Change Agent

To be honest, I really had no idea idea about the environment until I had watched a film done Al Gore. This film was called An Inconvenient Truth. I had watched it for the first time last year in my Society and the Environment class here at Chapman. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it before that. It has inevitably changed my life and I know that it has for many others as well. He was able to bring to surface a subject that many were not aware of and one that many did not want to face or admit. What I appreciated most about Al Gore during this film was that this was something he was passionate about and something he had been working on for years before he ran for president. This is a cause he has been fighting for time and time again and that right there was what made him credible to me and the millions of people out there who have seen it, voted for it, and have taken away from it ways to do their part.

The Green Committee

All I know, was that this specific group sounded like a bomb idea and I am wondering…where the heck is it?! Because if it is not fully started now, well it darn well should be!

Brett,

Hi, my name is Chelsie Kesjaral and I actually just had a few questions for you. I read that you were the one to talk to about The Green Committee since you helped to try and form it and I was hoping to find out more about it.

1) Is it a fully formed committee yet or are you planning to try and do more with it this year?

2) What are the goals you would hope for the committee to accomplish for the school, city, etc.?

3) Where would you like to see Chapman University in 10 years regarding sustainability?

4) How do I get involved?

I am really passionate about this and I was really glad to hear that there may be a group interested in helping and fighting for sustainability here on campus! Thanks for your time and I do hope to hear from you soon.

Chelsie Kesjaral

Kesja100@chapman.edu

WHY!?

...are there so many crazy fires!? It makes me sad to think of all the people who are being displaced and how many ever here on Chapman campus are affected by it. It’s hard to focus on doing other good things and helping our community when there are trees and houses being burned down all over our state as a majority of it lies under a thick cloud of suffocating smoke. This will turn out to be, not only a major loss, but a setback within many communities. I hope Chapman University and Orange can remain safe so that we can continue to push forward, especially with our environmental awareness. The last thing I would want would be an already wasted $68 million to be burnt to a crisp. I think…I would actually cry. Weird?

But I pray that all who are affected by these fires will, too, be able to progress forward in their lives and have a strong support group behind them. It's a state-wide crisis, as we can't be well if the rest are not.

Why hello, my green friends!

This was the letter I had sent to Katrina Glenn, Director of Environmental Awareness.

I found it to be friendly. I hope she feels so as well. I would love to hear her point of view!

Hey Katrina!

...How has school been? I haven't seen you since it started and since Orientation ended, so I am guessing pretty busy! Anyways, I actually had a few questions for you if you may be able to answer. I am working on something for one of my classes concerning some environmental issues and I know you are in charge of Environmental Awareness here on campus!

1) What are some things you plan on doing this year to help the Chapman community become more aware of the things going on in our environment?

2) Are there any new things you may be doing this year that will aid in that?

3) Where would you like to see Chapman University in 10 years when it comes to the issue of sustainability?

4) If there is one thing about Chapman University and how it is or isn’t involved with the environment, what fires you up or makes you proud to be here?

5) How do you feel about $68 million dollars being spent on the look of our campus, rather than what you may hope to put forward for to create awareness and a better Chapman environment?

They don’t have to be long answers, just general ideas. I really am interested in all of this and I hope you are passionate about it too! Anyways, I hope to be hearing from you soon and hope everything has been going well. Take care!

Chelsie

Bins for bad guys

Along with this whole project on trying to get more recycling bins, I have been doing research on "recycling bins"...clearly.

Here's the look for Chapman University if we want to just stick with out theme, our surroundings, our Panther Pride, and still have a place to BOTH trash and recycle items

Here's another multi-purpose center that Chapman would never get because it's way too much work, at least at the beginning. I like the idea of it showing all the different items that can be recycled, however, so everyone is aware

AND....a personal favorite!!

Wouldn't THESE recycling bins looks so amazing? Well, I am going to have them outside my house one day. I was thinking that it might also be a less costly or more enthusiastic way for Chapman to represent themselves...oh I've got ideas on this one, thats for sure.

Oh good man Jim Doti

JIM DOTI

This is Chapman University's humble president and the man who's mind we must infiltrate with ideas of putting money and consideration towards the green evolution of this campus.

I also was always wondering if it was weird to email or call the President for a meeting? Maybe? I wouldn't have a face to face meeting at this exact point until I created a portfolio of propositions and ideas...but e-mail. Does he even read it or is he too big of a celebrity? I thought it would be more difficult to find, but its as easy as doti@chapman.edu
Who would have thought? A third e-mail that I will soon be posting!

And don't get me wrong, I like the man. But I'll stick it to him if that's what it takes.

And the new e-mailees are.....

As stated earlier, I am an amazing creeper. So...

Brett Swenson:the "creator" I guess you could call for The Green Committee. He is on senate so he won't be too hard to contact.

Katrina Glenn: Directoer of Environmental Awareness. Also another easier contact.

THANK YOU for e-mail!...And other sites that allow me to find these vital pieces of information out...I will be posting the letters I write very, very shortly after some creation of kind words, angles and questions are sought up of in my notes.

Chapman may be aware, but how much do they care?

I have collected the last 4 editions of The Panther, Chapman University own newspaper. It was somewhat difficult last year to find any articles that brought anything to light when it came to recycling, sustainability, or the way Chapman spends money. Not the case any longer and boy am I happy. The first one, however, I seemed to misplace and I was hoping to put it as a photo since the front page so conveniently holds the title "CU gets a face-lift worth more than $68 million"...so it's true. UNFORTUNATELY. Face lift? I don't even think celebrities have spent that much on a whole body lift. Cher...over her lifetime...maybe. Anyhow, here's the link to that:

http://www.chapman.edu/images/userImages/brown148/Page_8654/PantherSeptember102007.pdf

pdf file, I apologize. Also in that same newspaper, ther first of the 2007-2008 school year, there are articles regarding bioplastics on page 2 and 2 staff editorials concerning "green" as the new frontier and environmental awareness on page 7. The first one actually praises Doti. I was interested in that. But I do agree with the author that there just might not be enough demand to be green from the student body.

Good. Doti and crew need a motivational boost to get more of this "green revolution" started.

It's difficult to do good things for your community when you have seemingly no one behind you, right?

HA. RIGHT.

How to get where we are going!

SO...I have established a few goals to accomplish on my journey to getting what I want.
As, every young child does who wants a new toy, cookie, or kittie. The process of getting to the real goods in life.
1. Find out more about Chapman's so-called "Green Committee"...because if it exists...well it sure hasn't been well established, but I think it has tremendous potential.
2. Contact a fellow peer who has a position within the student body that I had wanted so badly. Director of Environmental Awareness. I think I know her? I just want to see her view on some of the things going on at our school and maybe any possible ideas she has on creating that type of awareness here at Chapman.
3. Make a phone call to someone within the city about recycling, attaining more bins, and programs.
4. investigate other University's and see what they may be doing to create sustainability on their campus. One good idea leads to many others.
5. Talk to Jim Doti. Obviously. And I am willing to do it...in almost any way possible.