MU Environmental Network News

May 2009

Editor - Jan Weaver Vol. 15 No. 5

208 Tucker Hall, MU 65211

Global Environmental Heroes 2009 by Jan Weaver

Every year for the last 20 years, the Goldman Environmental Prize has been awarded to people or groups on each of the five continents and the island nations for their efforts to protect environmental quality. In these cases the conflict is not between people and nature, it is between people who depend on clean, healthy ecosystems for their livelihood and people who have no qualms about destroying those ecosystems for short term economic gain. All text about Goldman Prize Winners is directly from the website - www.goldmanprize.org.

Africa: Marc Ona Essangui - Gabon. "The industrialization of Africa by leaders acting without environmental conscience will be the ruin of us." In Gabon, a country without a culture of civic engagement, Marc Ona led efforts to publicly expose the unlawful agreements behind a huge mining project threatening the sensitive ecosystems of Gabon’s equatorial rainforests. Ona’s efforts led to an unprecedented victory for civil society in Gabon, with the government adopting new environmental oversight regulations and significantly reducing the size of the mining concession.

Asia: Syeda Rizwana Hasan – Bangladesh. “The best thing one can do to secure the future of her children is to leave behind a livable earth – a place that allows us to breathe, dream, evolve, assist and when necessary, resist.” Working to reduce the impact of Bangladesh’s exploitative and environmentally-devastating ship breaking industry, leading environmental attorney Rizwana Hasan spearheaded a legal battle resulting in increased government regulation and heightened public awareness about the dangers of ship breaking.

Europe: Olga Speranskaya – Russia. “This award is a great recognition of the work of non-governmental organizations in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Caucasus and Central Asia who succeeded in putting chemical safety problems high on the national agendas. Starting with local actions, our voices are now heard globally, which is critical for the future of our countries." Speranskaya formed a civil society network that has grown to include NGO groups, governmental bodies and academia in 11 former Soviet states. Together in equal partnerships with NGOs all over the region, she has focused on phasing out toxic chemicals and reducing harmful exposures to human health and the environment.

Island Nations: Yuyun Ismawati – Indonesia. “When public services fail to serve all populations equally, if people get more trust and empowerment, most of the problems can be solved closer to the source in a more sustainable way with less costs than the conventional and centralized approach.” As waste management problems mount throughout the Indonesian archipelago, Yuyun Ismawati implements sustainable community-based waste and sanitation management programs that provide employment opportunities to low-income people and empower them to improve the environment.

North America: Maria Gunnoe – Appalachia. “The people of Appalachia have sacrificed everything including their lives for energy in America. We must put a stop to mountaintop removal coal mining and transition to renewable energy to allow us our homeland security and to preserve our rightful place and culture in the mountains.” In the heart of Appalachia, where the coal industry wields enormous power over government and public opinion, lifelong resident Maria Gunnoe fights against environmentally-devastating mountaintop removal mining and valley fill operations. Her advocacy has led to the closure of mines in the region and stricter regulations for the industry.

South/Central America: Wanze Eduards & S. Hugo Jabini – Suriname. “Save the rainforest to provide our children with a better life.” - Wanze Eduards “Our ancestors fought for and won their freedom from slavery and established autonomous communities. We fight for and won our right for legal recognition, controlling and managing our territory.” - S. Hugo Jabini. Wanze Eduards and Hugo Jabini, members of a Maroon community originally established by freed African slaves in the 1700s, successfully organized their communities against logging on their traditional lands, ultimately leading to a landmark ruling for indigenous and tribal peoples throughout the Americas to control resource exploitation in their territories.

MU’s Environmental Heroes

The Peter Raven MU Environmental Leadership Award for Environmental Leadership

The 2009 recipient of the Peter Raven Environmental Leadership Award is the President of Sustain Mizzou, Patrick Margherio. During his term Patrick worked with the Missouri Student Association to pass a $1 per student per semester sustainability fee that will support a staff of graduate and undergraduate students whose job it will be to carry out sustainability education projects aimed at students. His second major project (with Ben Datema) was submitting a proposal to the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) to include MU as one of only 12 schools that would receive a campus-wide sustainability assessment. While on campus the RMI team noted that Sustain Mizzou was one of the most sophisticated and diplomatic student organizations they had seen in their study of campus sustainability efforts. Patrick's third major contribution reached beyond MU when a Sustain Mizzou committee (chaired by T. J. Graven) organized the 1st Annual Show Me Sustainability Conference which brought over 30 students from nine different Missouri colleges and universities to share their experiences with sustainability at their home schools.

The Missouri Waste Control Coalition Scholarship in Waste Reduction and Recycling

The 2009 Missouri Waste Control Coalition Scholarship Recipient is William C. (Billy) Froeschner. Billy is a non-traditional student, both an Iraq War veteran and a first generation college student. He is also passionate about waste reduction and recycling. In his application, he said his quest would be over when landfills and incinerators cease to exist. He hopes to build a system that breaks worn out things into their component parts so they can be recycled again. In the short term, he wants to become Columbia's pre-eminent junk mover, an experience which he expects will force him to interact with all aspects of the recycle - reuse industry. His letter of support from Gary Ryan of Ryan Enterprise noted that "he is, without question, the most hands on, 'get in there and get dirty' recycling student on the MU campus" and that you couldn't pay someone to do what Billy does, "with him, it comes natural".

Special Events and Activities

· now through May 13 - Wildflower Walks - Wednesdays, 5:30 pm, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Devil's Icebox Parking Lot.

· May 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 - Devil's Icebox Wild Cave Tours - Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, day-long, adventure-style, strenuous, fees apply - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm, register at 573-449-7402

· May 2-9 - Annual Mayor's Bike, Walk, Wheel Challenge - Columbia- http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Volunteer/Opportunities/#PW

· May 4 - Missouri River Flood Plain Ecology - Daniel Boone Regional Library, Columbia, 7 pm - http://www.moriver.org/

· May 10 - North American Migration Count - 573-442-1481

· May 16 - Household Hazardous Waste Collection - 1313 Lakeview Ave, 9 am to 1 pm - pw-volunteer@gocolumbiamo.com if you would like to volunteer

· June 6, 20 - Household Hazardous Waste Collection - 1313 Lakeview Ave, 9 am to 1 pm - pw-volunteer@gocolumbiamo.com if you would like to volunteer

· June 6 - Community Rain Garden Workshop -http://www.moriver.org/

· June 6 - National Trials Day - MKT Trail at Stadium entrance, 5K Walk/Run/Hike and Nature Expo - http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/ParksandRec/Activities_and_Programs/special_events.php#may

· June 6 & 7 - Art in the Park - Stephens Lake Park - http://www.discoverthedistrict.com/pdf/events/artinpark.pdf

· June 10 - Explorers: Leave No Trace - Rock Bridge Memorial State Park - for kids 10-12, learn 7 principles of leave no trace - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm

· June 13 - Gans Creek Adventure - Rock Bridge Memorial State Park - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm

· June 17 - Family Fun Night/Stream Extravaganza- 6 to 8 pm, Flat Branch Park - http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/ParksandRec/Activities_and_Programs/special_events.php#may

· June 18 - Native Plant/Quail Field Day - Bradford Farm - http://aes.missouri.edu/bradford/events/

· June 20 - Kids Go Batty - Rock Bridge Memorial State Park - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm

· June 20 - Flicker, Flicker Firefly - Rock Bridge Memorial State Park - learn about fireflies and go on a short hike to catch, observe and release them - http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm

· June 25 - June 28 - Boonville Heritage Days - Downtown Boonville - http://www.boonvillemochamberofcommerce.com/-

Organization Meetings and Contact Information

AUDUBON SOCIETY: 874-3904 / columbia-audubon.missouri.org Meet 3rd Wed 7:30 pm, Unitarian Church, 2615 Shepard Blvd.

BOONE COUNTY SMART GROWTH COALITION: http://smartgrowth.missouri.org/, 1st Weds 7:15 Boone Co Govt Ctr.

CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING: 875-0539 or http://www.midmopeaceworks.org/sustainableliving.php

CHOUTEAU GROTTO: http://chouteau.missouri.org/, Meet 1st Wed, 7 pm, The Casteel Building, 1518 Business Loop 70 East

COLUMBIA CLIMATE CHANGE COALITION: 573-529-9273, Meet 3rd Thu http://www.columbiaclimatechangecoalition.org/

COLUMBIA FOOD CIRCLE: 882-7463 or http://foodcircles.missouri.edu/sources.htm

COLUMBIA PUBLIC WORKS VOL. PROGRAMS: 874-6271 or http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Volunteer/Opportunities/#PW

COMMUNITY GARDEN COALITION: 875-5995 or cgardenc@yahoo.com or http://cgc.missouri.org 3rd Thursdays 7 pm Columbia Public Library

ENV EDUCATION WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/teacher/workshops/

FRIENDS OF BIG MUDDY: friends@friendsofbigmuddy.org or www.friendsofbigmuddy.org 2nd Tues, 7 pm, Bryant Cabin

FRIENDS OF ROCK BRIDGE M. S. P.: 815-9255 or http://rockbridge.missouri.org/ Outdoors Bldg, 200 Old 63 S.

GET ABOUT COLUMBIA: http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/GetAbout_Columbia/index.php

GREEKS GOING GREEN: new group for fraternities and sororities at MU sauzp5@mizzou.edu

GREEN SANCTUARY: 1st Fridays, 7:00 pm UU Church 2615 Shepard Blvd alternates green movies and discussions g_baka2002@yahoo.com

GREENBELT LAND TRUST OF MID-MISSOURI: 442-4789, greenbelt.land.trust @gmail.com or http://greenbelt.missouri.org

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE: 815-9836, drop off/ buy 1906 Monroe St. Columbia Mon to Fri 8:30 to 3:30, Sat 8-1 1pm,

MISSOURI ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION: www.meea.org

MO NATIVE PLANT SOC.: http://columbianativeplants.missouri.org/, 2nd Mon, odd months, 7 p.m., UU Church, 2615 Shepard

MISSOURI RIVER COMMUNITIES NETWORK: 573-256-2602 or www.moriver.org or moriver@coin.org

MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE ENERGY: http://www.mosafeenergy.org/Content/ first Tuesdays, 7:15, Peace Nook on Broadway

PEDNET COALITION: email: pednet@pednet.org or http://www.pednet.org

RIVER RELIEF: http://www.riverrelief.org/

ROCK BRIDGE MEMORIAL STATE PARK: 449-7402 or http://rockbridge.missouri.org

SHOW ME CLEAN STREAMS COALITION: (573) 751-4115 ext 3169 or www.mostreamteam.org

SIERRA CLUB: 875-2916, http://missouri.sierraclub.org/osage/index.htm 3rd Tuesdays 7:30 pm Hillel Found., 1107 University Ave

SUSTAIN MIZZOU: http://students.missouri.edu/~sustainmizzou/

WILD ONES: 573 882-9909, ext 3257 or email wildonesmo@yahoo.com, http://wildones.missouri.org Meetings 2nd Saturdays.

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