2009 Events
Good Morning Commuters
Dec 8, 7:30-10:30am, Student Involvement Suite, Stamp Student UnionHey Sustainability-minded Commuter Terps! The second Tuesday of the month, the Student Government Association hosts “Good Morning Commuters,” a networking and fellowship breakfast connecting Off-Campus Terps. Come enjoy bagels, muffins, fruit, juice, and coffee in the Student Involvement Suite on the ground floor of the Stamp Student Union!
The Topsy Turvey Bus
Nov 30, 3-5pm, Lot 1The Topsy Turvy Bus is coming to campus! The Topsy Turvy Bus is a school bus with an upside down school bus on top of it. It is fueled by deep fryer grease and tours the country hosting environmental sustainability and alternative energy workshops. The workshop will include, but is not limited to: Bus tour with explanation of the grease and composting systems, solar panels demonstration, human powered bicycle generator, building your own solar oven, and educational content on energy consumption, conservation, and climate change.
The Economics of Killing Arctic Animals: Fact vs. Fiction
Nov 20, noon-1:30pm, 1113 Van Munching HallNathan Herschler will broadly cover an economic study that has been prepared by The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and is up for publication in December 2009. He will discuss the economic costs and benefits of trophy hunting and commercial hunting for two high profile arctic mammals - polar bears and seals. He will clarify fact from fiction on issues such as native peoples' cultural and historical use of these two animals, the economic importance of hunting seals and polar bears, and how trophy and commercial hunting are affecting these populations.
Green Groups Mixer
Nov 19, 7:30pm, Prince George's Room, Stamp Student UnionMeet and mingle with the students involved with many of the green student organizations on campus. Dessert and drinks will be provided.
The Anthropocene and Anthropogenic Biomes: Living in an Anthropogenic Biosphere
Nov 13, 12:00-1:30pm, Room 1113 Van Munching HallWe now live in the Anthropocene; a geological epoch in which nearly all earth systems have been profoundly altered by humans. This presentation will describe human alteration of climate and the biosphere over the long term using the concept of Anthropogenic Biomes: the global ecological patterns created by humans. Human alteration of the biosphere and climate are nothing new. It is time to replace our view of the planet as a wild place needing salvation from humans with a postnatural paradigm of humans as the permanent shepherds of the biosphere, climate, and other earth systems.
Bioscience Day: Biological and Human Consequences of Climate Change
Nov 12, 8:00am-6:30pm, Stamp Student UnionBioscience Research & Technology Review Day is a special annual event that features research talks, presentations, mini-symposia, and demonstrations by University of Maryland scientists. The tenth annual Bioscience Day, on November 12, 2009, will feature a variety of special presentations on the theme of the Human and Biological Consequences of Climate Change. Learn about the impact that climate change is having on all living organisms - from bacteria to birds, from flu to frogs, and from polar bears to people. More.
Campus Recycling 101
Nov 11, noon-1:00pm, Margaret Brent Room, Stamp Student UnionThe University has an impressive waste diversion track record, diverting nearly half of its waste from landfills. In 2009, the campus expanded its recycling program to include virtually all plastics. Come meet Recycling Coordinator, Bill Guididas, and Associate Director for Building and Landscape Services, Sandy Dykes. The session will cover where our waste goes (trash, recycling, and compost) and how we can move our campus toward a waste diversion rate of 75% by 2013 (as outlined in the 2009 UM Climate Action Plan). Bring your questions and ideas!
Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Buddy Hance on "Buy Local"
Nov 10, 7pm, Nanticoke Room, Stamp Student UnionThe Student Government Association, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Collegiate 4-H and Phi Chi are proud to announce that they will host Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Buddy Hance on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Nanticoke in the Stamp Student Union. Come hear Secretary of Agriculture Buddy Hance discuss the benefits of "Buy Local" and the importance of returning to our agricultural roots. Founded in 1856 as the Maryland Agricultural College, our university has a long history of stewardship to the land. While you may think that farming only affects farmers and prices at the grocery store, you will be surprised to learn that how and where food is produced can affect the environment, personal health, local economies and bio security. Please e-mail SGAcommunications@gmail.com for more information.
A Window on the Stimulus: Weatherization Assistance in Baltimore
Nov 10, 12:15pm-1:30pm, Van Munching 1113The School of Public Policy's Tuesday Policy Forum will feature Ken Strong, who recently returned to City government to lead the stimulus-funded weatherization assistance program; he serves as the Director - Energy Efficient Homes in the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development. Previously Ken served Baltimore as the Safety Division Chief in the Department of Transportation, the Director of Homeownership, the Head of the Bureau of Solid Waste, the Recycling Coordinator, and the Community Services Division Chief for the State's Attorney's Office. Ken was a founding board member of the Community Law Center and served from 2000 to 2002 as the Director of Research and Policy fighting mortgage fraud and predatory lending. From 1988 to 1991, he served as the Chairperson of the Baltimore City Planning Commission.
Saturday Work Day at Master Peace Community Farm
Nov 7, 10am-3pm, Center for Educational Partnership, 6200 Sheridan Street, Riverdale, MD 20737Help harvest the fall crop and get the farm ready for winter. For more information, call (301) 405-0660.
Microfinance: Opportunities, Challenges and Seeds of Hope
Nov 2, 6:30pm, 1511 Van Munching HallJoin the Center for Social Value Creation at the Robert H. Smith School of Business and Oikocredit for an engaging discussion on the microfinance industry. As the industry grows, is it moving away from its original goal of pulling people out of poverty? Is the increasing profitability of the industry literally at the expense of the poor? Or is the industry simply trying to find a balance between social and financial priorities? We will focus on the intersection of social and financial performance and how transparency is necessary to drive investment practices. The session will be led by industry experts from FINCA, Alternative Credit Technologies and Oikocredit International. This is a great opportunity to hear about current trends in the industry and interact with professionals from leading organizations in the sector.
Sustainable Table: What’s on Your Plate?
Oct 29, 3:30pm, 1102 South Campus Commons Building 1 Seminar RoomIs it possible to realize a sustainable agriculture and food system that protects the environment, conserves natural resources, and provides healthy food? Sustainable Table takes an unadulterated look into the food you eat. What is on your plate? Where does it come from? What effects does it have on the environment and your body? What can you do to help? Sustainable Table is an informative, thought-provoking, and fast-paced documentary that takes the audience on a journey through our food production system, exploring different dietary choices, and offering proactive steps you can take to make a difference in your daily life, such as using your purchasing power to buy locally and influence the agricultural practices of farmers. Click here to watch the trailer.
Free Movie: FLOW
Oct 21, 7pm, Hoff Theatre, Stamp Student UnionFLOW is Irena Salina's award-winning documentary investigation into what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century - The World Water Crisis. Salina builds a case against the growing privatization of the world's dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel. Interviews with scientists and activists intelligently reveal the rapidly building crisis, at both the global and human scale, and the film introduces many of the governmental and corporate culprits behind the water grab, while begging the question 'CAN ANYONE REALLY OWN WATER?' See the trailer.
State of the (Green) Union
Oct 21, noon-1pm, Pyon Su room, UnionThe Adele H. Stamp Student Union has implemented numerous green features throughout the building, including two new green roofs, water conserving bathroom fixtures, eco-friendly carpeting, and green cleaning practices. Join us on a walking tour of the Union with Associate Director, Steve Gnadt, to see the features yourself! Steve will do an short presentation in the Pyon Su room starting at noon before he takes the group on a tour of the green features of the Union.