Inaugural Climate Action Festival at Seattle Central to feature Earth Day founder Denis Hayes
Media Contact:
David Sandler | Director of Communications
(206) 934-5487 | david.sandler@seattlecolleges.edu
Inaugural Climate Action Festival at Seattle Central to feature Earth Day founder Denis Hayes
More than 25 regional organizations will showcase sustainability efforts on April 22
Seattle Central College’s students will spotlight sustainability efforts throughout the region by hosting the first-ever Climate Action Festival on Earth Day, April 22. The all-day event will bring a variety of speakers, performers and organizations to campus, including: Earth Day founder Denis Hayes will address the festival along with Duwamish Tribe Chair Cecile Hansen, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and K.C. Golden of Climate Solutions. The festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with performances and speakers scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. The event is free and open to the public.
“Earth Day can be an abstract concept for people,” said Max Shuman, a program assistant with Seattle Central and a founding member of the Sustainability Council. “We want to show people that climate issues are in everyone’s backyard and we want to motivate people to take action.”
The festival’s coordinators have partnered with more than 25 organizations, including 350.org, the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict and the Sierra Club to take part in an information fair to educate people about the effects of climate change, and what they can do to stop them. Seattle City Light will also be on hand to demonstrate a new interactive solar-powered kiosk called MobE, designed to teach people about solar and other forms of renewable energy. Four local bands will provide musical entertainment, and 350.org’s Artful Activism workgroup will bring climate-oriented art to the festival.
The campus Sustainability Council will also host an “action tent,” where attendees can learn about ways they can reduce the impacts of climate change. The council was formed by students last spring in an effort to engage the student body and the community on environmental issues. Last summer, they introduced a composting program on campus, and in the winter they conducted a waste audit to identify ways to reduce the amount of waste produced by the college.
EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: The Climate Action Festival brings together a variety of climate-focused speakers, performers and organizations to campus to spotlight regional sustainability efforts for Earth Day.
WHEN: April 22, 2015, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WHERE: Performances and Speakers:
Seattle Central College
South Plaza (in front of Broadway Performance Hall)
1625 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122
Information fair and other events:
Seattle Central College
Broadway-Edison Building
1701 Broadway
Seattle WA, 98122
ENTRANCE: The event is free and open to the public; no tickets or RSVP are required.
SCHEDULE OF SPEAKERS AND PERFORMANCES:
11:30 a.m.: Student welcome
11:40 a.m.: Animals of Grace, musical performance
12:00 p.m.: Cecile Hansen, chair of Duwamish Tribe
12:10 p.m.: Ed Murray, mayor of Seattle
12:15 p.m.: Yes Men, non-traditional activism
12:30 p.m.: Pig Snout, musical performance
1:00 p.m.: Dr. Paul Killpatrick, president of Seattle Central College
1:05 p.m.: Denis Hayes, founder of Earth Day
1:15 p.m.: Gabriel Teodros, musical performance
1:40 p.m.: Seattle Central students of color representatives
1:50 p.m.: Hearts are thugs, musical performance
2:20 p.m.: K.C. Golden, policy director of Climate Solutions
About Seattle Central: Chosen by over 16,000 students each year, Seattle Central College offers a comprehensive range of educational programs and opportunities for academic transfer, workplace preparation, basic skills and continuing education in an urban environment. Visit us online at www.seattlecentral.edu.