2008 Woodie Awards
Student coalition raise awareness through project
KACIE CHAMBERS
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: News
The Sierra Student Coalition is raising awareness for the importance of organic foods with its garden project.
The organization is trying to get involved with a community-led garden initiative to grow herbs and vegetables.
The group will run a campaign on campus called the Campus Climate Challenge.
Over 500 campuses across the nation will conduct the iniative and specifically target institutions on higher learning to reduce the global warming emissions.
Heather Sprouse, the Sierra Student Coalition leader, said "If we are growing the herbs and vegetables here and people eat locally, then that means we're not trucking in food from all over and using the gas to get it here."
Eric Falquero, a Sierra Student Coalition member, said the group is working with professors from the Department of Integrated Science and Technology to obtain space within the greenhouses. The group will grow plants to seedling status and then sell the seedlings.
"This project will raise funds in the end," Falquero said. "But the entire idea is to raise awareness of the need to live off healthier food and have cleaner harvesting practices."
Sprouse said although the group is growing in the greenhouses, they are working with administration to get a plot of land on campus where they can grow the herbs and vegetables.
"It's just a part of this global youth movement to really take on environmental issues and empower students with the resources they need to create a change and let people know we're serious," Sprouse said.
Sprouse said the organization is working with administration to make sure fluorescent lighting is everywhere possible and that all future building projects will be energy efficient.
They are also working on a strong recycling program, starting with bins around campus and residence halls.
Falquero said this organization is important on campus to unify everyone with these interests. He said environmentalism is picking up in a huge way with the youth again and recycling programs on campus are important issues with upcoming freshman looking for colleges.
"I am interested in my environment being the same, if not better, by the end of my lifetime," Falquero said.
Sprouse said this organization is important on campus because the students are the people feeling the direct negative impact of the environmental degradation.
"The reason students care so much is because something has to happen and we know that," Sprouse said. "We are trying to be leaders in the community and make sure everyone's on the right page."
Sprouse said the next project they are working on will be with the Marshall Environmental Association on a project called Keep Marshall Beautiful. One of their main goals is to get progressive groups together and work on these issues.
"We are trying to combine our efforts and empower students to get stuff done," Sprouse said.
The Sierra Student Coalition meets every Tuesday at 9:15 p.m. in the Memorial Student Center.
Kacie Chambers can be contacted at chambers28@marshall.edu.
The organization is trying to get involved with a community-led garden initiative to grow herbs and vegetables.
The group will run a campaign on campus called the Campus Climate Challenge.
Over 500 campuses across the nation will conduct the iniative and specifically target institutions on higher learning to reduce the global warming emissions.
Heather Sprouse, the Sierra Student Coalition leader, said "If we are growing the herbs and vegetables here and people eat locally, then that means we're not trucking in food from all over and using the gas to get it here."
Eric Falquero, a Sierra Student Coalition member, said the group is working with professors from the Department of Integrated Science and Technology to obtain space within the greenhouses. The group will grow plants to seedling status and then sell the seedlings.
"This project will raise funds in the end," Falquero said. "But the entire idea is to raise awareness of the need to live off healthier food and have cleaner harvesting practices."
Sprouse said although the group is growing in the greenhouses, they are working with administration to get a plot of land on campus where they can grow the herbs and vegetables.
"It's just a part of this global youth movement to really take on environmental issues and empower students with the resources they need to create a change and let people know we're serious," Sprouse said.
Sprouse said the organization is working with administration to make sure fluorescent lighting is everywhere possible and that all future building projects will be energy efficient.
They are also working on a strong recycling program, starting with bins around campus and residence halls.
Falquero said this organization is important on campus to unify everyone with these interests. He said environmentalism is picking up in a huge way with the youth again and recycling programs on campus are important issues with upcoming freshman looking for colleges.
"I am interested in my environment being the same, if not better, by the end of my lifetime," Falquero said.
Sprouse said this organization is important on campus because the students are the people feeling the direct negative impact of the environmental degradation.
"The reason students care so much is because something has to happen and we know that," Sprouse said. "We are trying to be leaders in the community and make sure everyone's on the right page."
Sprouse said the next project they are working on will be with the Marshall Environmental Association on a project called Keep Marshall Beautiful. One of their main goals is to get progressive groups together and work on these issues.
"We are trying to combine our efforts and empower students to get stuff done," Sprouse said.
The Sierra Student Coalition meets every Tuesday at 9:15 p.m. in the Memorial Student Center.
Kacie Chambers can be contacted at chambers28@marshall.edu.
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