U. environmentalists to host emergency conference

In response to waning activism in the conservation movement, the Penn Environmental Group will host an Emergency Campus Environmental Conference at the University late next month. The conference is being co-sponsored by other groups, including Green Corps, The Student Public Interest Research Groups and the Campus Green Vote. Peter Bond, a College sophomore and media intern with Green Corps, attributed the urgency of the conference to the new Republican-controlled Congress, which he said is "threatening most environmental legislation of the past 20 years, such as the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act." Another goal of the conference will be to organize for the 25th anniversary of Earth Day, which will occur in April. Green Corps campus organizer Hedy Aronson said this will be a good chance to "bring the idea back to young activists." It will also be a chance to address the issue of "corporate greenwashing," which Bond said is the term used for corporations that pollute the environment but also sponsor events such as Earth Day -- for good publicity. Although Bond was upbeat about the conference, there are still many specifics which have not yet been addressed. The agenda is still being determined, but is slated to include a panel discussion on topics such as deforestation, recycling and endangered species. There are also plans to include a number of workshops to help campus leaders with skills such as event organization and media relations. And while there are currently no committed speakers, organizers expect representatives from a number of groups such as Greenpeace and the Sierra Club. Bond said she also anticipates positive "student interchange" on an informal basis. Although few people have confirmed that they are planning to attend the event, the organizers said they expect between 400 and 1,000 participants, Bond added.