Monday morning in the University of Leeds Students Union building. A room packed with students and delegates from all around the country. This is the atmosphere in which the Sustainability Summit is starting. #sss15
Everyone was greeted by Piers Telemacque, Vice-president: Society and Citizenship, NUS who thanked the University of Leeds for hosting the summit and emphasised some of the goals and issues that the NUS has to focus on.
We want to put sustainability on the top of the agenda.
We want to see governments achieve the goals they have set and the messages that have got them elected.
We need to make sure that the NUS is leading that change and be a part of the solution.
Green exchange
George Bradley Vice president and community officer, Leeds university union.
The union actually has its own charity shop and a fruit and vegetable garden. The students have the opportunity to develop their own sustainability projects one of which is quite similar to our own Bike Loan scheme, the difference is that the students repair the bikes themselves.
First keynote
HONORING THE TREATIES: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR EXTREME ENERGY?
Crystal Lameman started her public speaking life because of a meeting in 2011 with People and Planet. She told us her story and how she found her voice to stand up and defend the rights of her people and the land tha they are so close to. She led the climate march in New York quite recently.
Knowing that I could give back that change that happened to me is the reason for me to make that commitment today.
Alberta Province
When the people of what now is known as Alberta Province first met the Europeans they signed a number of treaties to share the land. However, in their language there is no word for sale of land, because how can you own your mother? Now they are faced with governments who will stop at nothing to extract the energy from the tar sands. The land that they call home has been turned into waste by what the industry calls “overburden” and is in effect the waste of extraction. The water their children swim in and drink is filled with toxic waste. There are no words for me to describe the passion of that inspirational woman and the sadness in her look and her voice. Her people have never agreed to their land being destroyed, the animals they hunted close to extinction, the fish being poisoned by oil spills. Her people are not only suffering by the damage done to their land, cancer cases have increased by 30% she has however, motivated me to action by her words. I am off now to learn more and be further inspired in the workshops..