My Poem uploaded on Facebook

Hello all,

Just want to let everyone know that I uploaded a Poetry Video (PV) onto our SDSU CALPIRG Facebook page. Hope everyone is doing well.

-Cawin

Global Warming Event Idea from Tiffany

Below is something that we might want to discuss during our upcoming SDSU meeting. Would anyone bur interested in putting one up on campus?

Also, we have a Facebook group for SDSU CALPIRG. If you need an invite to the group, please send me an email. Thanks.

Problem: From rising sea levels affecting our coasts to whole species including polar bears being threatened with extinction, global warming is threatening our planet and way of life. We know that the a third of global warming pollution in the United States is caused by our reliance on burning fossil fuels to power our vehicles. Cars are the single fastest growing contributor to global warming pollution. According to scientists there is a closing window of opportunity to take action in order to avoid the worst effects; we must reduce emissions 80 to 90% by 2050 and we have to start immediately.

Solution: Drastically reduce carbon emissions by getting people out of their cars and into public transportation. We can do this by giving people more options for transit outside of their cars by investing in better public transportation federally.

Goal: Congress is voting later this year to allocate federal funds towards transportation. Our goal is to convince Congress to fund more and better public transportation projects across the country.

Strategy: We can do this through grassroots pressure in key Congressional districts in MA, ME, MT, CA, WI, WA and AZ. We’ll hold transportation freedom days on our college campuses to (1) shine a media spotlight on how much more affordable public transit is than our current over-dependence on a broken system. (2) Collect grassroots petitions for key Congressional leaders calling on more funding for public transit.

Tactics:

1. Transportation Freedom Day (TFD)Events : TFD is the date a typical household in your community has earned enough to cover its transportation costs for the year. We’ll have 50 media events at campuses across the country. We’ll invite local reps, DOT folks and city transportation officials and the media to come to campus for a party celebrating freedom from transportation costs. The party will have balloons, party hats, cake and fun tabling events like:

1. Beanbag Transit Toss: Most students make about $1,000 a month. Since they spend 1/5 of their income on transportation, that’s $200 extra they could have if they didn’t have to waste it on getting around! Set up a cardboard box upside down and cut holes in the side. Each hole should represent ways students could spend $200 a month if they didn’t have to waste it on transportation. Ideas for the holes include: weekend vacation, HUGE block party, paying off student loans, buying textbooks. Students that come up to the table toss a beanbag (or small ball) and when they sink a shot, give them a fact sheet about transportation. To make it more exciting, set up cardboard “defenders” like a gas-guzzling SUV that makes it harder to sink the shots.

2. Sign the Train – Build a GIANT train. Write on it: “Congress – Be a Hero. Increase federal funding for public transportation.” Ask ¼ of your campus to sign it. Then deliver it to your Congressperson.

2. Chapter Transit Meetings: Hold informal house-style meetings either during the chapter meeting time or outside of it between students and community members to share their vision for what public transit possibilities exist in their communities. We’ll be collecting the visions that come out of these meetings to compile together into a national vision for 21^st Century Transportation.

3. Photo Petitions: We’ll collect 200 photo petitions at 50 schools calling on Congressional leaders to invest in public transit. All you need is a camera and a sign that says: “I’m sick of the high cost of car dependency. I want better public transit now!” Ask students to hold the sign and take a picture of them. Email pictures to tiffany@studentpirgs.org

A few pics from Climate Hero Tour '09 in San Diego

Hi everyone!

Cawin, Camille, and I will be going to LA on Friday morning to the big finale of the Spring Break Tour at UCLA for our global warming campaign. If anyone wants to come or you know of anyone interested in going email me! trbushman@yahoo.com. Thanks guys!

CALPIRG Poetry Project

If anyone who like to help out with this project or know anyone interested, please let me know. Thanks.

Poetry Reading on March 22, 2009

Poets, let us unite as one!!!
Free Open Mic Poetry Reading

Location:
Chollas Park

Date:
Sunday, March 22, 2009

Time:
2:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Directions from SDSU:

1. Enter the intersection of College Ave and Montezuma Rd.
2. Travel SOUTH on College Ave towards El Cajon Blvd.
3. Turn RIGHT on College Grove Dr.
   
4. Take GATE 2 entrance to the lake on the right shoulder.
5. Plenty of parking upon entrance.

Chollas Park
6350 College Grove Dr.
San Diego, CA 92115







Update (3/19/09):
***POETRY EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED!***

Hey everyone,

I have to unfortunately cancel the poetry reading because I'm still under the weather and feel like getting worse. I don't think it would be great to have a poetry reading in which I may cause others to get sick too. I will try again to have another poetry reading sometime in April. Thanks again for your support.

- Cawin

Campaign Against Hunger & Homelessness

Background Info: In San Diego County alone there are 10,000 homeless men, women, and children. There are 800 chronically homeless TEENS. There are over 500 homeless FAMILIES, of which half are single moms.
With the recession, demands on shelters have increased significantly, and at the same time, funding and assistance has decreased dramatically.

That's what we're fighting against.
Our Hunger Cleanup day is benefitting the San Diego Rescue Mission which is a non-profit, non-government agency that serves the abused, addicted, and homeless people of San Diego. They do not accept money from the gov't- so their programs are privately funded through donations.
You can find out more about them at www.sdrecue.org.
On April 18, 2009, students from SDSU, SWCC, etc. will get together and volunteer for the Rescue Mission located at 5150 University Ave. from 10am-2pm.
All volunteers should register at www.hungercleanup.org, and click on "Register to volunteer with your local hunger clean up," and pick SDSU, and join an existing team- "Aztecs Against Hunger."

Through this website, volunteers will be able to collect donations from sponsors that wish to donate with a credit card. All donations are tax deductible because the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness is a non-profit org. Their website is: www.studentsagainsthunger.org.

Our goal for each volunteer is to raise $50 in sponsorships. This is a GOAL- not a limitation or expectation. Half of all the money raised will go to the San Diego Rescue Mission, and the other half will go to the NSCAHH- which helps fund national agencies and international programs as well.


SLEEPLESS SAN DIEGO: http://sleeplesssandiego.kintera.org
When: May 2 @ 3:00pm- May 3 @ 7:00am
This is the 3rd annual SSD, which is run by the SD Rescue Mission. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness and support for the 10,000 homeless people of SD. Participants get sponsored to enjoy a night of performances with fellow residents.
Deborah Williams is the volunteer coordinator for the Mission. She is looking for 300 volunteers for this specific event and can be contacted at dwilliams@sdrescue.org. Volunteer shifts are 4 hours long and include: greeting, parking assistance, setting up, cleaning up.
Contact Deborah for more info. (She's a sweet lady!)

I will provide information for other events as they come up. If anyone has any suggestions or questions feel free to contact me!
Thanks!
-Becky