4 UPEI News

Sierra Youth Coalition comes to UPEI

The long standing environmental organization

BY ERIN FAGAN

“There is a pressing need for the youth all over the world to take an activepart in every level of decision making, since it affects their lives, and has far reaching effects on their future.” - statement made at Rio Earth Conference, 1992.

The Sierra Youth Coalition (SYC) isa long-standing envi- ronmental organization whose national coordinator, Amelia Clarke, visited the UPEI cam- pus this past week.

As a result of Clarke’s re- gional tour, youth on Prince Edward Island have decided to initiate their own chapter of the SYC, which has been es- tablishing chapters across Canada for just under two years.

Clarke held an information session in the Robertson Li- brary on October 7, and spoke toa small group of students on campus concerning the envi- ronmental issues and cam- paigns with which the SYC is involved.

This visit followed the pre- vious afternoon's presentation at Colonel Gray High School.

Clarke, a Mount Allison University graduate, would like to see university students here become more involved in envi- ronmental issues.

“If there is an environmen- tal group here we can support them, help them grow stronger, join them with our network. . .we do a lot of idea-sharing,” she said.

The Sierra Youth Coalition was formed in Canadaa branch of the long-standing Sierra Club of Canada, which has been operating nation-wide for several decades.

With about 300 members nation-wide, the organization focuses on local and national environmental campaigns, on the education, networking and empowerment of youth, and on offering a voice for youth in policy-making in social justice

The Cadre + 13 October 1998

seeks members on campus

and environment issues.

“We’re doing some amaz- ing things right now that relate to campuses, and it might just be the ideas that people hear from me that get them going,” Clarke continued.

The broader Sierra Club, founded in the United States in 1892 by writer and naturalist John Muir, was formed origi- nally to protect the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada.

“This was at a time when there were no protected ar- eas, and industrialization was increasing,” Clarke explained.

Over the past century, the Sierra Club has been active with a wide range of issues, from climate change to the loss of biodiversity. It also sponsors activities to allow people to enjoy the outdoors in a variety of ways, such as nature-walking and boating, and to encourage preservation of protected areas around the world.

Clarke, while discussing her work withthe SYC, pinpointed Girl Guides as the root of life- long interest in the outdoors and preservation.

“That got me camping, and then I fell in love with the woods and the lakes.”

“T first joined a club in high school, and we did things like roadside cleaning and planting trees and recycling,” Clarke said. “And when I went to Mount Allison, I became fur- ther involved. We hosted con- ferences and became involved in a particular campaign, and that is when I learned about how political structures work.”

Clarke described her first major campaign in New Brunswick, as well as the dif- ficulties faced while trying to ensure protection of the Tast stand of old-growth forest in that province.

She explained that she de- veloped stronger tactics as a result of the hardships she en-

countered while working in New Brunswick. When she began work on anational level, she realized that there was no national youth environmental group. There was a need for suchan organization, and, con- sequently, SYC was formed.

Clarke is hopeful that stu- dents will appreciate their role

practice on a personal level,” she said. “They need a mar- riage of these beliefs with ac- tivism. . .to take the next step and relate what you are learn- ing in yourcourses orto create change in the real world.” “Things here on campus make a difference too. . .so it's important to create change

here as well,” she added. For more information,

look up the following : http:/

/www. sierraclub.ca/syc

Wal On TaD

DAYS OF ACTIO

OCTOBER 13-16, 1998

From coast to coast, students are calling on federal Finance Minister Paul Martin and the federal Liberals to:

in the evolution of environ- mental strategies.

“Most people believe in en- vironmental ethics and many

e Restore transfer payments to 1993 levels

'S puLL ies ; STR Ss? Fund a tuition fee freeze

+ ea '

e Transform the Millennium Scholarships into grants

e Stop punishing students and end student loan bankruptcy discrimination

e Prohibit private, for-profit education: some things are not for sale

If students are not satisfied with the federal government's response, a Day of Strike and Action will be called for February 1999.

Call 1-800-789-5870 (566-0530 in Charlottetown) to get involved —

Canadian Federation of Students www.cfs-fcee.ca

CUPE / SCFP 1281