Focus the Nation brought green practices and politics to the Student Union on Thursday in hopes of showing students links between climate change and their own lives.
The event was a collaboration of Environmental Network, Engineers for a Sustainable World, C.A.S.A.C, College Democrats, and UB Green.
UB is one of 1500 universities that participated in Focus the Nation.
"The point of the event is to spark discussion and increase awareness amongst students about global warming and the environment," said Emily Diblasi, a junior biology major.
Emily Bauer, event organizer and a sophomore biology major, said the event was carefully constructed for students by students, to explore a student perspective of green issues.
"Everything from the food we eat to our means of transportation effects climate change," said Bauer.
According to Bauer, groups sponsoring the event encouraged students to look into green practices such as buying local food and sustainable products as well as carpooling.
"The organic totes we're selling are a great way to replace plastic bags and the enormous waste they cause," Bauer said.
Dick Dickinson, a spokesperson for local food buying, said students should seek out stores that contribute to reduce fuel emissions by purchasing and selling local goods that do not need to be shipped across the continent.
According to Dickinson, stores such as Mom and Pop's Market on Main Street, provide everything from locally baked breads to locally bottled water.
"It makes no sense to spend more money and cause pollution when local farmers and artisans can benefit," Dickinson said.
Bauer hoped such ideals could be brought to UB.
"One of our goals is to bring local food into campus dining and shops," Bauer said.
Reaching out to area politicians about environmental legislation was another goal of the event, said Danielle Peters, a sophomore environmental studies major.
"We want to show politicians that students care about the environment," Peters said. "We're pushing legislation at Spitzer, and especially at Schumer, who does not support the bill we are petitioning for today."
Peters explained that the bill the event sponsored was the Sanders-Boxer Bill, an effort that calls for an 80 percent reduction below 1990's emission levels by 2050.
"This is the only bill that would curb global warming enough to avoid the worst effects of climate change," Peters said.
College Democrats added to green politics by providing information about the environmental policies of the current democratic candidates in the primary
"We're trying to encourage students to be knowledgeable about the environmental policies of democrats and republicans alike," said Nicholas Orrange, a junior history major and treasurer of College Democrats.
Focus the Nation continued into the evening as the geology club sponsored a global warming lecture by Ted Scambos, Ph.D, a glaciologist at the University of Colorado.
"The point of Focus the Nation is to show students that it's easy to care and to show politicians that students do care," Bauer said. "We've found that students really can make a difference."
