ discuss | email | + digg | + del.icio.us ]

new in Grist: The Needle and the Damage Done

-Colin

Coal grows in the ground or something...

2008-12-16T17:05:00.000-05:00

This is probably the best video I've ever seen about coal.

Please share it with as many people as possible. Here is the Youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71kckb8hhOQ

Clean Coal Carolers!

2008-12-12T11:26:00.000-05:00

"The Clean Coal Carolers are the holiday season’s hottest singing sensations! In fact, coal is the stocking stuffer of choice this year. It’s abundant, affordable and cleaner than ever. The Clean Coal Carolers have recorded six carols for your listening pleasure."

This left me at a loss for words. Essentially, I laughed, I cried, I got sick to my stomach.

From Andrew Wingfield: short video: Obama addresses governors' climate summit

2008-12-04T09:09:00.000-05:00

Obama didn't attend last month's climate summit (convened by Gov. S. in CA), but he recorded this video for the meeting. It's only about four minutes long. Take a look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvG2XptIEJk

Food article from Andrew Wingfield: Real Food Challenge connects over 300 schools, engages students

2008-12-04T09:02:00.000-05:00

http://www.nwf.org/campusEcology/climateedu/articleView.cfm?iArticleID=36

Real Food Challenge connects over 300 schools, engages students

Xarissa Holdaway

November 25, 2008

"Uniting students for just and sustainable food" is the motto of the Real Food Challenge, a network of students and activists working to bring ethically-produced, environmentally-sustainable food to campuses. This fall, a national campaign engaged students at more than 300 schools.

With an Advisory Committee made up of such heavyweights as Michael Pollan, Vandana Shiva, and Anna Lappé, and Steering Committee members from UC-Santa Cruz, Iowa State, and Brown University, it's a distinguished group that advocates "beyond the supermarket labels" of organic, green, or local.

According to Marissa Grossman, National Programs Coordinator, the term "Real Food" encompasses every stage of food, from the farm to the plate. She says, "We're talking about our entire food system, from the biodiversity of the land where we grow, to the social justice aspect of who is getting healthy food and who isn't."

While talk of local, sustainable agriculture is nothing new, this is the first concerted effort to make it a priority on college campuses, and use students as the drivers. The RFC's first major campaign, Real Food Now, ran from mid-September to mid-October of 2008, and encouraged students to host events, start projects and report back, with RFC providing advice, networking capabilities and a collection of publications and resources. Students responded by hosting more than 200 events all over the country.

Most projects focused on raising awareness on the campus, such as ISU's Real Food picnic, which used local apples and musicians to draw people to the event, where they could learn about food systems and local agriculture. The program dovetailed with Iowa State's Student Agriculture Farm and food purchasing policies that favor local and organic choices.

Other groups highlighted the connection between food systems and climate change, like Radishes and Rubbish, a two-student team from NYU that takes students on "field trips" to local food producers and waste management facilities to describe where specific items come from, how they are processed, how food gets wasted, and the impact that food has on climate and people.

And of course, the social justice element played a large role at many schools. Berea College, which hosted an "Eat-In," invited representatives from Oxfam and Bereans for Appalachia to table and speak to students about fair trade, local economics and global equality issues.

Grossman says, "It's quite extraordinary. Thousands of students are working very hard to make sure that their schools commit to a real food economy. And if that means they have to get their hands dirty--I mean literally in the dirt--that's what they're going to do."

Campus Ecology...It takes a big step to make a smaller footprint.

Native Plant and Landscaping Update

2008-11-21T11:54:00.000-05:00

There are a bunch of efforts on campus to 1) make the physical campus more ecologically sound and 2) to use the physical campus as a teaching/learning lab about ecology and the value of native plant habitat. A chair of this working group, I am trying to gather information about all these efforts. I hope Andrew and others will chime in!

Here are a couple of efforts I am dealing with:
1) Make GMU a "Tree Campus USA," a designation granted by the Arbor Day Foundation. The point of the designation is to encourage a comprehensive management plan for trees that is ecologically sound (which GMU does not have) and to formalize a committment to environmental education regarding trees/native habitat. The site is very cool: http://www.arborday.org/programs/treecampususa/ Virginia Tech is already has this designation.

2) Writing a memorandum to the University regarding the value of native habitat and trees on campus for teaching, ecosystem services, and reducing the costs of facilities management. Have concerned faculty sign it.

3) The University is getting a new greenhouse behind SUB II in the next few months! I'd like to develop teaching garden, with an emphasis on plant-insect interactions, around the walkways leading to this building. The plant-insect garden by the US Natural History Museum is my ideal.

Worldmapper

2008-11-18T09:09:00.000-05:00

http://www.worldmapper.org/index.html
Some interesting info - and potentially useful displays.
And careful, it could take up a bunch of your time. Especially if you go here - http://www.worldmapper.org/atozindex.html

This article gave me mixed feelings

2008-11-17T21:16:00.000-05:00

'Save The Environment'??? Puh-leeze: Let's Get Real
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/11/save_the_enviro.html

Comments?

Green goes underground

2008-11-17T19:35:00.000-05:00

Hey! is this where we can flagrantly promote our own social and political agendas without fear of overloading someone's email inbox?

A agree with Andrew wholeheartedly about the list. I find it very informative...and as far as getting the list in other forms, I have a few lists that i get via daily digest, which is a nice option.

Carbon Footprint Calculator

2008-10-31T17:29:00.000-04:00

Check out http://www.ecohatchery.com/calculator. You can calculate your carbon footprint, and find tips on improving it.

Welcome to Mason Goes Green!

2008-10-27T12:51:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Mason Goes Green!

Sustainability is challenging, at all levels: personally, communally, and globally. The Sustainability Office at George Mason University hopes to create an active forum for discussion among not only our students, faculty, and staff, but also welcomes the extended Mason community to participate in discussing issues of sustainability as they relate to our campuses.

Feel free to actively debate, discuss, and disagree - but please be civil and respectful. If you do not feel you can abide by this simple rule, you will be prevented from posting in the future.

And finally, here is the legal disclaimer: the content of this Blog does not represent the views or opinions of the George Mason Administration, as we are a state agency and are required to be non-partisan. While members of the staff and faculty will be participating in this Blog, their opinions are solely their own, not the opinions of the Administration.

Thanks so much, and blog on!
Lenna Storm
Sustainability Coordinator
George Mason University
lstorm@gmu.edu