Global Warming is a global concern, and it is single-handedly breathing new life into old organizations on campus, including the UB Environmental Network Club (UBEN).
"We are basically all about the environment," said Emily DiBlasi, UBEN secretary and senior biological sciences major.
According to DiBlasi, UBEN has many different options for students to get involved and help make the UB community more environmentally focused. She said that club activists are always working to create new programs, and UBEN sponsors and organizes events that include speakers, camping, hiking and snowshoeing trips.
"We are more than just planting trees," said Emily Bauer, UBEN co-president.
Though the group does plant trees both on and off campus, UBEN is also currently pursuing options for creating carbon-emission offsets.
UB 2020 plans to make the University "carbon neutral," and UBEN will also help create carbon offsets, including a garden in the works for the current school year.
According to DiBlasi, UBEN also plans to have local farms sell directly to Campus Dining and Shops dining halls on campus as part of a "Farms to Campus" program that will support the local economy as well as reducing the amount of carbon emissions it takes to transport goods.
Although the club is not affiliated with farmers' markets held on the North and South campuses, UBEN does encourage the selling of local produce to UB students.
"I'm not a hardcore hippie, but I like recycling," said Maggie Anderson, a freshman English major. "I actually think (UBEN) will do things. They have a lot of interesting ideas."
Anderson was one of 27 students who came to the first UBEN meeting ready to participate in planning for the 2007-2008 school year.
"We want to tie together the environment, our community and our goals," Bauer said. "We want to make students' environmental visions a reality."
According to Bauer, UBEN has changed structure and goals in the 10 years since it began. In past years, membership fluctuation and loss of leadership has made consistent club activities difficult.
"It was difficult last year. We didn't know what we were doing; we just had a dream," Bauer said. "If we can do it, then any student can be the change they want to see in the world."
According to DiBlasi, club members are enthusiastic about the growing participation and interest in activism renewed in the wake of global warming.
"It's really cool that we can all start together," DiBlasi said.
Chris Llop, president of Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW), was present at the meeting.
"There is a really big demand for students who want to help out," Llop said.
UBEN will work closely with ESW as well as UB Green and the Sierra Club, Bauer said.
UBEN weekly meetings are held every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in 250 Student Union. For more information, e-mail Emily DiBlasi at ediblasi@buffalo.edu.
Photo: Courtesy of SUNY
