VAPS Registration Price Lowered
Bryce Carter
Hey you recruitment coordinators,
The registration price has been lowered to $15 for individual registration and $10 for group registration. If anyone has registered previously they can have the official VA Power Shift t-shirt (selling for $5) for free.
We will be sending the final details of everything confirmed within a day or two. Believe me in saying that this conference is going to be awesome is actually an understatement. It is going to be amazingly awesome!!! We’re talking about awesome speakers, multiple panels, 50+ workshops and lectures, an awesome concert, and school planning breakouts. From the Biotour bus to a yoga session to guests and activists as local as the Mayor of Charlottesville to as far away as California, be prepared to be amazed! Details are coming within a day or two, so hang tight.
Now is the time to begin peer-to-peer recruiting and one of the best tools to do that is the recruitment cards (you can download them here: http://www.vapowershift.org/resources/VAPSRecruitmentCards.pdf). Print out a bunch of copies and pass them out to your friends and get them back by the end of the week!
Also to help your coordination for rides, plan a meeting time for everyone from your school to get together and figure out what the best way is to get everyone to VT (directions will be posted on the website soon).
Bryce
Carter
Central Planner &
Recruitment Coordinator, VA Power Shift 08
Vice President, Environmental Coalition
Undergraduate, Virginia Tech
Bry...@vt.edu
703.434.9852
Bryce Carter
Hi everyone,
Here’s what I have for the agenda
right now, more details are to come but since a lot of organizations have
meetings tonight this can get you started (some events are subject to change,
but the times are finalized):
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FRIDAY |
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|
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3-5 PM |
Early Registration |
GLC Multipurpose Room |
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5-10PM |
Registration |
GLC Multipurpose Room |
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7-8:30PM |
Opening Ceremony and Keynote Speakers |
Burruss Auditorium |
|
9-12PM |
Evening Entertainment |
GLC Auditorium |
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SATURDAY |
|
|
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7:30-8AM |
Morning Yoga |
Drillfield |
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8-12AM |
Late Registration |
GLC Multipurpose Room |
|
9-10:15AM |
Training Block 1 |
See Guide |
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10:30-11:45AM |
Training Block 2 |
See Guide |
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12-2PM |
LUNCH BREAK |
On your own – see guide |
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2:15-3:30PM |
Training Block 3 |
See Guide |
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3:45-5PM |
Training Block 4 |
See Guide |
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5-6:45PM |
DINNER BREAK |
On your own |
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5-5:45PM |
Snowball Effect Panel |
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7-12PM |
-Panel on Sustainable Solutions for VA -Musical Entertainment
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Burruss Auditorium |
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SUNDAY |
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|
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9-12AM |
School Break-Outs and report backs |
See Guide |
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12-1:15PM |
LUNCH BREAK |
On your own- See guide |
|
1:30-3PM |
Closing Ceremony |
Burruss Auditorium |
KEYNOTES:
James Hansen: Famed NASA
Climatologist, Al Gore's science advisor. Described by CBS' 60 Minutes as "arguably
the world's leading researcher on global warming".
Jessy Tolkan: serves as the Executive Director of Programs for the Energy Action Coalition which is growing a generation-wide movement to stop
global warming, by advocating for green jobs, stopping new coal, and making
young people's voices heard in the policy debate around global climate change.
The EAC hosted National Power Shift 2007.
Mike Tidwell: Mike Tidwell is founder and director of the Chesapeake Climate
Action Network, a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about the
impacts and solutions associated with global warming in Maryland, Virginia, and
DC.
PANELS:
The Snowball Effect (5-5:45pm)
Provide personal, inspiring stories from organizers who
started "snowballs" - they overcame big obstacles and created big
changes on their campus by accruing resources, legitimacy and power through
various campaign tactics, which snowballed into big achievements!
Sustainability in Virginia (7-8:30pm)
On Saturday evening in Burruss Hall, the conference will center on a panel
discussion where civic, professional and environmental leaders of Virginia will be able to engage with students on the
future and potential for climate change policies and sustainability in Virginia. Current
confirmed panelists include; John Randolph, Director of VT School
of Public and International Affairs and Urban Affairs & Planning Professor,
Dave Norris, Mayor of Charlottesville, Bob Vanderhye,
specialist in environment and energy-related technology, and a
representative from AEP.
OTHER SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
Dave Cooper, Mountain Top Removal Road Show
Michael Stewart, worked for Dominion for nearly two decades, will talk about energy in VA
James Bray, went to Antarctica with Robert Swan
….and many many more!!!
TRAINING INFORMATION:
CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
Sustainable Endowments
Lea Lupkin
10:30 AM/3:45 PM
On-campus initiatives are extremely important, but what about the billions of dollars that colleges and universities have the ability to guide toward sustainable endeavors? This training will be about how to affect change on campus using the College Sustainability Report Card as a resource and an introduction to Greening Your School's Endowment.
Campus Organizing and Building Power
Kevin Simowitz
10:30 AM/3:45 PM
This training will be about building a powerful student group by building power on campus. The focus will be on getting out of the traditional model of student activism and organizing instead around relationships, leadership development, learning new skills, and making concrete change in the lives of real people.
Media Bootcamp
Tommaso Boggia and Richard Graves
10:30 AM/3:45 PM
This workshop is designed to help students get their campaigns, events, and other projects covered by the media or serve as your own media. The workshop covers all of the basics; writing press releases and media advisories, press calls, finding news hooks, writing op-eds and letters to the editor, producing your own content online, using social networks and more.
How to make global warming and sustainability the biggest issue on campus
Tom Owens
10:30 AM/3:45 PM
How can you get environmental issues like global warming and clean energy to be the biggest issues on campus? How can we organize to make sure everyone knows what we want to get across and we take advantage of all the excitement around the election? Come out and we’ll talk about the best ways to take over campus in the next few weeks and build a sustainable movement on campus.
Climate resources for student organizers
Rachel Barge
10:30 AM/3:45 PM
This workshop will be putting resources in the hands of student climate initiative organizers, including portfolios of project toolkits, funding mechanisms, and training resources for clean energy efforts that place students at the center of transforming ivory towers into energy solution centers.
Campus Organizing 101
Holly Garrett
10:30 AM/3:45 PM
Discover the nuts and bolts of organizing to help your group secure victories
on your campus and in your community. Topics will include meeting
facilitation, consensus process, power dynamics and choosing a campaign.
Come ready to share your groups' stories and leave empowered to take action on
your campus! Holly Garrett is the National Council Coordinator for the Student
Environmental Action Coalition.
POLITICAL ACTION
Grassroots Campaigning on Coal in Virginia: A Case Study on the fight against the Wise County Coal Plant
Mike McCoy
10:30 AM/3:45 PM
Having worked full time on the campaign against the proposed Wise County Coal Plant over the past year Mike McCoy, Field Organizer for Appalachian Voices, has worked with various groups of activists in order to make change in Virginia. Mike goes over the past year of activism in the fight against coal in Virginia as a case study; analyzing the successes and pitfalls of the many parts of the movement, and concluding with how we might be more effective in the upcoming year.
Grassroots Lobbying Strategies for Richmond and Beyond
JW Randolph
10:30 AM/3:45 PM
Appalachian Voices Legislative Associate JW Randolph will talk about how everyday Appalachian citizens have been responsible for the enormous success of anti-mountaintop removal mining legislation in Washington DC. Learn tips on how to sit across the table from your elected official and get what you want. You can also get a few tips on how concerned citizens like you can make a huge impact at the state Capitol in Richmond, or the US Capitol in Washington DC through the radical act of grassroots lobbying. No Blackberries neccesary.
Speak Truth to Power—Effectively:
Lobbying 101
Khalial Withen
10:30 AM/3:45PM
This participatory workshop will teach how to use lobbying as an effective tool in grassroots campaigns and how to have a successful lobby visit.
Following and Influencing Virginia Politics: Land Use
Zack Fields
10:30AM
Over two thirds of greenhouse gas emissions in Virginia come from the transportation and building sectors. In Virginia, local governments have the most direct control over these emissions sources. Learn how to use transit oriented development, smart growth, green building, and transit to reduce emissions through the land use and transportation planning process.
Following and Influencing
Virginia Politics: Energy
Zack Fields
(3:45PM)
Dominion Virginia Power's dominance of the General Assembly suggests that the
environmental community will not be able to pass meaningful energy legislation
without building substantial political capital, as Dominion has over the past
decades. Discuss how interest groups like Dominion accumulate, maintain,
and exercise power in order to pass legislation in Richmond, with the goal of creating a model
whereby the environmental community can accumulate sufficient power to pass
legislation addressing climate change.
Non-violent Direct Action
Willie Dodson and Kim Kirkbride
10:30AM, 3:45PM
This workshop will consider the definition of direct action and offer an overview as to why and how NVDA fits into a strategic campaign. It will also provide a space in which participants can exchange their own ideas about non-violence and direct action. Willie and Kim are activists with Blue Ridge Earth First!, a Virginia mountain and piedmont-based chapter of the international Earth First! movement. With Blue Ridge Earth First!, they have executed a number of direct actions connected to the campaigns opposing Dominion Power's pursuit of new coal and nuclear power generation and Bank of America's investments in fossil fuels. They have focused on making direct action a strategic element within the larger campaign against Dominion.
Grassroots Activism
Katyi Wingfield
10:30AM, 3:45PM
Learn to focus grassroots efforts on changing the political arena, specifically with respect to current Virginia energy policies and the need to change them. There will be background on the Wise Energy Coalition (Sierra Club, Appalachian Voices, Chesapeake Climate Action Network and Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards) and what the Coalition has worked on and the current Virginia campaign.
Creative Activism
Grassroots Empowerment Through Art
Giles Jackson and Physicians for Social Responsibility
9 AM/ 2:15 PM
With total disregard for its disastrous impact on the climate and human health, Big Coal intends to launch an aggressive nationwide expansion. The success of this assault hinges on public ignorance of certain facts: (1) coal supplies 50% of their power, and (2) coal produces 80% of the CO2 emissions created in generating electricity. This workshop is a golden opportunity to do something about it! Armed with paint and paper, you will invent creative and compelling ways to tell the truth to the American people. The workshop is sponsored by CO2 Kills.org, the group that designed the Power Shift 2008 poster, and Physicians for Social Responsibility (psr.org), the people behind "Code Black," an important nationwide campaign against Big Coal. Get your creative juices flowing!
"The Politics of Shopping"
Margaret
9AM
This workshop
will teach students about the concepts of sweatshop free/fair trade, the
green impact of shopping locally and the green impact of sweatshop-free/fair
trade products
Beehive Collective
9AM/2:15PM
Dismantling Monoculture: Tales of Economics and Ants in the Americas
Come to an interactive picture-lecture meant to be understood by anyone-not
just the experts and analysts! Using gigantic portable murals teaming with
images of plants and animals, the Bees will share stories about globalization
gathered in conversation with affected communities throughout the hemisphere.
Focusing our attention on our newest graphics campaign- in support of the organizing of
Appalachian communities affected by Mountaintop Removal coal mining- we will unpack the
"True Cost of Coal" and the role of arts-based activism in contesting power and
building alternatives.
Anti-Oppression
and Environmental Justice
Resisting
Anthropocentrism with Deep Ecology: Ending the Oppression of All Species
Eric Blevins
9 AM/2:15 PM
This workshop will examine anthropocentrism as a form of oppression that fuels
environmental destruction. We will cover the basic principles of the philosophy
of Deep Ecology and discuss how this can be used to work towards stopping this
destruction. We will also explore the connections humans have to other species
and learn how to better strengthen these connections. Recent legislation
attempting to assert the rights of other species will be discussed as well. Our
purpose will be to work towards a greater identification with and love and
respect for all of life. Much group discussion will be encouraged.
Conflict Resolution in Communities & the Workplace: Recognizing & Addressing Issues of Environmental Justice
Mike Ellerbrock
9 AM
Overview: A discussion of Environmental Justice (EJ):
How can we recognize environmental injustice/racism? What can/should we
do about it as citizens and colleagues? What are the characteristics and
goals of the EJ Movement? What are some of the ethical principles, social
dimensions, economic factors, and legal parameters to consider?
Learning Objectives: To
a) enable students to recognize potential situations
involving aspects of environmental justice/racism;
b) identify
stakeholders and objective measures of intensity; and,
c) explore
methods for building consensus among disparate and affected groups.
Addressing Oppressive Power Dynamics within Our Movement
Willie Dodson and Kim Kirkbride
9AM, 2:15PM
The environmental movement cannot bring about meaningful change without addressing the oppressive power dynamics that are at the root of the environmental injustices we see in the world. This workshop will explore how the prejudices of our culture pervade our own inter- and inner-personal behaviors and thus manifest in our organizing efforts. This will be a discussion-driven session in which participants are asked to honestly examine their own power dynamics with regards to activism and organizing. The goal is for the realization of greater personal accountability and collective support as we work to root oppressive patterns out of our own interactions.
Domestic Climate Justice
Kari Fulton
9 AM/2:15 PM
Discussion – to be updated
Green Architecture/Engineering
Environmental Impacts of Vegetated Roofing Systems
Elizabeth Grant
10:30AM
In North America, a growing number of practitioners are being called upon to include green roofs in their project designs. A decision support system is needed to assist these designers in comparing the efficacy of various vegetated roofing systems. The decision-making framework for vegetated roofing system selection introduced in this workshop collects and organizes findings from green roof case studies, research, and rules of thumb used by green roof industry experts. The framework provides a convenient means of applying these lessons to the design of new green roof projects.
The framework accommodates considerations of storm water retention, potential energy savings, acoustical performance, structural loading, compliance with regulatory guidelines including the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements, and life cycle cost. The framework has been tested by applying it to several green roof projects in the Washington D.C. metro area and comparing its suggestions with the actual green roof system implemented on each project. Results indicate that the decision-making framework’s recommendations closely match the outcome of the designers’ thought processes. The framework effectively summarizes and visualizes the designer’s decision-making method in a matrix that can be easily shared with members of a project team.
Goals of Workshop:
- Introduction to a brief history of green roofing and definitions of modern green roofs and their components
- Presentation of case studies of North American green rooks to demonstrate the evaluative categories by which green roof performance can be assessed
- Review of specific ways to compare green roofs in light of these categories
- Demonstration of the decision-making framework with conclusions relevant to design practice
- Discussion of additional green roof resources and green roof research at Virginia Tech
Climate Change and the Automotive Landscape + How to Squeeze Every MPG from Your Car
Patrick Walsh
3:45 PM
What have the EPA, California and international governments done to protect the Earth from the car? How drastically have automobile emissions standards and technology evolved over the past 40 years? How can I get the most MPG out of my car? I'm looking for an affordable, high-quality car that will leave a small footprint; what should I look for? As our generation moves forward to combat a great environmental challenge, we must be educated about one of the most serious contributors to global warming: the car. A personal convenience that most of us cannot live without, but a threat to the atmosphere. Come learn the answers to the above questions and more, and help spread the knowledge that everyone needs to have.
How green is green engineering?
Justin Barone
3:45 PM
The current state of green engineering in industry and how far we have come in
the past few years. Also, limitations thus far and engineering hurdles that lie
ahead to truly going towards a green industrial paradigm.
BioTour
(10:30AM)
Waste Vegetable Oil Technology
Come check out the BioTour bus, get greasy, and learn what it is like to build,
maintain, and run a vehicle on waste vegetable oil.
(3:45PM)
BioTour's Journey into a Sustainable Future: Lessons From the Road
We are in a time of transition, communities across the country are working to
create a more sustianable society, but how are they doing it, and how well is
it working? BioTour will share what they have learned about the challenges and
opportunities they have seen across the country from community projects in the
South Bronx of New York to native reservations
in North Dakota, from mountains of West Virginia to the farms of California. Come learn, be inspired, and
discuss how we can grow and strengthen this diverse movement.
General Education
CREATING A SENSE OF URGENCY IN THE RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CRISES
Richard Rich
(10:30/3:45 PM)
The magnitude of the environmental crises we face is such that small steps will not be enough to resolve them, and every day we delay in mounting serious efforts to address these crises will make it harder to be successful. Since most people don’t understand this, how can you create a sense of urgency about environmental problems in your community? This workshop will explain why a sense of urgency is needed and explore ways to generate it in your hometown or institution.
How to do a GHG Inventory on your campus
John Randolph
(3:45 PM)
This workshop
will introduce students to the process for conducting a campus or community
greenhouse gas emission inventory and how it is used to develop a climate
action plan.
Let's talk
about it!
Joan Marie
(10:30 AM/3:45 PM)
A workshop on changing the conversation about
global climate change and sustainability. I propose that the ways we have
been discussing these issues are keeping us locked in cycles of 'solutions'
that only reinforce the same old problems. Climate change is an
enormous challenge and we aren't going to make the necessary changes unless we
begin creating and pursuing a radically different future. Our workshop will
look at some of the fundamental assumptions that have kept us locked into
status quo ways of thinking and then we will explore some exciting possible
alternatives.
Mountain Justice
(10:30 AM/3:45 PM)
Description coming
tonight!
Green Living
"Fighting climate change through organic farming and local commerce"
Anthony Flaccavento
9AM, 2:15 PM
According to recent studies from the United Nations and Great Britain,
the carbon footprint of our eating habits in developed nations actually exceeds
that of either our household energy use or automobile and transportation
use. Yet our food habits, and other forms of potential local commerce are
rarely considered when the issue of climate change is debated. Anthony
Flaccavento is a part time organic farmer and executive director of Appalachian
Sustainable Development, an Abingdon-based organization which has been building
a more ecologically sound, locally rooted economy in Southwest Virginia and
northeast Tennessee,
based on sustainable forestry and organic and sustainable farming. This
interactive workshop will feature some of ASD’s work in enabling tobacco
and conventional farmers to successfully transition to organic and grass-based
farming, in building the Abingdon farmers market to one of the best in the
state, and will look at how “citizen consumers” can actively
build this low carbon economy while improving their own health and community.
Local Food, Slow Food, Urban Gardening : Permaculture 101 With Beth
Schemmerhorn
9:00 AM, 2:15 PM
Permaculture is a way of life, asking us to collaborate and mimic ecosystems
and to take cues from Nature as we design our houses, food systems and
communities in general. Basic principles and methods will frame the
discussion, while solid examples will provide take home projects for beginners
and experts alike.
Hydroponic Tomatoes or How To grow organic, tasty vegetables in your
dorm.
Zack Evans
9:00 AM, 2:15
PM
Zack has worked the last several summers at a large hydroponic produce grower
in Loudoun County, Virginia.There he learned the
rudiments of hydroponic farming, and have since been working to adapt that
technology to use in the home. This workshop will focus on the knowledge,
skills, and materials required to set up a hydroponic system in your home, as
well as the advantage to hydroponic farming.
Bike Maintenance 101
Ryan
Grumberg
9:00 AM
A long term bike maintenance guru and philosophe, Ryan will work through some
of the most common bike issues, and show you how to keep your bike, and those
of your fellow students, citizens and humans, in tip top shape. With
philosophical thoughts of note along the way, Ryan is sure to entertain and
educate.
Bike Shares: Kicking cars off your campus
9:00 AM
Lara Mack is a recent graduate of James Madison
University, and worked
for several years to develop a plan for a bike share program at JMU. Discuss
the difficulties, learn about the successes, and help to create a strategy for
getting more bike shares at campuses across Virginia.
Composting 101 - Green Stuff, Brown Stuff and
Wormiculture
Marley Green, Holly Garrett
9:00 AM, 2:15 PM
Composting is as old as dirt, literally, and yet is one of the easiest new technologies we can adopt in our lives to reduce our waste stream, and give back to the earth through returning organic matter to our local area. This workshop will cover the basics of how, what, when and why to compost, and get you ready to start composting in your dorm, house or apartment tomorrow!
Deb Cheslow, "The Real Dirt on Clean"
2:15 PM
Did you know……that over 90% of poison exposures happen at home…..that common chlorine bleach is the #1 household chemical involved in poisoning……that common cleaners give off fumes that potentially increase the risk of kids developing asthma…..that the average U.S. home generates more than 20 pounds of household hazardous waste each year…..that the EPA designates toilet cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, oven cleaners, and beach as hazardous waste? This informative session will explain why some of the most commonly used cleaning products are dangerous and why we should look for safer alternatives. It will also discuss nontoxic, natural cleaning choices that are safe, powerful, green, and smart; you shouldn’t have to choose between keeping things clean and keeping the earth and its people safe.
Bryce Carter
The full agenda is now on-line (a few things still need to be updated, but send this link over your listservs and get people pumped!):
http://www.vapowershift.org/agenda.php
8 DAYS!
B
Bryce Carter
Hello recruitment coordinators,
We invite every school coming to Virginia Power Shift to have a poster about what your students / community / organization / school has done to become more sustainable. We are having a ‘Sustainability Fair’ set aside in a room in the student center for visitors to come by and see the progress, devotion, and interest communities around the state have. You will have at least half a table space (3’ x 3’), but there will be some whole tables (6’ x 3’) available.
We highly encourage each of your schools to take advantage of this opportunity! Other organizations and companies will be coming to partake in the fair too.
Best,
Angie De Soto
I hope all of you all are recruiting your butts off :) Can you believe we are only 8 days out? Lets get as many people there as possible - lets make history!
Another note about the fair - we were thinking about putting a piece of paper in front of everyones posters so that students from all of the schools can walk around, check out what yall have been up to or are planning, and be able to give you a little advice of what has been working on their campuses! You will then get to take this home with you at the end of the weekend.
Sound good? We would love your participation! It will be a great way to share ideas and strategies so that we can all run mega successful campus campaigns when we get back from VAPS!
I cant wait to meet ALL of you! Keep up the GREAT work!!
For Our Generation,
Angie
Angie De Soto
Sustainability Planning Intern, Virginia Tech Committee on Energy and Sustainability
Central Planner, Virginia Power Shift 2008
http://www.vapowershift.org/
GREEN Team Coordinator and Education Assistant, Virginia Tech Recycling
www.recycle.vt.edu/greenteam
Major, Environmental Policy and Planning
Minor, Political Science
Virginia Tech 2009
(804) 920.4039
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." Winston Churchill
Ut Prosim, That I May Serve... future Hokies and future generations.