The SLU Coalition on Climate Change (C3) is a coalition founded on the idea that many groups on campus have a stake in the issue of climate change. The Coalition on Climate Change was founded in February of 2007 and has already been working with several other organizations on events concerning climate change. Through local action C3 hopes to raise awareness of climate change at SLU, help the university cut its greenhouse emissions, and coordinate events with groups from both the St. Lawrence and North Country community.

Past Initiatives:

Green Torch Relay:

A 200+mile ride from Canton, NY to Albany, happened on October 28th and raised awareness of climate change and the events going on this fall with the climate movement. The ride included 20 mile legs with a total of 25 riders participating (Paul Smith's, Clarkson, SUNY Canton, and SLU were involved) in this effort to bike across the state. In particular the goal of this ride was to show widespread support for the Focus the Nation (www.focusthenation.org) teach-ins that will be happening early next year at universities across New York State, and to hand deliver hundreds of invitations to state senators and representatives in Albany.

Current Initiatives:

C3's draft agenda, containing group member ideas/event proposals will be sent out and perhaps posted to this page within the week. Stay tuned for more details...

In the meantime, here is the biggest proposal slated for the Fall, which various C3 members will be working on starting July 1st, 2008:

The Green Torch Relay Round 2 (bike/run):

Early goals: Contact all interested parties/colleges by the middle of August, gauge interest levels: have all parties signed on to the idea and committed by the end of the second/third week of school: (best date for the relay, either the weekend before the 08 election—Nov. 1st or the previous weekend---Oct 25th) the goal: to create a push for clean energy candidates right before the elections and for real climate legislation to be passed
 4 routes are proposed (know anyone along these routes?):
•SLU-Albany route (200+ miles) through the ADK park---same route as last year unless a more practical one is proposed
•Buffalo-Albany, Rochester-Albany or Syracuse-Albany (290 miles vs 227 miles vs 146 miles)
•New York City-Albany (160 miles)
•Binghamton-Albany or Ithaca-Albany(140 miles vs 175 miles)

oOnce there are enough interested parties along each route, they will all be put in touch with each other and their respective groups will plan their route in more detail
oThe ride may take two days for the longer routes (last year the SLU-Paul Smith’s-SUNY Canton-Clarkson crew rode 200+ miles in 14 hours over two days), the key is to have a fairly large group of riders converging on the capital at around the same time on Sunday (perhaps around 12 noon?) for a rally, perhaps a large letter delivery, banner hanging…etc.
oConsiderations to keep in mind: universities may ask about liability policies (we will need to have a substantive answer by the middle of September at latest), depending on the size of the ride local authorities/law enforcement might need to be contacted in advance, camping/lodging needs to be acquired for Saturday night, support vehicles should be kept to a minimum, necessary gear, food/water, sponsors, first aid…etc.
oPlease email/write me (Nigel Fellman Greene) if you have contacts that are connected within the cycling/running/environmental movement at various colleges/towns or cities along the proposed routes; feel free to contact your friends yourselves about this event or refer them to me and I can follow-up with them/ask other past members to be contact people…Thanks for your help!

The Coalition on Climate Change meets

TBA for 08-09

Hope to see you there!

Nigel Fellman Greene '09
nafell05@stlawu.edu
President

Sister Bethany Fitzgerald
srbethany@cnymail.com
Advisor