Friday, January 30, 2009

Green Isn't Good Enough

This article in the environmentally friendly Plenty magazine discusses the ongoing popularity of the Natural American Spirit cigarettes and “natural” tobacco farming. Even though the tobacco is pesticide free, the net result is not that different than administering an alcohol swab prior to a lethal injection. It’s still tobacco; it still has nicotine; it still has tar, carcinogens and carbon monoxide. Oh yeah, and it is ultimately owned by Reynolds American, Inc., the second largest tobacco manufacturer in the U.S.

Everyone is jumping on the sustainability bandwagon, even tobacco companies. The article is good to remind people that much environmental destruction and social injustice are a direct result of tobacco farming. By next year, 87% of tobacco will be grown in developing countries. Despite “good guy” public relations efforts by the tobacco companies (including building schools in developing nations), the overall harm done to the world as a whole far outweighs any purported benefit.

I encourage students to think critically about the full scope of tobacco industry practices and to question the legitimacy of “natural” tobacco.

http://www.plentymag.com/features/2008/12/the_green_cigarette.php

-posted by Tad Spencer

Thursday, January 22, 2009

2009 Area Conferences

Top 10 Reasons for Attending a 2009 Spring Area Conference

10. It rejuvenates the energy level of the leaders in your peer group.

9. You learn about new program ideas from other schools.

8. You NETWORK with other peer educators and advisors who do what you do.

7. Driving in a college van for several hours is excellent team building.

6. You will see some new speakers and presenters to bring to campus.

5. You can watch someone from your campus be recognized as an area award winner (if you apply)!

4. You can get ideas for publicity and fundraising from other campus groups.

3. It’s a bargain – the cost of spring area conferences is VERY ECONOMICAL.

2. It will help you plan out your Fall programming schedule.

1. You get to meet your area leadership team so you can rely on them for support throughout the year.

Spring Area Conferences 2009

Each spring our 12 areas host a regional conference. If you would like additional information on a particular conference, contact the individuals below in charge. If you have an event on your campus that prevents your attendance at your own area conference, you might consider another area conference nearby. Just e-mail the contact person for more information.

Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
Area 1 April 4 Washington State University - Vancouver Vancouver, WA
Contact: Mark Shaw, Area 1 Consultant, University of Washington, e-mail / (206) 616-8476

Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada
Area 2 April 3-4 University of California, Riverside Riverside, CA
Contact: Cyndra Krogen, Area 2 Consultant, CSU Sacramento, e-mail / (916) 278-6026

Colorado, Montana, Utah, Wyoming
Area 3 April 3-4 University of Utah Guest House Salt Lake City, UT

Contact: Marc Goldfarb, Area 3 Consultant, Fort Lewis College, e-mail / (970) 247-7153



Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin
Area 4 April 3-4 University of Minnesota St. Paul, MN
Contact:Amy Melichar, Area 4 Consultant, Marquette University, e-mail / (414) 288-5217


Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
Area 5 April 2-4 Kansas City Marriott @ Airport Kansas City, MO
Contact: Joan Masters, Area 5 Consultant, University of Missouri-Columbia, e-mail / (573) 884-7551
Click here for all conference information.

Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
Area 6 March 27-28 Texas State University San Marcos San Marcos, TX
Contact: Kim Harvey-Livingston, Area 6 Consultant, UT Tyler, e-mail / (903 ) 566-7197

Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio
Area 7 March 20-21 University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH
Contact: Marc West, Area 7 Consultant, Baldwin-Wallace College, e-mail / (440) 826-2356

Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee
Area 8 March 28 University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL
Contact Marianne Luther, Area 8 Consultant, Rhodes College, e-mail / (901) 843-3241

Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, South Carolina
Area 9 February 27-28 Georgia College and State University Milledgeville, GA
Contact: Nanette Vega, Area 9 Consultant, University of Miami, e-mail / (305) 284-2443

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
Area 10 February 28 Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, CT

Contact: Lisa Currie, Area 10 Consultant, Wesleyan University, e-mail / (860) 685-2466

Click here for more conference information.


New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
Area 11 February 27 - March 1 University of Scranton Scranton, PA

Contact: Michael McNeil, NY State Coordinator, Columbia University, e-mail / (212) 854-5453

Click here to download the Registration Guide.


Delaware, D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia
Area 12 March 27-28 University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC
Contact: Georgia Childs, Area 12 Consultant, East Carolina University, e-mail / (252) 328-5172