See It: The Community being helped

The 2007 Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition Summit will have 150-200 attendees from campuses across the state and will feature keynote speakers involved in clean energy organizing in Michigan, introductory and in-depth workshops on the impacts of fossil fuels and global warming, briefings on energy and climate policy at the state level in Michigan and basic and advanced skills trainings to empower students to organize for clean energy on their campuses. The conference will prominently feature the Campus Climate Challenge in a nation-wide effort to establish a workforce of students across 500 universities to reduce campus emissions by 90% by 2050. This national campaign sponsored by the Energy Action Coalition brings together the efforts of students on hundreds of campuses across the country working for clean energy to rise to the challenge to stop global warming and create a new energy future. Students will be strongly encouraged to start the Campus Climate Challenge on their campuses.

Following the conference, the organizations in the Energy Action Coalition will assist students in carrying out their campaigns and in leveraging their work and their victories into pressure for clean energy policies at the city, state, and national levels.

Last year, this conference was a huge success, bringing together 75 students from 8 different campuses. The conference achieved its goal of inspiring students across the state to advocate for clean energy issues. This year we would like to make this opportunity available again and double the attendance to 150-200 students.

The 2007 Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition Summit Agenda:

Friday, September 28
2:30 PM Leadership Meeting Green River Café Basement
5:30 PM Dinner & Registration Chemistry Bldg Lobby
7:00 PM Welcome & State of the MSSC Chem Bldg 138
7:15 PM Ice Breakers & Networking Chem Bldg 138
7:45 PM Mayor Singh: Introduction Chem Bldg 138
8:00 PM Keynote Speaker: Omoyele Sowore Chem Bldg 138

Saturday, September 29
7:30 AM Breakfast Chem Bldg Lobby
8:30 AM Issues of Environmental Justice – see pg. 2 Chem Bldg
9:45 AM Fair Trade Organic Coffee Break Chem Bldg Lobby
10:00 AM Community Foundation & Anti-Oppression Chem Bldg 138
11:30 AM Lunch
1:00 PM Training & Workshop Session 1 – see pg. 2-3 Chem Bldg
2:00 PM Training & Workshop Session 2 – see pg. 2-3 Chem Bldg
3:00 PM Break
3:30 PM Training & Workshop Session 3 – see pg. 2-3 Chem Bldg
5:00 PM Break-out Groups - Campus and Campaigns Chem Bldg
6:30 PM Dinner – Leave from Chem Bldg Lobby

Sunday, September 30
7:30 AM Breakfast
8:30 AM Leave for Service Projects
Lunch on your own
3:00 PM Rally Administration Building
4:00 PM Debrief and Closing Chem Bldg 138
5:00 PM MSSC Leadership (Old and New) Meeting + Food

Issues of Environmental Justice: 8:30 AM Saturday
Environmental justice work seeks to empower communities that have traditionally born the brunt of environmental degradation. We chose to begin the conference with an exploration of existing environmental injustices, so that with the skills we acquire, and in the campaigns we run, we act in accordance with the principles of environmental justice.
Gender and Sustainability: Facilitator: Marci Baranski – Eco
The social and environmental justice movements cannot fully thrive without addressing issues of injustices based on gender and perpetrated through unsustainable environmental practices. Location: Chem 085
Environmental Justice and Service Learning: Where does Environmental Justice Advocacy and Service Learning intersect? How can service learning organizations and EJ Advocates work together? Facilitator: Tremaine Phillips - Eco Location: Chem 183
Native Americans and American Environmentalism: Learn the history of the environmental movement and of its roots in the indigenous movement. Facilitator: – Real Warriors Love Location: Chem 281
Mountain Top Removal: The cheap and destructive way of fueling our destructive energy economy. Facilitator: Dave Cooper Location: Chem 136
Detroit Incinerator & City Recycling: We need look no farther than Detroit for a vivid picture of environmental injustice. Facilitator: Brandon Knight Location:Chem 287
Sulfide Mining in the UP: Learn about the Environmental Justice implications of the planned sulfide mining operation in the UP. Facilitator: Cory Howes - Students Against Sulfide Mining Location: Chem 109

What’s your focus this weekend?
We’ve broken our trainings and workshops into tracks by common theme: Activism, Transportation Challenge & Freedom from Oil, Sustainable Technology, Sustainable Business, Campus Organizing, Organizational Development, Environmnetal Law, and Independent Media Production. Feel free to pick and choose from different tracks.

Activist Campaigns
Using the Campus Climate Challenge, the Transportation Challenge, and Rain Forest Action Network’s Corporate Campaigning models, you’ll learn the ropes of community coordinating and running effective activist campaigns.
- Session 1: Community Coordinating 101 - What is power? How do you get it? How can we use it? Facilitator: Andrew Munn - UM EIC Location: BPS 1420
- Session 2: Creative Tactics Facilitator: Cole Smith - MSU & Michael Merriweather – WSU SDS Location: BPS 1420
- Session 3: Corporate Campaigning: How to create systemic change with market-based campaigning. Facilitator: RAN & GX Location: BPS 1420

Organizational Development
Learn the tools that can keep your organization moving. Discuss the challenges faced by student groups, and how to overcome them.
- Session 1: Grant Writing Facilitator: Chris Detjen - EIC Location: Chem 085
- Session 2: Run an effective Meeting Facilitator: Terry Link Location: Chem 085
- Session 3: Leadership Development Facilitator: Andrew Munn – UM EIC Location: Chem 085

Transportation Challenge and Freedom From Oil
Do you want to transform transportation in your community? These campaigns strive to create environmentally sustainable, socially just, and economically sane transportation systems.
- Session 1: Introduction to Freedom from Oil and the Transportation Challenge. Facilitator: RAN & GX Location: BPS 1415
- Session 2: Myths and Facts of Transportation - Solutions vs. False Solutions Facilitator: RAN & GX Location: BPS 1415
- Session 3: Bringing together the Labor and Environmental Movements. Facilitator: RAN GX Location: BPS 1415

Sustainable Technology
Frame our sustainable future in terms of the technologies that will replace our current, unsustainable technological systems. See some of these demonstrated by the Lansing Community College’s Alternative Energy Department.
- Session 1: Framing the Sustainability with exciting technology. Facilitator: Jeff Tenza – Clean Tech Location: Chem 183
- Session 2: MSU Solar Car Team Location: Chem 183
- Session 3: Lansing Community College Alternative Energy Demonstration. Facilitator: Sean Huberty – LCC Alternative Energy Major Location: Chem 183

Sustainable Business
The corporate world is immensely powerful. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing Learn about the financial advantages of sustainability, and how to make business a force of positive social and environmental change
- Session 1: Net Impact and Social Entrepreneurship Facilitator: Mary Lemmer & Net Impact Location: Chem 281
- Session 2: Sustainable Development through Higher Education and Business Facilitator: Norman Christopher – GVSU Community Sustainability Partnership Location: Chem 281
OR
- Session 2: Students Connecting with Local Business Community for Sustainability Facilitator: LeRoy Harvey Location: Chem 138
- Session 3: How to make the financial case for sustainable projects. Facilitator: Justin Schott – NWF Location: Chem 281

Campus Organizing
How to build a strong campus movement for sustainability.
- Session 1: Community Coordinating 101 - What is power? How do you get it? How can we use it? Facilitator: Andrew Munn - UM EIC Location: BPS 1410
- Session 2: Working with the Administration Facilitator: Chris Detjen – UM EIC Location: Chem 287
OR
- Session 2: Working in Solidarity with Diverse Interests. Facilitator: Andrew Munn, Aria Everts, and Yousef Rhabi – UM Campus Unite Location: BPS 1420
- Session 3: Planning for Campus Carbon-Neutrality Facilitator: Justin Schott - NWF
Location: Chem 287

Independent Media Center
Learn the basics of working with the media and utilize new media technology – blogging, podcasts, and youtube. Produce media coverage of the conference and campaign launch. Create hype around the MSSC and upcoming Power Shift. Led by the Energy Action Coalition Communication Director – Brianna Cayo Cotter Location: Chem 136

Environmental Law and Policy
Give Sustainable practices the force of law. We’re talking systemic change here.
- Session 1: Environmental Law 101 Facilitator: MSU Environmental Law Society Location: Chem 109
- Session 3: Renewable Portfolio Standard in Michigan Facilitator: David Gard – Michigan Environmental Council Location: Chem 109

Service Projects

MSU Community
Converting Bower Cooperative into an Eco-House

Sustainable Agriculture Work Day at MSU Student Organic Farm

Lansing Eastside
Compact Fluorescent Light-Bulb Switch

Raised-Bed Garden Building

Park Clean-Up

See It: The Community being helped

I chose the "education" topic as my cause because that is precisely what I was struggling for. As an out-spoken student activist, I defended proper practices in the university environment. At Ohio University-- as well as countless other universities and colleges around the country-- the system is so extremely "top-down" that the students have absolutely no control over their education, the environment in which they live, decisions which are made on their behalf, as well as processes that are completed behind closed doors by administrators and trustees. As a response to this, I organized a "vote of confidence" in the university's president so that the entire university community could democratically vote to share how much confidence they have in the face of the administration. I organized and publicized several rallies, protests, and demonstrations to increase awareness throughout the community and sent many letters to local newspapers. Voter turn-out was at an all-time high for the university's student government elections--for which I ran on a "no-confidence" platform for senator-- and the students and faculty both voted 77-78% no confidence in the president. Although the president brushed this response off and deemed it "inconclusive," the student body was able to unite for this cause and make plans to take further action in defending our right to a fair and democratic education system in the following school year.