Buy Nothing Day

Events will be happening on November 25th in the SLC.

These will revolve around the idea of less consumerism and promoting a less wasteful & more social ethic.

A swap is being organized of clothing and other items - you can give your items early if you wish and then go to the event on the day to take something - email Chloe at chlosmo@msn.com
Need someone to help setup a table and spread the word.

WPIRG's Food not Bombs will is organizing to give away free meals outside of Modern Languages.

Campus Greens will try to show a relevant video.

If you're group is doing something, please leave a comment to let us know.
UWSP or the waste management group?

We can work on collaborating and advertising the events together.

uwenet@gmail.com

Meeting Minutes for October 18 2005

UWEN Meeting Minutes for October 18, 2005

Chair: Justin Williams
Minutes: Hingman Leung

In Attendance: Darcy Higgins (UW Greens), Drew Adams (PSA) , Melanie Lum (UWSP), Maggie Janik (ERS 250), Stephon Prelto (ERS 250), Janet Yip, Justin Williams (ERS 250), Hingman Leung (UWSP)

1. Chair selection – Justin volunteered to act as chair

2. Introductions

· Darcy Higgins – Representing Campus Greens is the Green Party group in UW

· Stephan and Maggie – Representing ERS 250 Networking Green Groups, working towards a document that will help environmental groups network effectively

· Janet Yip - Feds Counselor, just here to find out about network

· Hingman and Melanie – Representing UWSP, a Feds Service that promotes environmental outreach and facilitates greening initiatives

· Drew Adams – Representing PSA (Planning Students Association)

· Justin Williams – Representing Fall 2005 ERS 250 class

3. UWEN Purpose

· To act as a tool for different “green” groups on campus to connect

· To allow for information sharing and chances to collaborate between different groups

· To promote the sharing of information and resources

· Blog to act as information hub for events and pertinent information for all “green” groups, to post to it, email content to uwenet at gmail

· All groups to keep individuality – UWEN will not function as a separate or individual organization

4. Update on Letter to UW President

· Darcy Higgins of UW Greens initiated the drafting of a letter to urge David Johnson to establish a Sustainability Coordinator and Sustainability Office for UW

· Need is motivated by the absence of a Waste Management Coordinator, who, in the past, has acted as a Sustainability Coordinator and saved UW a significant amount of money

· As well, other universities have established such positions, UW should do so as well to support its students who pursue “greening” projects

· Current confirmed signatories include Engineering Society, Environmental Studies Society, UW Sustainability Project, UW Greens, Field Naturalists Club, Planning Students Association, Environment and Resource Studies Student Association, Womyn’s Centre

o Others still waiting for confirmation – Midnight Sun, Alternative Fuels Team, WPIRG, Engineers Without Borders

o Other possible groups – Science Society, Arts Students Union, UWIHDA, and others to be identified

· Article to be submitted to Imprint to reach out to other groups who would like to be included as a signatory, as well to raise awareness of this campaign

· At this stage the letter is aimed at UW President as a plea from students, therefore excluding faculty and staff members. ES Faculty will send a similar letter to council.

o Depending on the success of this letter, there is a possibility to involve faculty and staff as well as FEDs

o Question of whether or not UWEN should approach FEDs President John Anderson for support

§ Janet recommends approaching ERS counselors first – Michelle Zakrison – to be brought up on the agenda of the next council meeting

· WPIRG potentially can aid in this campaign in estimating the cost and budgeting of hiring a Sustainability Coordinator and the running of a Sustainability Office; with researched numbers the letter will be more effective in engaging a response from the UW President

· There are alternatives still being discussed, for example a sustainability geared section of ES Faculty

5. New Items

· Clearing a Path Action Group through UWSP hopes to address administrative barriers to greening projects

o 1^st campaign is called “Get it Signed”, to urge UW to commit to and sign the Talloires Declaration that was created in 1990 in France by various universities who believed that universities should be the leaders in sustainable development

o Currently there are only 23 Canadian universities who have committed to it, UW is not one of them

o If signed, “greening” projects would be more easily and more efficiently implemented

o UW President has in the past supported sustainable development, Clearing a Path anticipates the need to influence his “green” side.

o 1^st meeting is Thursday October 20^th 2005, 6pm in SLC 2133 – to discuss method and scope, i.e. postering and petitions

· ERS 250 Networking Green Groups – trying to get in contact with other organizations who would mutually benefit UWEN or a similar network

· Bike Racks – there has been a past UWSP audit on where bike racks should be placed on campus, UWSP to follow up on audit; potential for a viable proposal to increase bike racks on campus

6. Collaboration Opportunities

· ES Green Roof

o The building of a vegetative roof surface for educative purposes has been approved. It is hoped to feature a mix of intensive and extensive construction. Improved air quality is but one of its benefits

o Funding and information is required

o Emma Halsal of Green Roofs Over Waterloo (GROW) to lend expertise to ESS

o Opportunity to contact Systems Design Engineering for expertise

· Coffee House

o UW Greens can help organize, Womyn’s Centre is interested as well

o If hosted in the Bombshelter (in SLC) UWSP or ESS can book it

o If there is enough interest from UWEN groups, it will be put on the next agenda to be discussed thoroughly.

· SLC Waste Management Campaign (Rick Theis)

o Rick Theis (Former Clubs Manager) to head a week of education events in the SLC to promote awareness of waste in shared spaces

o Rick intends to fill areas of the SLC with garbage and do a photo shoot to as a tool for this campaign

o Call for ideas is open to all UWEN groups – organizations and clubs have an open opportunity to be involved in this campaign

§ Interested groups please email uwenet at gmail by October 23 2005

o UW Greens in the past has done a garbage sorting event in the SLC, Nancy O’Neil interested in repeat of this event

o UW Greens this year intend to act on Buy Nothing Day in November, to educate students about consumption

§ Clothing and item trade event, possible collaboration with WPIRG

· Won Ton Challenge

o Spin on words to promote the One Tonne Challenge

o Educate students on the ecological footprint of different types of wonton, and influencing their buying and eating habits

o Youth Environment Network has a call for proposals, deadline is end of October, if approved will provide a grant of approximately $5000

o Interested groups to contact UWSP coordinator Melanie Lum at extension 2182

7. Information Sharing

· Feds “Crew” is holding a publicity stunt – cleaning student ghettos to show the Waterloo community that the Crew cares

o Opportunity to urge Crew to clean up areas of the campus as well, possibility to collaborate with Rick Theis on SLC Waste Management Campaign

· PSA is holding a bowling night as well as a ES Faculty wide dodge ball event on November 9^th 2005.

8. Meeting Adjourned

FREE Peaceable Kingdom Film Screening

Peaceable Kingdom film screening with Harold Brown
Mon. Oct 24
5:30pm
Davis Centre 1304 - University of Waterloo
FREE - Food and refreshments provided

Harold Brown, Outreach Coordinator for Farm Sanctuary is coming to the University of Waterloo!

He appears in Tribe of Heart's newly released documentary Peaceable Kingdom, where he tells the powerful story of his transformation from "beef farmer" to vegan farm animal advocate.

At a time when the public is more concerned than ever about the health and environmental problems associated with large-scale factory farming, Peaceable Kingdom explores anorther angle of this unfolding story: the interconnected life journeys of farm animals, former farmers, and animal rescuers struggling against an out-of-control industrial system.

Harold travels the continent raising awareness about the state of modern agriculture; the environmental damage it causes, and the state of denial that industry representatives and farmers are in about the ruthless cruelty inflicted upon animals. He will first give a short introductory presentation, which will be followed by a full screening of Peaceable Kingdom, and the evening will conclude with a Q&A period.

He will first give a short introductory presentation, which will be followed by a full screening of Peaceable Kingdom, and the evening will conclude with a Q/A period.

This will be a rare opportunity to hear this extraordinary story firsthand!

*Event brought to you by the Center for Compassionate Living (CCL) and WPIRG*

FREE Peaceable Kingdom Film Screening

Peaceable Kingdom film screening with Harold Brown
Mon. Oct 24
5:30pm
Davis Centre 1304 - University of Waterloo
FREE - Food and refreshments provided

Harold Brown, Outreach Coordinator for Farm Sanctuary is coming to
the University of Waterloo!

He appears in Tribe of Heart's newly release documentary Peaceable Kingdom,
where he tells the powerful story of his transformation from "beef farmer"
to vegan farm animal advocate.

At a time when the public is more concerned than ever about the health and
environmental problems associated with large-scale factory farming, Peaceable
Kingdom explores anorther angle of this unfolding story: the interconnected
life journeys of farm animals, former farmers, and animal rescuers struggling
against an out-of-control industrial system.

Harold travels the continent raising awareness about the state of modern
agriculture; the environmental damage it causes, and the state of denial
that industry representatives and farmers are in about the ruthless cruelty
inflicted upon animals.

He will first give a short introductory presentation, which will be followed by
a full screening of Peaceable Kingdom, and the evening will conclude with a
Q&A period.

Please come and show your support. This will be a rare opportunity to hear
this extraordinary story firsthand!

*Event brought to you by the Center for Compassionate Living (CCL) and WPIRG*

Two Hikes: Invasive Species and Tree Identification

Hi everybody,

Just wanted to let all the ERS'ers out there know that
Larry Lamb, head of the Ecology Lab here at UW, is
going to be holding a hike & talk this weekend at the
Cruickston Charitable Reserve (aka "RARE") in
Cambridge this Sunday, from 1-4. This is a great
chance to learn some of Ontario's worst invasive
species (he'll be covering about half a dozen) and to
explore one of Cambridge's largest nature reserves
(and see its very rare alvar ecosystem). Larry's got
friends in town and so he's promised to "make it a
good one". ;)

Unfortunately, as it's on a Sunday, no buses are
running out to the site. If anyone is interested in
going and would be willing to carpool, let me know and
I will do my best to co-ordinate people. (It would be
extremely appreciated!) Alternately, if there is a
group wanting to go, we could split a cab from
Fairview Mall in Kitchener. E-mail me if you would be
interested (and specify interested no matter what vs.
interested with carpooling) - registration deadline is
this Wednesday (I'll submit all ES names at the same
time), and total cost is $5, which goes to support
RARE.


NEXT Wednesday, October 26, I'll be leading a tree
identification hike (which got delayed due to weather)
with the UW Field Naturalists Club. We'll be leaving
from the front of Fed Hall at 11:30, and the hike will
probably go till about 1:30 - pack a lunch and we'll
stop to eat somewhere around 12:30. :) This is a great
chance to come out and learn the basics of identifying
some of our native trees, or, if you already know
them, a great chance to come out and impress the rest
of us. ;)

Full details on Larry's trip posted below.

Cheers! :)
Amber

*********

Alien plant species pose a threat to several plant
habitats at rare. Join Larry Lamb, rare Environmental
Advisory Team Member, who will take participants to
where about a half dozen main invasive species are
grown (e.g. buck thorn, barberry, etc), and will
discuss the threats they pose and strategies for
eradication. Cost: $5.00 (Friends are free). Please
register by Wed., October 19th, 2005. Location: rare
Resource House and Slit barn, 768 Blair Road.

Article on the UW Environment Network

Meeting of the UW greens
Cross-campus network created to share resources
Sabrina Bowman - Imprint staff
Student groups at UW that are concerned about the environment have decided to connect through the creation of an environmental network called UWEN (the University of Waterloo Environment Network).
"There are so many groups [on campus] striving towards the same thing... [we wanted to] get everyone together to see if we have common ground. We can be stronger working together," said University of Waterloo Sustainability Project (UWSP) coordinator Hingman Leung.
Leung, along with Darcy Higgins, president of the UW campus greens, contacted environmentally-focused groups on campus, including the environmental studies society, Engineers Without Borders, the Waterloo Public Interest Research Group and several others about getting involved in the network.
The aim is to connect the different green groups on campus so that they can share ideas, resources and volunteers, as well as seek help with any problems they encounter.
"We want to work as a network - keep our individual groups but work together on one project, which would be stronger - and avoid duplication of projects," added Higgins.
Present at the meeting were representatives from the UW Campus Greens, UWSP, the planning students society, the environment and resource studies student association and the science society.
Some of the possible activities proposed at the UWEN meeting include a letter-writing campaign to the university to push them to hire a sustainability coordinator and a coffeehouse event to allow the members of the network to connect face to face.
The network will be made up of representatives from any groups on campus interested in environmental issues and activism. There will be monthly meetings and an e-mail list, on which questions, volunteer opportunities and general updates will be posted.
"We are going to have such a variety of societies and people [who join the network], so we are going to have more cross-campus involvement; and we will be able to reach people on a more intimate level," said science society representative Andrew Falcao.
For more information on the network and how you can get your campus group involved in UWEN, e-mail uwenet@gmail.com.

Workbee Event!

The J. Steckle Heritage Homestead in Kitchener (811 Bleams Rd) is looking for volunteers for a work-bee this Sunday at 12:30, preparing a prairie & riparian corridor restoration site for winter. Refreshments will be provided (mmm, cider)! This is a great opportunity to come on out, learn a bit about ecological restoration, mulch some trees, and enjoy the crisp Fall air. Take a break from all the school and come join us in the great outdoors and help us to recreate one of Ontario's most endangered ecosystems!

Also, the University of Waterloo Field Naturalists Club is breaking in our "field trip" shoes, so if anyone's interested in learning about tree identification, I'll be attempting to lead a hike in the (expansive!) Huron Natural Area site directlyacross from the JSHH following the work-bee, probablystarting around 3. (Please RSVP if you'd like toattend).

If anyone is interested in attending (either event) but needs directions, please e-mail me at (amcantell(at) yahoo.ca) and I'll forward them on ASAP. I'll also be leaving from the 12 busstop on University Ave.just out front of South Campus Hall (That's on University Ave., not the stop on Ring Road!) at 11 am Sunday, if anyone wants to join me/be spared attempting to follow my directions. ;)

Amber Cantell, UW Field Naturalists

Welcome Everyone!

Please Bookmark This Page!


Email us to get involved with UWEN, or with your group's events or ideas that we can post. UWENet@gmail.com

Wind Energy Expert here

The Sustainable Technology Education Project (STEP) is hosting wind energy expert Paul Gipe at the Unversity of Waterloo. Paul Gipe has lectured widely in Europe, North America, and the South Pacific on wind energy and how to minimize its impact on the environment and the communities of which it is a part. For his efforts the World Renewable Energy Congress honored Gope as a "pioneer" in 1998 abd tge American Energy Assiciation named him as the industry's "person of the year" in 1988. The Ontario Provincial Government is about to pass standard offer contract legislation that will encourage Ontarians to set up renewable energy systems, allowing them to sell clean power back to the grid at a fixed premium. The federal government has made commitments to adopt 10 GW of wind energy by 2010. Rising oil prices and increased environmental concerns are driving the explosive wind energy industry in Ontario. It is only a matter of time for wind turbines to be a common sight as in Germany and Denmark. This is an ideal time for students to enter into the industry at the ground level. Ontario will need thousands of people with wind energy skills to develop the infrastructure, expertise and organizations for Ontario to embrace wind. STEP along with WPIRG and UWSP is giving University of Waterloo students the chance to experience what wind energy is all about.

Wind Energy Lecture
Wed. October 12, 2005 8:00pm - 9:30pm Hagey Hall FREE admission

Wind Energy Workshop
Thurs. October 13, 20059:00am - 4:00pmFed HallFREE admissionRegistration: $5 refundable deposit at WPIRG office, SLC 2139

Contact:
www.step.uwaterloo.ca
email: step@feds.ca

Brandon Seegmiller, STEP director

Water Resources meeting

For those interested in water issues:
The Canadian Water Resources Association (CWRA) (UW Student Chapter) will bemeeting this upcoming wednesday OCt 12, 6pm Molly Blooms inthe UniversityPlaza. The CWRA is run out of the GRCA and is an Nation wide association. From myunderstanding it is a great way to network and learn more about waterresouces. Steve Murphy (ERS professor) has done a presenation for them in the past.
Website:Other groups that i think are assoicated with them:
Canadian Water Network (http://cwn-rce.ca/) which is run out of UW earthscience but lists Profs such as Sarah Michaels (in Planning).
Conestoga Rovers (craworld.com) which does EAs, Brownfield cleanup,groundwater/hydrology stuff
GRCA (grandriver.ca)

For info, contact: Sarah McAlister, ERS Student Association
mcbrea@hotmail.com

Greens Meeting

The UW Campus Greens (Green Party) will be meeting to discuss environmental/political
ideas for the semester with all old and new members - Thursday at 4:30 in the ES Coffee Shop (ES1 lower floor).
Everyone is invited and we'll be looking for executive members.

Another way to get involved!

http://watserv1.uwaterloo.ca/~uwgreen/
(needs updating)

Hey everyone!

Check out our new poster for the Network.
Feel free to distribute it to get the word out.

Darcy Higgins (dp)
UW Campus Greens

Call for Volunteers!

Dear Faculty and students,

The Waste Management Working Group at the University of Waterloo Sustainability Project (UWSP) is working on improving waste management activities on campus. We are actively recruiting new members for Fall and Winter term.
S ome of our ongoing and proposed activities include:
Mackenzie King Villages Composting Project
Lug-a-Mug Campaign Groceries Cloth bags
Guelph Wet/dry facility Field trip
..and many more!
This is an excellent opportunity to meet new people and gain valuable skills. We need your help to make this campus a little cleaner and greener.
If you want to make a difference,
please contact Tiffany at thytsun@fes.uwaterloo.ca or visit our office at Student Life Centre, third floor 3102! Hope to hear from you,

Tiffany Tsun
4A Planning
Waste Management Head
Office Hours: Wednesday 10am - 1pm
UWSP office SLC thrid floor
x2182

Meeting Minutes for September 27th 2005

For the inaugural meeting, the following groups were in attendance:
Imprint, SciSoc, ERSSA, PSA, UWSP, UWGreens.

Purpose and structure of meetings:
- to provide a forum for green groups on campus
- to serve as a tool to foster community
- meetings each month
- each group will take turns charing and taking minutes

Past work of represented groups:
ERSSA - support environmental projects, fund students for educational trips, maintain ES composter
SciSoc - mainly a social group for science, instituted "lights off" policy in SciSoc office, eliminated use of styrofoam in Science C&D
Greens - speakers coming to campus to speak on environmental topics, and spread the word about environmental education
PSA - represents different views of planners, events held mostly social events for planning students and professional events
UWSP - several working groups focusing on different aspects of greening the campus, for example solar panels on top of Fed Hall, naturalized islands throughout campus

Establishment of a NAME:
- inspired by Ontario Environment Network (OEN)
- concensus was UWEnvironment Network
- potential in the future to join the OEN

Function of UWENet:
- question of whether faculty societies should all have representatives, as well as student clubs
- UWENet as only a means to connect, so that all groups who attend meetings can keep their individual activities
- lots of potential to collaborate on projects, especially with Enterprise Opportunities and Innovation Fund, Special Projects Fund, and Student Life Endowment Fund
- email list set up, with gmail account - uwenet (at) gmail.com
- blog to function as a message board, where each group involved can post important information, will serve as a communication tool between meetings
- representatives to pass on information to sub-groups and affiliated groups

News:
- Waste management position not being replaced
- there is a need for the school to hire a Sustainability coordinator, to take initiatives to implementing projects that improve the sustainability of our campus
- first project for UWEN is to generate a letter requesting the President of UW to establish a Sustainability Coordinator
- Darcy of UWGreens to draft letter, will be reviewed at next UWEN meeting

Possible collaborations:
- pushing for more bike racks around buildings on campus
- SciSoc open for suggestions, has a wide volunteer and member base
- news items can be forwarded to Imprint
* make full use of the network by collaborating on initiatives and projects

Outreach:
- question of whether or not UWEN should present itself to FEDs
- possibility of attending clubs meeting, to present UWEN invitation
- student societies to be invited and extended to sub groups
- pass around UWEN email address to interested groups
- meetings not open to individuals yet

Action items:
- representatives to spread the word about UWEN
- representatives to generate discussion on the need for a Sustainability Coordinator
- emailing list to be set up
- blog to be set up