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calendar happening in April - Earth Day (on April 22) and Arbor Day (April 24) -

' Lake Erie Lifestyle checked in with the people behind Bucket Brigade to Save the Planet, the Mercyhurst College Student Green Team and

I the yep! Generation-E Leadership Awards to see how green initiatives are inspiring young

I p eople to green it forward in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Bucket Brigade To Save the Planet Lake Erie Region Conservancy ' (LERC), based in Erie, Pa., launches a

I new fundraising campaign called Bucket Brigade to Save the Planet this month. 'The campaign, which LERC President Tom Fuhrman believes has the potential to go

1 national, will place Brigade volunteers at prominent retail and business locations throughout northwestern Pennsylvania

I for 10 days, of April 17-26,2009, which

encompasses Earth Day and Arbor Day. Many of the expected 150 volunteers will

come from local colleges and environmental groups. They will staff buckets - 5-gallon plastic pails - which will be used to collect money to support local environmental organizations. 'The focus of the Bucket Brigade, Fuhrman says, is to keep the donations in the community where the money is raised. And, it "allows the public to buy into the environmental cause by

supporting the local efforts," he says. Fuhrman came up with the idea about a

year ago, using the Salvation Army model for its successful Red Kettle Campaign. He intends for the campaign to become so successful that it becomes its own stand- alone foundation. "I've had some discussions with people at the national level and there's a lot of interest,"Fuhrman says. "I think the fact that Erie's a good test market makes it a good place to start."

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Bucket Brigade to Save the Planet is the latest project for LERC. In the past 10 years, Fuhrman says the organization has brought in over $5 million in grants and has protected almost 1,000 acres of open space from development. The 2009 Bucket Brigade to Save the Planet campaign will benefit Habitat for Humanity (because "they use a lot of green building materials,"

roots effort by the students to educate one another about the importance of doing this and to strengthen the college's commitment to renewable energy," he adds. Magoc says the college is committed to implementing geothermal, wind and solar energy on campus.

The additional $35-40,000 a year will be put into green energy projects at the college.

metal. And, our invitations and programs will be printed on eco-friendly paper," says Rebecca Styn, 2009 Generation-E chairperson. "We're also only receiving reservations online, eliminating the use of a reply card."

Styn and the 2009 Generation-E committee also worked with Tungsten Creative Group, an advertising agency

"It was a terrific grass-roots effort by the students to educate one another about the importance of doing this and to strengthen the college's commitment to renewable energy." - C h J . Magoc, Mercyhurst College

1 Green Team FacuZky Chair

SOLAR PANELS AT MERCYHURST COLLEGE.

Fuhrman says), Lake Erie-Allegheny Earth Force, Lake Erie Region Conservancy and the Pennsylvania Lake Erie Watershed Association.

Mercyhurst Green Team "Some of our students are going to

be involved with the Bucket Brigade campaign," says Chris J. Magoc, Mercyhurst College Green Team Faculty Chair. Mercyhurst, located in Erie, Pa., includes Global Responsibility in its list of core values and offers a new Sustainabiity Studies minor.

"The Student Green Team was organized in 2000," Magoc, an associate professor of history at Mercyhurst, says. Magoc says the number of students active on the Student Green Team varies by project and year. "I think, on average, we have 40 to 60 students who participate in events and help organize projects," he explains.

"The biggest initiative that the group has taken on so far is the passage of the Green Energy Fee in Spring 2007,"Magoc says. More than 1,000 students signed a petition backing a $5 per-student per-term fee to support green energy, in essence taxing themselves. "It was a terrific grass-

"One of the things undenvay is a green roof on our ceramics lab,"Magoc says. A green roof is a building roof that is covered with soil and vegetation, which reduces the need for heating and cooling, among other environmental benefits. The idea came from graduating senior Zach Pekor, the Student Green Team representative. Students will plant the green roof in 2010 after some additional money is raised.

Magoc cites the extensive recycling program and an energy usage awareness program as other green success stories at Mercyhurst. In addition, students have participated in the annual Earth Day cleanup at the mouth of Mill Creek. And, students also installed solar panels on the front lawn of the campus, which help power the maintenance building. He says another project on the horizon might involve planting some of the 400 acres that Mercyhurst owns in Girard, Pa. The locally grown food would then be used in the college's cafeteria.

Generation-E Leadership Awards Green initiatives aren't just concentrated

on the college level. Young Erie Professionals, a group traditionally comprised of 21- to 40-year-olds, recognizes young leaders in its annual Generation-E Leadership Awards event -with a green focus this year.

"We will also be adding our own 'green' touches to this year's theme. For example, our awards are being created by local artist Evan Everhart and will utilize recycled

in Erie, Pa., to develop a new logo for the event. "The inspiration for the new logo came out of our discussion for Generation-E to embrace the eco trend and 'go green,'" says Cathy Sosey,Tungsten graphic designer. The logo, she says, uses a font that incorporates open dots, so it uses up to 20 percent less ink than traditional typefaces. "The tree in the logo also symbolizes the greenleco-friendly concept," Sosey adds.

This year, for the first time in the event's history, a local company or organization will be honored with a Generation-E Green Business Award. "We thought we should also recognize a local company or organization that has been leading the way in green business practices, in addition to the leaders making a difference in our community every day," Styn notes.

The Green Business winner will be announced at the Generation-E Awards Celebratory Event at the Bayfront Convention Center on the evening of Friday, April 24, which is Arbor Day. .

ON THE WEB:

LCRC: hn~~/Ierc.mercyhurst.edu

Mercyhurst Green Team: sustainability.mercyhurst.edu

yep! Generation-E Leadership Awards: www.generationeawards.com

22 Lake Erie LiiStyle April2CK19