Date:  3/8/2011

Ecotopia is a weekly program exploring ecosystems—environmental, social, and technological.

Tonight we’ll be talking with Dr. Mark Stemen. He’s a professor on the faculty of the Geography and Planning Department at CSU. He’s also a well-known community activist with, among others, the Chico Sustainability Task Force and the Butte Environmental Council.

 We’ll also be talking with four students from Chico State who are involved with some of the many sustainability projects on campus. We’ll talk with three students who are involved in a campaign to block construction of a new parking structure and another student who is a residence hall advisor for Sustainability House.

Listen to the Program

Our Discussion with Mark Stamen

Mark is coordinator of the Environmental Studies Program at Chico State, advisor to eight student groups, faculty mentor to the  “Sustainability House” in the residence halls, and a tireless teacher, mentor and colleague for sustainability.

  1. First of all, tell us about Chico State’s Environmental Studies Program.
  2. You’re known as a huge supporter of sustainability issues and topics on and off campus. What are some of the most important projects you are and have been involved in?
  3. Tell us about some of the groups you work with on campus.
  4. How did you become interested in sustainability issues? How has that shaped your career over the years?
  5. What are you currently teaching?
  6. What else would you like our listeners to know about sustainability on campus or in Chico?

 Vanessa Pasa, Eddie Markie, and Jessica Ulvang:  Tell us about CSU’s “Parking Structure Catastrophe.” 

  1. Let’s start with the parking structure. Tell us a little about the structure and where things are in the building process.
  2. What are your objections to the structure?
  3. Who all is involved in the campaign against the structure?
  4. How do you assess your chances of winning your campaign? (I understand the moved up the building of the project. How does that affect your chances?)

Kelly Cronon: You’re involved with the Sustainability House at the residence halls at Chico State. Tell us something about the Sustainability House.

2. How did it come into being? How old is it?

3. How do people come to live there?

4. What are some things that make it sustainable?

5.  What’s your role?

News About the Procession of Species

The Endangered Species Faire will again be held the first Saturday in May, May 7. This year, there will be a new event at the Faire that we’re really excited about—The Procession of the Species. Everyone is invited to participate in this celebratory parade in which they create their favorite species—oyster mushroom, dolphin, daisy, monarch butterfly, lion, tiger, or bear. We’ll then Process in creative costume to Cedar Grove in Bidwell Park. We’re inviting schools, organizations, businesses, and individuals and their friends to craft puppets and costumes out of recycled materials.

We’ve got a couple of possibilities to help you with ideas and construction. First of all, there will be four puppet-making workshops conducted by Master Puppeteer Cheetah Tchudi. These workshops will be held on four consecutive Fridays—March 18 and 25 and April 1 and 8. The workshops are free and will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 at the GRUB house, 1525 Dayton Road. If you get off work at 5:00, come at 5:30. You don’t have to RSVP, but it would really help us with planning if you did. To let us know you’re coming or for more information, please email ecotopia@kzfr.org.

If you are a teacher or principal (or parent), Steve and I would love to come to your classrooms to help build puppets. Puppets can be as elaborate as large, collaborative wearable puppets like whales or snakes or as simple as a school of fish or a garden of flowers on sticks. Our major construction method is cardboard, paper mache, and paint.

Again, email ecotopia@kzfr.org.

To learn more about the Endangered Species Faire, you can go to the BEC website, www.endangeredspeciesfaire.org, or you can phone (530) 891-6424 or email marym @ becnet.org.

 Playlist

1. Global Warming Blues      3:42  Lenny Solomon   Armando’s Pie                    

2. Working On A Dream        3:30  Bruce Springsteen       Working On A Dream  

3. Break Up The Concrete     2:39  The Pretenders   Break Up The Concrete

4. Danger (Global Warming) – Radio Mix 3:35  Brick Casey Danger (Global Warming)        Rap & Hip-Hop                   

5. Weave Me the Sunshine   4:28  Peter, Paul And Mary    The Very Best of Peter

6. Effect & Cause        3:00  The White Stripes       Icky Thump Rock

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