City College News

Media Credit: Irineo Mojica Migrant workers ride a train while traveling to the United States earlier this year.

As part of Race to Save the Planet's Public Work Project, seven MCTC students joined forces to organize an Environmental Ac- tion Fair to be held on the school's campus.

The fair, scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Commons Area of the second floor of the T- building, will essentially serve as a vehicle for organizations, non-profits, community representatives, and local businesses to promote environmental interests and raise awareness about a number of pertinent world issues.

Race to Save the Planet, a block of four courses consisting of ten credits, takes an interdisciplinary approach to addressing our major global environmental challenges and is derived from a learning community-style model. Throughout the semester, several group projects are assigned to further develop key con- cepts and skills crucial to the core objectives of the class - critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, investigative research, and civic engagement.

The Public Work Project is a semester-long collaborative effort where Race to Save the Planet students are divided into groups based on a particular area of interest, whether it be water conservation, state parks, recycling, etc. Throughout the duration of the course, these groups work in partnership on a project that builds on a foundation of democratic citizenship.

The group organizing the Environmental Action Fair - Robb Clasen, Carolynne Hahn, Leonardo Barbosa da Paixao, Jesse Leaneagh, Curtis Bakken, Faisal Abdi, and Tenzin Pelkyi - is focused toward the general area of Educational Awareness.

As their mission statement reads: "The Race to Save the Planet's Environmental Action Fair will strive to educate, inspire, and empower the MCTC student body, staff, faculty, and community by building partnerships and taking steps toward a philosophy of environmental stewardship."

The list of invitees comprises a long and diverse array of environmental groups of varying scales and prominence, but all with the same goal of informing the public about a multitude of serious environmental topics ranging from climate change to over-consumption.

Some of the confirmed guests include the Sierra Club, the Minneapolis Park Board, the Will Steger Foundation, and the Nature Conservancy, among others. A particularly notable representative will be Faculty Chair Ranae Hanson, who will be speaking on behalf of MCTC President Phil Davis's Climate Commitment.

A number of student groups will also participate in the event - Sisters for Social Justice, HERB Club, Three-Legged Frog, and all of the Race to Save the Planet Public Work groups.

The fair, which is sponsored by the Three-Legged Frog and the HERB club, will also serve sustainably pro- duced food and beverages from local businesses.

But most importantly, in accordance with its mission statement, the Environmental Action Fair will provide MCTC students and staff the chance to network with various organizations and make valuable resources available to those who might not otherwise have access to them. This key concept is not only in keeping with the purpose of the Environmental Action Fair, but also with that of Race to Save the Planet.

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