Author Archives: Ambrosia Krinsky

Student Organizers Stand in Solidarity with Frontline Communities at Chevron Protest in Richmond

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The Summer Heat Campaign has demands; four of them.

NO more toxic hazards.
NO Keystone XL pipeline.
NO refining tar sands or fracked crude.
YES to a just transition from dirty fuels to union jobs in clean energy.

The organizers at 350 Bay Area and dozens of aligned groups, such as the Center for Biological Diversity, Chinese Progressive Association, and Idle No More have been demonstrating to bring their solutionary criteria up-close and personal to both government and the energy industry.

Saturday, August 3rd, Summer Heat held their most recent action at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, CA. The event took place one year and three days after negligence fostered conditions leading to an accident, which sent 15,000 people into hospitals with respiratory problems.

Richmond Police estimate that there were 2,800 people in attendance. A total of 208 participants were arrested. Up to date we know of three California Student Sustainability Coalition members who were among those arrested. Melody Leppard, Tommy Diestel, and Ben Johnson did not come to the action anticipating arrest, but that is exactly what happened.

A civil disobedience training took place in a parking lot near the Richmond Bart station, directly before the march began. Leppard, Diestel, and Johnson took part in this training. It was there that Leppard, intern at PowerShift and CSSC Campus Organizing Training Coordinator, states she felt called to join a smaller group planning to break away from the larger rally and face arrest.

During the act of civil disobedience, Leppard sat with others before Chevron’s front gate, refusing to move. Leppard states she had chills going up and down her spine, coupled with a huge sense of solidarity,

“I looked around. These were my brothers and sisters in the fight!”

CSSC Council Representative for Butte College Ben Johnson, an intended Environmental Science Major, said he felt inspired by all the types of peoples and groups represented within the mass wave of the demonstrators.

All participants were following the leadership of Indigenous activists from Idle No More, an Indigenous rights movement which started last year in Canada, and has since proliferated into the global arena in an unprecedented way.

“It was unlike any march I have ever been to. Idle No More led the way. Instead of chanting, they were beating their drums and singing songs in their languages. At times, some protesters tried to interrupt by getting to the front of the line and starting chants. They did not understand what was going on, but the organizers at 350 Bay Area stopped them”, reflected Leppard. According to her, Indigenous leaders were also the first to be arrested.

“This is really important work. I encourage other people to get involved. It is more meaningful than signing petitions and going to protests.” - Melody Leppard

To learn more about and join in on this movement, please take a look at our Fossil Fuel Free California campaign. There are actions happening across the state and plenty of opportunities to contribute!

By: Ambrosia Krinsky

Launching Our Resistance

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Power Shift 2013

We are the generation that occupied Wall Street, Sandy, and Tahrir Square. We dyed Facebook red in support of marriage equality. We’ve turned out in record numbers to every election we’ve been allowed to vote in, and elected President Barack Obama – twice.

We have shut down hundreds of coal plants and kept countless more from being built, while leading the charge to create a green economy in our communities. We have put our fists in the air and our bodies on the line to fight Keystone XL, fracking, and mountaintop removal — and we’re willing to do it again.

But we have much more work to do. As you read this, more wells are being fracked, sirens blare across Appalachia as coal companies blow the tops off mountains, and somewhere on Capitol Hill an industry lobbyist with fat pockets is selling out our future for quick profits.

This Fall at Power Shift 2013 we draw a line in the sand and say no more. Register now and join us!

From October 18th-21st, more than ten thousand youth leaders from every walk of life — college students, young environmental justice leaders, DREAMers, young people of faith, young workers — will come together in Pittsburgh, PA to train, build, and launch our resistance.

And Power Shift 2013 is just the beginning. Power Shift 2013 will launch hundreds of sustained campaigns and mass actions to demand climate justice. Together, our voices will unite in a drumbeat calling for change that will not be ignored.

Register today for Power Shift 2013: http://www.wearepowershift.org/register

Power Shift 2013 is our opportunity to come together and shift ENTIRELY AWAY from fossil fuels and TOWARD local clean energy solutions. Our movement has done the impossible before — from divesting our schools from fossil fuels, to banning fracking in our communities — and now is the time to come together and do the impossible again.

See you in Pittsburgh!

Maura Cowley
Executive Director
Energy Action Coalition

CSU Los Angeles

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Los Angeles, CA

Chapter Name: Students United for Sustainability
Chapter Email: [email protected]
Chapter Website: www.facebook.com/CSULA.SUStainability
Representative: Ramon Garcia

Mission Statement

Students United for Sustainability (SUS) is Cal State LA’s chapter of the California Student Sustainability Coalition (CSSC). It is SUS’s goal to educate students on environmental issues, to organize events that engage and empower students to live a sustainable lifestyle, and to promote policies geared towards a carbon-neutral Cal State L.A.

History/Achievements

SUS grew out of the former Earth LA. ELA started as a small campus club founded by former student Matthew Tiffany and had its first meeting in the first week of the fall of 2007. Our membership has slowly increased, and as an organization, we have been able to make a positive impact throughout the CSULA community through our continued efforts in educating the CSULA student body and progressively instituting change. In the Fall of 2011 a student Kristina Davtyan founded CSULA’s CSSC chapter and Earth LA became known as SUS, continuing the legacy of bringing positive change in the area of sustainability. There are many things we want to make happen on campus, so if you’re interested in seeing this campus become more sustainable, please join us in our meetings.

Goals

It is SUS’s goal to educate students on environmental issues, to organize events that engage and empower students to live a sustainable lifestyle, and to promote policies geared towards a carbon-neutral Cal State L.A.

Opportunities

Participation in the CSULA Audit, TGIFund & maintaince of Golden Eagle Garden.

Current Projects

Golden Eagle Garden
Sustainability Audit of Cal State LA

Interview with Carolyn Finney Ph.D. Professor at UC Berkeley

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Investment, Innovation, and Inspiration

 

With the next CSSC Convergence, at UC Berkeley, only a few short weeks away, we have another exclusive and thought provoking CSSC interview. Dr. Carolyn Finney is a professor at UC Berkeley in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. Her research focuses on identity representation difference and place, race and natural resource management.

In this 30 minute, 3 part, Dr. Finney shares her story, talks about the transformative power of relationships, and analyzes some of the challenges presented to student organizers within the sustainability movement.

We hope you enjoy, and look forward to seeing you all here in Berkeley on April 26th!

Interview by: Ambrosia Krinsky
Videographer: Dorian Cohen

mike roselle

Interview with Mike Roselle Co-Founder of Earth First!

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Sustainability from a Radical Perspective

Portrait of a Life-Long Activist

Long before the California Student Sustainability Coalition was even a thought in the eyes of young university students, there was an organization which decided to bring non-violent direct action into the forests and wild places of the United States. This organization was and still is called Earth First!. Earth First! was founded in 1980 by a group of individuals inspired by innovative environmental thinkers of their time, such as, novelist Edward Abbey and his work the Monkey Wrench Gang.

These individuals pledged, “No compromise in the defense of mother earth”.

In this exclusive CSSC interview, Earth First! Co-Founder Mike Roselle, talks about: his experience growing up in Louisville, Kentucky during the Civil Rights movement, his life as a frontline activist, and how his organization used the media to win battles protecting mother earth. For more information on Mike Roselle and Earth First!, you can watch the recently released film Who Bombed Judi Bari or read his book Tree Spiker: From Earth First! to Lowbagging: My Struggles in Radical Environmental Action.

Interview by: Ambrosia Krinsky

Videography: Dorian Cohen

Yu-kai Chou

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I’m currently a board member of the CSSC, supporting the organization’s overall direction with my background and knowledge in technology, social media, and fundraising.

SCHOOL: UC Los Angeles, 2007
MAJOR: International Economics
PAST ROLES: CSSC Finance Chair, CSSC Board of Advisor
OCCUPATION: Tech Entrepreneur, Gamification Pioneer and Speaker
HOMETOWN: Fremont, California

About Me

Yu-kai Chou is a tech entrepreneur and a regular speaker/lecturer at Stanford University and Google on What is Gamification and Entrepreneurship. He is the Co-Founder/CEO of RewardMe, and is the original creator of the Gamification Framework: Octalysis. Yu-kai has raised over $1 Million for RewardMe, and it was rated a “Top 10 Private Companies to Watch” by AlwaysOn. On the side, Yu-kai is an advisor and consultant for many companies and organizations. Yu-kai graduated from UCLA in 2007, and is constantly inspired by what the CSSC is doing.

How I Got Involved In CSSC

I got involved with the CSSC through my friend Lorna Apper. I was definitely passionate in changing the world in a positive way, and I thought starting with the world was a great way to do that. After that, I met a ton of great people that are actively changing the world every day of their lives, and I’ve been committing to do the same thing.

The Area of Sustainability That Interests Me Most

Developing young leaders in sustainability that will each change the world in their own ways

The Role of Student Action in Sustainability

Change often happens among students. When people are in a society for too long, their thinking and mentalities are stuck on “what is” instead of “what should be.” But while they are students, their minds are fresh, and they have a healthy naivety to what is possible paired with an unrealistic ambition to change the world. It is that naivety that actually does end up changing the world. Students should push for change while they are studying, but more importantly, BE that change when they enter society and when they become positions of leadership.

Sustainability Projects I’ve Worked On

  • Being an entrepreneur, I started a few businesses
  • Co-founded Bruin Consulting at UCLA
  • Creating a Green Think Tank
  • The Gaia Foundation
  • CSSC finances

Fermented Foods Part Two: The Best Way in the Entire World to Eat Kale

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Because this recipe is so delicious, the title deserves capitalization.
I feel like this post might be cheating, because this was not my recipe originally. However, since I make it on a weekly basis, I do feel the need to share the gospel. The basis for this recipe comes from Adam Mann, a fantastic cook and writer at Wired magazine online.

It used to be that kale was the bottom of the barrel item in our CSA. I had to sneak it into soups and blend it with spinach in Indian and Middle Eastern food. Now, it is the first item to go and usually gets eaten on veggie basket day.

Look at those lusty curves Love me some kale with curves.


What could make a vegetable that my father used to feed to our chickens the most delectable item in the basket? A delicious blend of sweet, salty, savory, sour, spicy, and umami in salad dressing form fits the bill.

Miso, one of the ingredients that makes this dressing so tasty, is a delicious fermented food. Although I have yet to make it on my own due to the year plus fermentation time and unusual ingredient list, miso can be made from the by-product of soy milk – the leftover ground up beans known as okara. Fermentation breaks down the beans so they are more digestible and, if I do say so myself, more delectable. Miso comes in many colors, fermentation lengths, and consistencies. I’ve been using white miso, as it is what my local grocery carries under an organic and GMO- free brand.

Another fermented food that is best supporting actor in this dressing drama is apple cider vinegar. All traditional vinegars are made by fermentation. In fact, less than stellar wine that you deem undrinkable can be fermented into wine vinegar. I prefer apple cider vinegar that is unfiltered and raw, meaning that the happy little bugs and their dead friends can still be found in the vinegar. Love them bugs.

Enough talk, here’s how to move kale into the coveted food category.

For this recipe, you will need:
1 (or two or three or eight) bunches of kale (I prefer dino kale, which is thin, very dark, bumpy, and dare I say sweet)
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons miso paste (like I said, I’ve been using white miso. Make sure to taste for saltiness if using another type)
2 teaspoons Bragg’s Amino Acid liquid (or soy sauce or tamari, but again, check the saltiness)
½ cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar

Tools:
Colander or Salad Spinner
Frying pan
Knife
Cutting board
Salad bowl
Garlic press
Measuring spoons or the willingness to guess

Process:
1. Wash the kale. Check the underside of leaves for hiding aphids – especially in bumpy varieties.
2. Heat the frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When water flicked on the surface skips around, take the kale by the stems and wipe around the pan. The goal of this process is to wilt the kale ever so slightly. The edges of the kale should turn a more intense green. It should take about 1-2 minutes.
3. Use the knife to remove the stems and veins from the leafy portions of the kale. I like to do this by holding the stem and running a very sharp knife along the tough vein.
4. Chop the kale into a rough chiffonade by rolling the leaves into a large roll and chopping thin slices perpendicular to the roll.
5. In the bowl combine ¼ cup olive oil and crushed garlic. Stir.
6. Add in the miso and mix until incorporated.
7. Add in the Bragg’s, yeast, and the vinegar.
8. Taste the dressing – my usual problem is that it is too salty in which case I add more vinegar and oil but I don’t like things very salty.
9. Using your hands, toss in the kale.
10. Serve to your adoring fans.

Fermenting with weight

Get Your Ferment On

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As we pull into the darkness and cold of winter, our immune systems can take a real hit. Not only does dry air ruin our first defenses like gooey mucus to catch all those flying bits of bacteria (yes this is a food blog and I am talking about mucus, delicious), but the lack of physical activity and proper nutrition generally associated with the season can be detrimental to your well-being.

Enter fermented food. According to Sandor Katz, the fermented food god of the modern homesteading movement, fermenting can create new or release existing nutrients, make food more digestible (think soy and dairy), reduce or eliminate toxins from foods, and reintroduce beneficial bacteria to our guts. All that stuff is good news! Or rather, good old news given that fermenting is one of the oldest preservation methods used.

We live in a world where there are countless products and methods for eliminating the possibility of fermentation and microbial activity. Just think about the omnipresence of bleach and hand sanitizer! Similar to living in a diverse community, it is not about elimination, but about creating an environment where the good stuff can happen. As an engineer who plays with microbes and organisms on the teeny tiny scale daily, I have an immense respect for our little friends. If you are fermenting at the wrong temperature or if you let weird things get into the mix, your potential delicious ferment can turn into a moldy, gushy mess. Respect the bugs. Feed them the right foods. Make them a nice home and they will never do you wrong.

You might have noticed that it is wintertime and in California, that means cabbage time. Although there are practically no bounds to what can be fermented (I made some ridiculously tasty baby dill pickles this summer), we’re going to share how to make some mean sauerkraut. Many are turned off by sauerkraut, but that is probably because their only experience with the stuff has been the nearly white, droopy confetti-like substance found in dusty jars and (more unfortunately) cans. You know why that stuff sucks? It is because it is dead… and the delicious kraut you can make at home will be more alive than Frankenstein on a stormy night.

In our kraut we will be growing the following bacteria: Coliform, Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus (Katz).

Note on the cabbage from Mama of Kraut, Maggie Lickter: Green cabbage makes crunchy and moist kraut, Napa or Chinese cabbage makes moist and floppy kraut, and red cabbage makes crunchy and dry kraut. You can mix and match to figure out which kraut fits you best.

For this recipe, you will need:
Cabbage (see note above)
2 tablespoons sea salt (I prefer sea salt for kraut because sea salt has a more diverse array of minerals than kosher or table salt which means that more of the needs of your microbes will be taken care of)
Boiled water

Optional Seasonings/veggies:
Crushed garlic (be gentle with this because you can easily go overboard)
Peppercorns or chili flakes
Caraway, dill, fennel, cumin, or coriander seeds (give them a little toast for extra seasoning love!)
Carrots, radishes, kohlrabi, and beets (shred these puppies and add them to the wilting cabbage)

Tools:
Cutting board
Large, sharp knife
Large bowl
Wooden mallet, hefty spoon, or pestle for cabbage beating
Jar with a mouth that is large enough to put another smaller jar or glass (I like to use the kind with the rubber gasket and metal clip)
That smaller glass or jar we talked about
Heavy things like ball bearings, marbles, or cleaned rocks
Cheesecloth, optional

Process:
1. Wash the cabbage and remove one nice big leaf and set aside.
2. Chop up the cabbage into thin shreds or chunks.

Chopped cabbage before wilting.


3. Put the cabbage (and any other veggies you might be using) into the bowl and sprinkle with salt.
4. Let wilt for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Consider a dance party during this interval.

Chopped cabbage after wilting and beating. Notice how it small and floppy now that it is beaten.


5. Use your hands, the mallet, spoon, or pestle to beat the living daylights out of the cabbage. The end result is to have very wilty, limp cabbage and lots of cabbage juice/guts. I can usually get about 1 cup out of a whole green cabbage.
6. Add any other flavorings to the cabbage.
7. Pack the cabbage into the big jar. The goal is to have as few bubbles between the leaves as possible. I usually use my fists for this part.
8. Cover with the reserved cabbage leaf, trimming it if it doesn’t fit in the jar.
9. Fill the smaller jar/glass with heavy things and place on top of the cabbage leaf.
10. If the cabbage juice does not cover the big cabbage leaf, add a bit of the boiled, cooled water until it does. If you have to add a lot (which you shouldn’t because of your mad beating skills), consider adding more salt.
11. Wrap with the cheesecloth if you want to get fancy or if you are worried about critters getting into your kraut.
12. Put in a cool, dry place. Check on your fermenting babies daily or every other day. Bubbles (of CO2) mean that that magic is happening. In warm weather (75-90 deg F), fermentation should happen in about 3-5 days. In cold weather (35-65 deg F), turning the cabbage into kraut can take up to 2-3 weeks. Take a little taste to see how your microbes have progressed.

Waiting for the magic.


13. When your kraut is as sour as you’d like, remove the cheesecloth and cup and close the jar before refrigerating. Eat the kraut within 4-8 weeks. If you see discoloration or mold growing on the kraut, scrape it off or compost it if it is too pervasive.
14. My favorite way to eat kraut is in hot pressed sandwiches with mustard.