George Fox students organize events to bring attention to climate change

October 13th, 2009

‘Week of Living Light’ ties into international 350.org campaign

NEWBERG, Ore. – What can students on an Oregon college campus do to help effect change on a global issue? Twelve students in George Fox University professor Lisa McMinn’s social change class have organized a project that answers the question.

The week of Oct. 19-24 will be a “Week of Living Light,” with students hosting daily activities on the university’s Newberg, Ore., campus to bring attention to global climate change. The event ties into the international effort 350.org, a campaign “dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis,” according to the organization’s website.

Scientists have designated the number 350 (parts per million) as the safe upper limit for CO2 in the atmosphere.

“We were asked if we would rather study significant social movements throughout history or be a part of one; we decided the latter,” said Jacob McDaniel, a junior social work major. “It basically comes down to this: Would we rather lose money or people? If we take action now, we can save lives in the future. We want to be part of something that can really make a difference.”

This December, world leaders will meet in Copenhagen, Denmark to craft a new global treaty on cutting carbon emissions. According to 350.org, however, the treaty currently on the table doesn’t meet the severity of the climate crisis and “doesn’t pass the 350 test.”

In an effort to unite the public and get the attention of political leaders at the Copenhagen conference, 350.org has organized a planetary day of action for Saturday, Oct. 24, when supporters of the cause are encouraged to illustrate “350” in their community and upload images of their event to the 350.org website, which will be routed to Times Square and shown throughout the day.

At George Fox, students will be encouraged to do their part to help the environment the week leading up to Oct. 24.

On Monday, Oct. 19, they are asked to being their own mugs to the university’s cafeteria and coffee shops to minimize water usage normally required to wash cups. On Tuesday they will be encouraged to not only unplug and disconnect any unused or unnecessary electrical devices, but to also turn off lights when they leave a room and use natural light for reading and homework as much as possible.

Wednesday will be “walk or bike to school day,” with students encouraged to avoid the use of cars if possible. Thursday is designated “vegetarian day,” as “eating less meat is one of the easiest and most effective ways to significantly contribute to reducing carbon emissions,” said Kelsi Kimura, a junior social work major.

Friday will be “au naturalle day,” when students are encouraged not to shower as a way to conserve water and the energy used to heat water in the dorms and apartments on campus.

Finally, on Saturday, Oct. 24, participants will gather on the university’s quad at 3:30 p.m. for an end-of-week celebration. They will organize themselves into a large number 350 and at exactly 3:50 p.m., take a picture to send to Times Square in New York City. After the picture, students will march down Highway 99W holding signs and wearing their recycled T-shirts to show their support of the cause.

“Regardless of your background or what political party you are a member of, this is something we can all get behind,” Kimura said. “This is something so much bigger than ourselves. We’re talking about the future of our planet. We just wanted to do our part.”

Visit 350.org for more information on the campaign and accompanying activities.

George Fox University is ranked by Forbes as one of the top 100 colleges in the country and highest among Christian colleges. George Fox is the only Christian university in the Pacific Northwest classified by U.S. News & World Report as a national university. More than 3,300 students attend classes on the university’s campus in Newberg, Ore., and at teaching centers in Portland, Salem, and Redmond, Ore., and Boise, Idaho. George Fox offers bachelor’s degrees in more than 40 majors, degree-completion programs for working adults, five seminary degrees, and 12 master’s and doctoral degrees.

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Contact:
Jacob McDaniel
mcdanieljake@charter.net

Kelsi Kimura
kkimura06@georgefox.edu