UC Students Push to Make Change

Submitted by Alisa on August 6, 2007 - 10:31am

This past weekend I drove up to Arroyo Grande from LA to attend a retreat for the California Student Sustainability Committee. Exiting the metropolis was a nice experience in itself, but the experience to come reaffirmed many of my own hopeful beliefs in this movement.

The group of about twenty current UC students or UC alumni were extremely energetic and bursting with innovative ideas for changing our school system as well as changing ideas and people's mindsets. It's easy to feel insignificant by yourself (especially when pitted against a huge bureaucracy such as the UC.) However, when placed in a great group of people who wake up wanting to change the world and want to help you gain the tools to do the same, it's easy to feel powerful.

An affirmation of the support behind this cause was visible at the retreat. We ate great, organic, local food every day and even had so much that we were able to take a good amount home with us. All of this food was donated enthusiastically by farmers in farmer's markets in LA as well as by Trader Joe's. Additionally, the beautiful ranch at which the retreat was held was given to us to use for the long weekend. The ranch had a permaculture specialist residing there, who we gifted with several oak trees at the end of our stay. We left with zero waste and composted all of our produce waste.

Sitting in traffic on the way back to LA I realized the contrast from the life I led for a short weekend and the life I lead 7 days a week in LA. Eating locally, sharing a green space or being surrounded by excited, eco-minded individuals should be the "norm" and not a departure from reality. I'm hopeful that young leaders like the ones I was lucky enough to be around this weekend can make this happen in the future.

Alisa's blog
Login or register to post comments
839 reads

Supporting the Message

Atraction's action communities are created to help people plug-in and engage after seeing our films. Help us continue our work and support the message by buying our DVDs, T-shirts or other cool things related to our films. The films we make are created to raise awareness and help foster change around issues of the environment, social justice, consciousness, health and well-being. With each film we launch and action community and conduct educational tours of the film to universities and schools. We also create teaching materials that help people dive deeper into the subject. By purchasing a DVD, or other things, you help spread the message.

Purpose

The purpose of this website is to inspire people to take action. We encourage people to take action at home and in their communities. On this social action website, you will see thousands of examples of what people have chosen to do to make the world a better place. We believe that when people see what other people are doing, it helps them take action too. So we ask that you open a profile, and tell us what action you are doing, perhaps you are going to plant a vegetable garden, or you are going to help start a recycling program at school, whatever it is, let us know and tell us how it's going. You can post videos, pictures and statements. If you need inspiration, check and see what people have done by looking on the action map or joining a group that has already started. Together, step by step, action by action, we can create a healthy and just world.

Take Action

Stop talking. Now is the time. Take action here.