Earth Week expands, features Ralph Nader

Mike Alberti Assistant Life Editor

National Earth Day is Sunday, April 22, but the Vassar Greens refuse to settle for just one day of environmental education and activism. The Greens have collaborated with several other groups on campus, including Democracy Matters, the Vassar Green Party and Kick Coke, to fill April 22-28 with various events promoting environmental consciousness on campus.

The scope of this year’s celebration is much larger than in past years. Greens Co-Chair Sarah Cornish ’09 credits the event’s expansion to efforts made to advocate different aspects of environmentalism. “We’ve tried to mix some fun, casual ways of learning about the environment with the more serious, academic lectures and panels that really delve into the meat of the issues,” said Cornish.

The growing vision for Earth Week is perhaps best embodied by special guest speaker Ralph Nader, who will speak on environmental issues and responsible citizenship on Monday, April 23 at 5:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Nader, a published author whose latest book The Seventeen Traditions came out in January, will hold a book signing following the talk.

The Greens and their co-sponsors considered Nader’s potential controversiality stemming from his bid for the U.S. Presidency in 2000, which some believe drew enough votes away from the Democrats to cost Al Gore the election. But they hope that people will look past his political history and focus on his ongoing commitment to the environment.

Greens Treasurer Khadijah Barnett ’07 said of Nader, “We recognize the controversy about his role in the presidential elections, but we believe his efforts to bring environmental concerns into politics are necessary. The Greens support his lifelong effort to promote responsible citizenship.”

Reed Dunlea ’09 of the Kick Coke campaign was one of the principle advocates for bringing Nader to Vassar. “I think people will be surprised about how articulate and convincing Nader’s speech will most likely be,” said Dunlea. “It is easy for Democrats to blame all of their problems on the Green Party and Nader. What’s not so easy is recognizing that the Green Party is the only party offering a progressive agenda, the only party not in the pockets of corporate campaign donors.”

Nader’s visit highlights a lineup that is sure to keep Mother Nature on people’s minds throughout the week. On Tuesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. in Rockefeller 300, the Greens are sponsoring a panel discussion entitled “Navigating the Politics of Global Warming” that will include professors from the economics, geology and political science departments.

The following day, there will be another panel discussion about the College’s sustainability, entitled “Why Vassar is greener than you think,” also in Rockefeller 300 at 7 p.m. The panel will be comprised of representatives from Buildings and Grounds, Campus Dining, and the Poughkeepsie Farm Project. “We’ve been doing a lot on campus, lately,” said Barnett. “We’ve made big strides in terms of energy policies, buying local foods, waste and recycling, and working with the Sustainability Committee. I don’t think people realize how progressive Vassar actually is.”

Renowned critic of free-trade and corporate power Kevin Danaher will give a speech on Thursday, April 26 at 7 p.m. in Taylor 203 about different ways the U.S. can replace the power of transnational corporations with local, environmentally conscious companies.

Students will have a chance to plant trees and learn about composting on Friday, April 27, during a free 1 p.m. field trip to Greenway Environmental Services, the local composting facility on the Vassar Farm.

Vassar’s Earth Week celebration will conclude on Saturday, April 28 with Earth Fest, a campus-wide celebration on the Library lawn. Earth Fest will begin at 11 a.m. with live music from campus, and local bands and speeches by rally speakers including David Gahl from Environmental Advocates of New York and Andy Bicking of Scenic Hudson, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the Hudson River Valley. There will also be a presentation from the Gballoi African drummers from 12-1 p.M. and a free concert by the Felice Brothers from 1-2 p.m.

Earth Fest will be a chance for Vassar students to buy food from local vendors, tie-dye clothing and plant flowers. “Earth Week is about making people aware of how their actions in daily life on campus effect the environment as a whole,” said Barnett. “We want this to be fun, but also to be educational.”