Earth Week Schedule

Friday the 15th

• TGIF
  • 4pm
  • dinner outside at commons
  • outside performances

Saturday the 16th

• Environmental Hygiene Workshops with Sierra and Steven @ 1pm
  • Deodorant Making

Sunday  the 17th

• Hootenanny in the Poetry Garden @ 4
  • Potluck Dinner
  • Bring Instruments
• Face Your Waste planning @ 9pm

Monday the  18th

• Face Your Waste!
• Bottled Water Sculpture
• Bring Your Own Cup Milkshake Monday
• Tapped or Flow movie showing/discussion at 7pm

Tuesday the 19th

• “Voeces” Overnight Camping Trip –

Wednesday – Spring Day – 20th

• Outdoor yoga – @4 pm (aldrich or pearsons quad)
• Nature Photo Display with Snacks
• Ra Baller to present at the OEC meeting
• plants/basil seed something or other
• Planet Earth Showing at 8 in OEC

Thursday the 21st

• Climbing trip – leaving at 5. Back at 10
• Bear Metal Recycling Plant – leave campus @1pm

Friday the 22nd

• Bike Ride to Nigren + Dairy House 4pm
• Michael Jackson Party – OEC
• TGIF
  • Outdoor dinner and performances
• Tabling in DK’s about composting

OEC Meeting Notes – 3/23 – EARTH WEEK

Announcements

Advertising for next week’s meeting: Parker and Kate (if need be)

Bike Club – spring cleaning for your bike during peace week – stay tuned

EARTH WEEK IS  April 15th – April 22nd

Brainstorming Ideas for Earth Week discussed at 3/23 meeting!

• Soap making workshop with Steven
• Hootenanny at the Poetry Garden – clara + steven
• Outdoor Yoga and Meditation – matthew
• Deodorant making with Sierra
• Nature Photography Competition with Snacks – elizabeth
• Hike – Turtle Creek, Big Hill, Kettlemorain, Devils Lake – tommy or patrick
• Bike Ride to Nygren Wetlands by Rockton – india, bike club? david
• Movie showing each night – Science Center – 1hr long film, rent projector, put a movie outside ? – parker, brian, matthew
• lecture on sungazing, getting all of your energy from the sun – matthew
• Rock Climbing with Tommy
• Spring Cleaning – Trash pick-up contact phys plant – molly
• basil seeds? transplanting day? – jon
• Meeting for that week- Ra Baller present – lauren
• Yaffa Grossman -metal recycling plant tour parker
• Composting – ??? moving bins around during earth week – steven
• Composting in all res halls for the week – info, etc OR table outside of commons to gauge interest – steven
• one day – composting utensils and plates etc? – steven
• these come from trees stickers?? oec buy some? parker
• take back the tap – giant bottled water sculpture publisize in the quad (water droplet instead to use less material) – hanna
• joint art thing with art house – trash art – steven
• face your waste? – sierra
• tree tour – yaffa? – parker
• TGIF!!!!! plan some bigger events for those fridays – members of other clubs – kate and clara
• camping trip before spring day – turtle creek with voces – brian, jon
• both fridays outdoor dinners with peter – kate
• mud party – geo club – david

TBTT: Midterms, Spring Break, and Future Plans

With midterms in full swing, we could all use a bit of relaxation, so check out this comic for a laugh.

Take Back the Tap has been relaxing a bit also lately, but never fear: campus-wide campaigns will begin immediately after Spring Break to raise awareness on why we need to push back against bottled water. All parties interested in tabling, dormstorming, talking to other clubs, students, and professors are welcome! Also, World Water Day is coming up on March 22nd and will be here before we know it. Let’s brainstorm some ideas to celebrate. As always, contact skoblowh@beloit.edu. Have a great Spring Break, everyone! Get ready for some powerful TBTT Campaigning!

 

Also, while you’re lounging around on your couch watching “Jersey Shore” marathons eating all the chips your mom bought just for her “little darling,” familiarize yourself with some TBTT resources:

http://takebackthetap.org/
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/bottled/
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Health/story?id=728070&page=1

OEC Meeting Notes 2/23/11 ~ SPACE

Announcements

• $$Financial Contribution Requests$$
  • Programming board – I Heart Female Orgasm Program – $20 – YES
  • Unaugural Ball – $10 -YES
  • H.R.3. Protesting – Women’s Center trip to Chicago to protest the H.R.3 Bill, No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
• Starved Rock State Park Trip with Geo Club – SATURDAY THE 27 TH @8am – 15 spots available so sign up now. Contact: Briana Berkowitz
• “Fjiords, Fish and Fear!” 7pm in Geo House -Study abroad experience presentation by Beth Ames
• Picture presentations by Brian and India about their study abroad experiences – Monday 4, Tuesday 7:30 in Richardson
• Really really Free Market – Saturday @ 2pm at Beloit Public Library
• Joe Klein is going to Madison TOMORROW morning to protest. Contact him for more deeeetails.

 

Take Back the Tap: Java Joint!

Take Back the Tap has some big news…  Drum roll, please:

Bottled water is banished from Java Joint!

I know. I was speechless too. But it’s for real. Really for real. Because the Beloit student population did so well with the trial week without bottled water, Peter Kraemer has agreed to cut the sale of bottled water in Java Joint indefinitely.

If you are interested in helping to further this progress, come to the OEC meeting tonight at 8 and when the group breaks into committees, Hana Skoblow will be more than happy to introduce you to the next step: campaigning.

Volunteers will be needed to talk to other clubs and faculty members as well as participating in outreach activities such as dormstorming and tabling. The next goal is petitioning and then we move on to DK’s.

OEC Meeting Notes – Poop For Perennials!!

Announcements

1. Climbing TOMORROW 2/17 with Tommy Davissssss @ 5:15- One more spot in the car to North Wall Rock Climbing! Email Tommy at davist@beloit.edu if you are interested!
2. Take Back the Tap Campaign – Hana Skoblow has been working hard on this campaign and bottled water has been eliminated in Java for a week long trial!
3. If you are interested in the Global Environmental Ecology class next semester with Pablo Torall, start thinking signing up for it.
4. $$$ FREE MONNNNAYYYY $$$$ – “XploreU is a unique community for student travelers that REWARDS YOU for sharing your endless passion for exploring the world.”
5. Mark Spreitzer is running for city council in April!! Please support! Click here for more info! If you are interested in helping with the campaign, make yourself known!

If you’re into Composting Toilets, contact India John. She traveled to Ecuador last semester and built one herself!!! Think about some different ways we could use our waste on campus!! Poop for Perennials!!!!!!

OEC Meeting Notes – 2/9/11 – We Love S.M.A.R.T. Goals

We feel that OEC needs to revamp itself and begin to streamline our club’s goals. Thanks to the Real Food Road Trip Gals (check out their blog here), we now have a framework in which to build up and streamline our club goals.

S.M.A.R.T. Goal Making

• Specific
• Measurable
• Ambitious
• Realistic
• Timely

These are the things that we need to be thinking about when we come up with projects that we want to tackle. Projects and our goals for these projects should also be broken down in the three following ways, in this order:

1. Long Term Goals – The BIG Mission and Vision. The ultimate achievement!
2. Intermediate Goals – Campaigns and major steps to come closer to completion of the long term goal
3. Short Term Goals – Incremental steps towards the intermediate goals.

Here are our OEC goals:

Take Back the Tap Campaign –

Leader and Contact for project: Hana Skoblow

Long Term Goal: Stop the sale of bottle water on campus and have students understand why bottled water should not be on campus.

Intermediate Goals:

• Remove bottled water from sporting events, faculty and staff meetins, dks, java, etc.
• Pass a resolution through BSC to do this

Short Term Goals:

• Grassroots pressure
• 50 signed petitions by the end of February
• Articles about the importance of the project in the OEC blog and Roundtable
• 300 petitions along with admin support by the end of the semester
• 15 faculty allies

Composting Project –

Leader and contact for this project: Steven Jackson

Long Term Goal: Every residential and campus dining  kitchen has a composting bin that is used correctly, which includes sustainable and local treatment of compost.

Intermediate Goals:

• More availabe bins on campus.
• More educational projects highlighting the importance of composting.
• Developing an actual governing system and student group that is responsible for this project.
• Be on the same page with the places that we want to compost at
• Train RA’s at the beginning of the semester to talk about how to compost.
• Compliance with housekeepers

Short Term Goals:

• More composting buckets (use the ice cream buckets and distribute around campus.)
• Create laminated info flyers to put in all kitchens/on ice cream buckets (why, how, etc)
• Decide where to place our 4th large composting bin

 

Other big goals/projects:

• Garden Project (on campus and off campus gardens)
• Revolving Loan Fund ($40,000) – A pool of money that you can apply for for funding for a project that will make back its cost over time.
• OEC House becomes more accessible – new meeting structures

 

 

Update: Take Back the Tap

After a meeting with Chef Peter, exciting updates are on the horizon for the Take Back the Tap campaign. Unless specifically requested, bottled water will no longer be offered at catering events, including staff and faculty meetings. Because these events often present an opportunity to get bottled water for free, many people who usually do not buy it may be inclined. Pitchers of filtered water will be offered instead, kicking the plastic habit and promoting tap water.

Bottled water has also been pulled from Java Joint this week in a trial run of discontinuing its sale from our friendly neighborhood coffee shop. Demand, not a contract, is the only obstacle standing in the way of Beloit becoming a bottled-water-free campus. How students respond to the effort this week may mark the beginning of the end for bottled water in Pearson’s. Come show your support and sign the TBTT pledge posted in Java Joint!

 

 

Just a reminder – anyone interested in helping out with the campaign is welcome to contact Hana Skoblow at skoblowh@beloit.edu. The more allies, the merrier.

OEC Meeting 2/2/11 Notes

ECO CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK!!!! – Minimize your electronic usage (facebook, cellphones, unplug chargers, turn off lights, use the hibernate function on your computer, use a computer that is a campus computer rather than your own, etc.) Come to next week’s meeting and share with us some of the changes that you made!

Announcements

***9 PM PLANNING MEETINGS ON SUNDAY!*** Everyone is invited to come! Our doors our open!

• Wright Reading Club – Volunteer’s needed to read with first graders at the Wright Elementary School on Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:40-4:15. Contact parsonsk@beloit.edu if you are interested!
• Belfast Off Campus Spending – Funding is VERY low right now, about $4500 – so be wary of this low budget if you have and Off Campus plans in mind
• OEC Funding Proposal – Ethnic Studies Conference – $30 – $50
• OEC Funding Proposal – Book Across the Bay – $30 – $50
• Real Food Road Trip – Friday 4pm in OEC meet ‘n greet the ladies! Sat @2pm in Science center 250 Corporation Food Break Down + Justice in the Food System presentation followed by Strategic Campaign Planning! Look here for more info!
• Take Back the Tap – Contact Hannah for more details…
• The Diva Tampaign – SUBMIT YOUR ADVERTISEMENTS – New deadline 2/15
• Close your windows says John Winkelmann, we don’t want our heaters to freeze!
• Summer Internship Opportunity – Community Garden Partnership with Community Action. Stay in Beloit for the summer and help with a community garden on Porter Avenue in the Merrill Neighborhood. Email contact for more info: mgosselar@community-action.org

OET Election Results

• Fun Facilitator – Steven
• Leaders:
  • Leader-ish of Leader-ishs – Brian
  • Activism Leader – Sierra
  • Outdoor Leader –  Jon
• Secretaries – Clarakate
• Financial Access Liaison – Jon
• Equipment Manager –Tommy and/or India

January 26th Meeting Notes!

Announcements

• Divas and Desserts – GOGA (Girl on Girl Action) is putting on a Diva Cup workshop in the Intercultural Center this Sunday @ 8pm. Go and learn about the benefits of the Diva Cup…AND yes, there will be a real live Diva Cup raffled off! Spread the wealth!
• The Tampaign – Remember to submit an advertisement or cool piece of art to promote the DIVA to Elizabeth Makarewicz by 2/2!
• Real Food Road Trip – Workshops here on campus to learn about slower and real-er food! They will be here from February 3rd-6th to tell us as much as we can possible hear about the food movement.
• Elections – NEXT WEEK 2/2 (think about running for a position! secretary? treasurer? snack maker? light shutter-offer?)
• Book Across the Bay – Ski Trip on the 19th of February at 6pm. Book it across a big bay in northern Wisconsin (Ashland) for a 10k race!
• Spring Break Camping Trip – Start brain stormin’! (Smokies, Shenandoah Section of AT, Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, Hoosier National Forest in Indiana, Badlands?)
• Farmer Panel – Slow Food Club is putting together a panel of local-ish farmers. Stay tuned!
• Inter-Disarmament – All day workshop on Sunday (1/30) from 1pm-5pm – Learn about non-violent  communication – $5
• XC Skiing tomorrow at Turtle Creek – 8am, come to OEC!
• Slow Food Campus Wide Mexican Dinner – Sunday 5-7 at OEC – BYO plates and utensils! Come support Slow Food Club!