Minutes from 10/6 and 10/7 Meetings

Well, that was quite the first two weeks for GCI. We're now settling into pods and working on making No Trash Bash, our major event for Autumn quarter, happen. Remember, it's never too late to join. Our next meeting is 10/20 and/or 10/21 at 6 PM in 002A in Reynolds Club. Here are the minutes from the healthily attended meetings of this week.

Minutes from 10/6 and 10/7 Meetings

Katy Alberti from Chicago Conservation Corps’ helping bars and restaurants be more sustainable project

• need volunteers to help recruit bar and restaurant managers to participate
• audit current consumption on energy, water, and waste production
• just like consulting work
• contact Katy Alberti katyal6@mac.com if interested

SJSF (climate activism division)

• regular meetings on Wednesday at 7 PM in 002A of the Reynolds Club
• 10/10/10 Work Day on Sunday. Blog Post
• contact Caroline Wooten caroline.wooten89@gmail.com with questions or interest

Eco-Consulting Division

• first meeting was on Friday at 4 PM
• work with RSOs on how they can have more sustainable practices
• contact Mira Scarvalone mira.scarvalone@gmail.com with questions or interest

Focus the Nation

• they wanted to know if we could host a Clean Energy Forum, an opportunity to educate students about clean energy
• we decided that while a great event and beneficial to tap into a national network, we could not do this right now
• this project depends on somebody taking a strong lead, and at the moment, nobody could do it
• also, we felt that our school, at the moment, does not have a strong environmental presence. we want to put our energy and effort in building up this presence before doing an event like a Clean Energy Forum that would benefit from a stronger movement at our school

S’mores Party Debriefing

• purpose (accomplished): get GCI’s name out there; show people that we have fun
• goods: good location, good food, good concept, blender attracted a crowd due to its novelty, good divying up tasks and setup,
• not goods: set-up table didn’t facilitate easy sign-up for listhost, didn’t tell people to limit their marshmallow in take, burning wood isn’t good for the environment, inaccurate advertised duration of event
• do gooder: have more of a circle set-up to corral people to talk to each other, be more aggressive in meeting new people and talking about GCI (this is our event, after all), spend some time in figuring out take down (grills were just moved back to where they belong), advertise a shorter time period (we’re always going to run out food, so don’t have an event drag on for too long after we run out food)

Discuss and debate No Trash Bash

• No Trash Bash has been GCI’s major event for Autumn quarter. we have free food, live music, and a showcase of environmental organizations and projects. we also have side environmental stations like a natural dye tie-dye station and a make-your-own-cereal-box-notebook station
• we decided to have the same structure of the event but add more of these environmental stations like tap water challenge and some plant/growing things stations. make things interactive
• also, take this opportunity to really advertise our own initiatives
• explain recycling and composting at our school. use this as an educational opportunity
• also showcase an environmentally sustainable event for other RSOs to take note (have as little waste as possible, provide composting and recycling, creative decorations, using non-flyer advertising, etc.)
• Trunk, the administrative and big event organizing part of GCI, will take the lead on making this event happen. All tasks are open to everybody. We expect everybody to help as much as they can and to work the event.

Fundraising

• our regular income comes from printer cartridge recycling and bake sales. last year, we got money from absorbing a dying RSO and winning a t-shirt design competition. these will probably no happen this year, so we need to work extra hard on raising funds
• upcoming fundraising ideas: bake sales, electronic raffle at No Trash Bash (NTB), least unique bid auction, plant, flower, or small evergreen tree sales, selling simple crafts items like rugs made out of t-shirts or t-shirt place mats, and slush fund.
• Trunk will be managing fundraising. e-mail Willy wwgu44@gmail.com if you want to help or have an idea

UChicago for Pakistan

• We will be helping with getting corporate sponsors and donations. e-mail Willy at wwgu44@gmail.com if interested in helping

Thanks to all those who came!

Going to watch the Texas Rangers clinch,
Willy