Green Week grows awareness
by Kara labs '09Throughout the week of April 28 through May 2, the Hamilton Environmental Action Group (HEAG) organized many events to raise awareness and promote action for environmental issues. These events were open to the entire Hamilton community. Green Week occurs once a semester at Hamilton and has become a HEAG tradition.
Due to the rain on Monday, the glen clean-up was cancelled. However, the rest of the events went on as planned. On Tuesday there was a film screening in the Science Center Auditorium of the Sundance Film Festival's Selection, "Everything's Cool," a documentary about the media portrayal of global warming over the past two decades. "The film goes into the political reasons why some of the most severe warnings about climate change have been edited out of official reports until recently. It includes commentary from prominent global warming writer Ross Gelbspan, environmentalist Bill McKibben, The Weather Channel climatologist Dr. Heidi Cullen, and others," said Co-President of HEAG Catie Ferrera '11.
Along with Ferrara, the other HEAG presidents are Jeremy Gleason '11 and Heather Parker '11. "I love that we have the opportunity to have such leadership positions as freshmen, and we are enjoying learning to create events like this from experience," said Ferrera enthusiastically.
On Wednesday afternoon, members of the Hamilton community gathered in the greenhouse in the Science Center to tend the vegetables that have not yet been planted outside in the Community Garden. "Participants also performed bed prep and more transplanting outdoors," said Andrew Pape '10, one of the Community Garden coordinators. Some seedlings also were transplanted from the greenhouse to the garden.
On Thursday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., there was a Local Farmers' and Artisans' Market on Martin's Way. There were four venders selling honey, artwork, Annemarie jewelry, baked goods, and a vender selling Tom's Natural Foods products for $1. The Gleason coordinated the Farmers' and Artisans' Market. According to Ferrera, "Activities like the Community Garden project and Local Farmers' and Artisans' Market should help the Hamilton community see simple ways they can do positive things for the environment."
Today in the Events Barn, the Spring Cleaning: Concert for Clean Elections and a Clean Environment will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. FIST, Stoop Kid, and Earthman Embassy will play. The event is co-hosted with Democracy Matters and will be catered by Bon Appetit. "In between sets, members from both groups will speak to the audience about important current issues as well as projects we are taking on," said Ferrera.
"HEAG is always trying to raise awareness of environmental issues, but we recognize that we are moving beyond awareness and into action. "Everything's Cool" will help viewers see global warming from the media perspective, which is not how the issue is often presented," concluded Ferrera.