Posted by Ani Lordkipanidze
Following their trip to the Washington, D.C., protests on the first weekend in November, members of the Environmental Action Club remain active with plans for future trips and community projects.
One of these trips includes a brief excursion to the Northeast Organic Farming Association conference, which will take place Jan. 20 to 22 in downtown Saratoga Springs. NOFA is a community of gardeners, landscapers and consumers trying to educate the public about environmental issues. The EAC attended the conference last year.
"It was a great opportunity for people interested in food issues to get to know farmers, participate in workshops on sustainable agriculture, eat delicious food and support local businesses," said Margot Reisner '14, president of the EAC.
Reisner said farming is a dwindling profession, and that students will be able to learn more about farmers' lives and what it takes to follow this career path through this conference.
"You meet lots of cool people, hear incredible speakers and leave with all kinds of fun stuff like stickers and books. I even got a rosemary plant last year," Reisner said.
Only 15 students will be able to attend this conference, and those interested should email Eliza Sherpa '14, vice president of the EAC at esherpa@skidmore.edu.
In addition to the conference, the EAC will undertake two community projects headed by its subcommittees to raise awareness on environmental issues.
The waste group subcommittee will construct an enormous water bottle made of chicken wire filled many smaller water bottles as part of the "Take Back the Tap" campaign. The ultimate objective is to eliminate the use of plastic water bottles on campus in favor of free tap water.
"Hopefully the art project will help raise awareness about our use of plastic and especially around the unnecessary use of plastic water bottles when you can always get water for free," Reisner said.
Collection boxes for used plastic water bottles will be placed in the atrium of the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall. The EAC also will be collecting at 3 p.m. Friday in Case Center. The construction of the giant water bottle will happen at 2 p.m. Saturday on the Weiking Green. Students who wish to learn more should contact Ceanna Vangelder '14 at cvangeld@skidmore.edu.
For the second project, the food group subcommittee is collaborating with children in the community to make a recipe book to raise awareness about local and organic food and how they are used. Profits from the books will fund the Student Garden. Students who wish to contribute should contact Juliana O'Brien '15 at jobrien@skidmore.edu or Gabby Stern '13 at gstern@skidmore.edu.
The EAC meets at 9 p.m. every Monday in Ladd 207.