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Students with the future of the environment in mind seized the attention of community members, businesses and out-of-towners for the largest and cheapest student-run conference in North America, Thursday through Sunday.
The fourth This Way to Sustainability conference burrowed into the Bell Memorial Union and parts of the Student Services Center for its biggest turnout yet, professor of geography and planning Mark Stemen said.
About 1,300 enviros preregistered for the conference and another 200 paid $10 for on-site registration, he said. About 100 students from other colleges trekked to Chico, while 50 of whom came from Humboldt State.
"The conference is an opportunity for the campus and community to have a conversation about our future," Stemen said. "What (visitors) can find here is that the hope, the enthusiasm and the optimism of Chico State students is infectious."
The event was free to students and educators and at relatively low cost in comparison to other conferences, Stemen said. The estimated $40,000 it cost to run the conference is funded largely by the Associated Students.
Tickets for the national sustainability conference in North Carolina, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, cost at least $35 and at most $510. Five Chico State students attended this event, which ran Sunday through Tuesday.
More than 90 sessions, five keynote speakers, four exhibits, eight tours and three meals were crammed into four days at This Way to Sustainability. One student discussion about leadership took place Sunday morning.
More than 100 student volunteers began work in June for the conference, said senior Blake McSorley, a volunteer. Students moderated, gave presentations and housed visiting students. They also worked to find sponsors and get food donations from the community.
"Sustainability is important to me because future generations need to have a chance to live and have opportunities as well," McSorley said. "If we destroy the planet now, they're not going to have a place to live."
Panels ranged from overpopulation to basic overviews of sustainability and recycling to converting cars to run on biofuels.
Participants built rainwater catchment barrels, and compost workshops were available, among other hands-on panels.
In efforts to "green" the event, compost and recycling bins were available at all times, panelists were asked to limit paper handouts, schedules were printed on recycled paper and A.S. Catering provided only reusable dishware.
Meals were created around the availability of organic, local and seasonal foods and none were purchased outside California, said Scott McNall, executive director of the Institute for Sustainable Development.
Compost buckets were nearly empty, with a few tea bags and few food scraps. Most plates went back to the dishwasher practically wiped clean of food.
The untouched food will be reused in soups or mixed in with other dishes, said senior Thu Phan of A.S. Catering.
Since students created the event in 2004, both the size and student enthusiasm have grown, Stemen said.
"The most important part about the conference is the transformation that happens in our students and our student body because of their engagement in this very difficult issue," Stemen said. "The world is looking really scary out there for a lot of people and this is a place they can come to get hope."
Meghan Moriarty can be reached at mmoriarty@theorion.com
10 tips to being more sustainable
- Compost - Reduce food waste and create organic fertilizer with both pre- and postconsumer kitchen scraps. For more information on composting, see theorion.com
- CFLs - Save money and energy by replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs.
- Bulk - Reduce food package waste by buying bulk.
- Localize - Support community farmers and businesses by buying seasonal produce and other consumables at locally owned stores and markets.
- Garden - Grow your own produce, either in an outside plot or inside in a container or window garden.
- Thermostat setting - Reduce heat energy consumption by not turning thermostat settings up when it's cold. Instead, bundle up in warm clothes and blankets when it's chilly.
- Power strips - Prevent idle electric power from leaking out of plugged-in home appliances by using power strips that can be turned off when not in use.
- Insulation - Trap heat from escaping and keep cool air in by adding insulation and make your home more energy efficient, if you have the money.
- Faucet aerators - Reduce water consumption and save money by installing low-flow aerators on sink faucets or low-flow showerheads in showers.
- Water bottle in toilet tank - Fill no more than half a gallon of water into a bottle and put it in the toilet's water tank. The decreased volume caused by the water bottle will reduce the amount of water used each time you flush.
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