Hello everybody and welcome to
Students for Environmental Concerns- otherwise known as SECS. We are UIUC’s
oldest and largest environmental student organization, and we are looking
forward to an exciting school year of environmental activism.
Right now we’re about to begin our
third week of work for the semester, but it’s definitely not too late to join
even if you’ve missed our previous meetings! The way that SECS is works is
through five sub-committees, which are: Beyond Coal, Bikeface, Education,
Political Action, and Sustainable Business. Each have their own goals and
objectives, but we are all deeply committed to caring for the Earth and doing
our part to create a sustainable future. Here is a short summary of each
group’s current goals!
Beyond Coal
UIUC Beyond Coal is a subsidiary
of the Sierra Club’s national Beyond Coal campaign. The long term goal of our
chapter has been to convince the university to divest their endowment funds
from coal and other fossil fuel energies. Thankfully, the Academic Senate voted
yes to divestment just this past semester, but that doesn’t mean Beyond Coal’s
work is over! Divestment has yet to take place, so the group is still working
hard to ensure that it does and to raise general awareness of the many dangers
that coal poses to our future. This semester, they are also beginning to
campaign for another Sierra Club movement: Seize the Grid, which aims to
transform the energy sources of college campuses to renewables.
Bikeface
Bikeface
aims to elevate the status of bicyclists in the Champaign-Urbana community by
raising awareness of bikes as a mode of transportation and working to help make
our streets as safe as possible for biking. Bikeface regularly participates in
Critical Mass rides (where swarms of bicyclists swarm the streets to draw
motorists’ attention) as well as social bike rides every week. The group also
works in bike maintenance and with the university to manage
the bike fee that each student pays in their tuition. Upcoming on September 22,
Bikeface will volunteer for the annual Light the Night bike light giveaway from
the CU-MTD. Volunteer with Bikeface or stop by the Alma Mater or Hallene
Gateway from 4-7pm to get a free bike light- which are legally required for
nighttime biking in Champaign-Urbana!
Education
Our
education sub-committee works both to reach out to the surrounding community in
Champaign-Urbana to educate about environmental issues and alternative
sustainable lifestyles and to educate themselves through different volunteer
opportunities. This upcoming semester, Education will be working with a fourth
grade class at Yankee Ridge Elementary School in Urbana as well as at the
Urbana Park District’s Anita Purves Nature Center. In the next few weeks, the
group will be having a workshop with a local teacher in order to learn the best
ways to teach environmental education to young kids. If you enjoy teaching and
volunteering, Education is the group for you!
Political Action
Our
political action group works to engage students in political lobbying in
support of environmentally friendly political policies and to draw both local
and state politicians’ attention to environmental issues. Currently, Political
Action is working to organize a visit to campus from state representatives and
senators to have a conversation with students about the environment. The goal
is to show these politicians that we prioritize the environment and expect them
to take action to protect it. Political Action is also currently in contact
with the Tammy Duckworth campaign- Duckworth is currently running for the
junior Senate seat for the state of Illinois. Also upcoming, on September 28th
former Champaign Mayor Don Gerard will be coming to speak to Political Action
about the decision making process in politics, lobbying, and other issues
surrounding sustainability in politics. Don’t miss this talk if you’re
interested in local politics!
Sustainable Business
The goal of
Sustainable Business is just what you might guess it is- to work to improve
sustainable business practices in the Champaign-Urbana area. Their main project
this semester is continuing the Skip the Bag movement to end as much use of
plastic bags at local retailers as possible. The committee is currently in the
process of planning outreach events in order to raise community awareness of
the many problems associated with the use of plastic bags and to convince them
to reduce their bag consumption. Because reducing bag usage is so closely tied
with proper consumer education on the issue, Sustainable Business will likely
be partnering with Education to spread their message as far as possible.
Our next meeting will be Wednesday
this week, September 14th at 6:30 pm, beginning in the Murphy Lounge
at the YMCA. Also happening that day at 6:30 is a film screening at the
Channing Murray Foundation of This
Changes Everything, which SECS is co-sponsoring. Some members of our Beyond
Coal group will be speaking prior to the screening. We hope to see you at
either the meeting or the screening!
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