Bemidji gets to work

Local volunteers dedicated their day to participate in the 350 mission

By Caley Jorgensen

Story #4

October 19, 2010

Word Count: 769

                Last Sunday, dozens of trash bags lay full and piled high next to Paul and Babe. Volunteers returned dirty shovels, gardening tools, and work gloves. The volunteers had just finished a dedicated, hard day of work and the sweat and smiles showed it. These participants in the 350 mission had cleaned up trash along Lake Bemidji, the Mississippi River, and city parks. BSU sophomore Amy Asell helped out at Cameron Beach and Diamond Point Park. “I notice the garbage alongside the roads as I drive to school in the mornings,” she said. “It was really nice to help out.”



People started to gather at noon, where locations were assigned.
The sign reads "Bemidji's & 350's Global Work Party." Photo
by Caley Jorgensen.



Like Asell, Matt Ellinghuysen, a BSU sophomore, learned about this opportunity in "People and the Environment”, a required course for all BSU students. “I knew it was going to be good volunteer hours,” he said. BSU sophomore Robin Stalberger didn’t mind picking up trash for her volunteer hours. “My favorite part was being outside and enjoying the nice weather,” she said.

Also, volunteers prepared the community gardens for next year. “Our group pulled out weeds at one of the gardens,” said BSU junior Hannah Hutchins. “There were so many, it was really hard work.” Along with those tasks, volunteers planted cedar trees and more than 300 pine seedlings in the forests and also cleaned paths for bike trails.



Volunteers worked all afternoon in many different parts of the city including six parks: Cameron, Diamond Point, Library, Nymore, Paul Bunyan, and Bemidji City Park. They started at Paul and Babe, where everyone met after all their hard work. Helpers brought back any equipment used and the trash that was collected.



Volunteers returned wth garbage
collected from all over the city.
Photo by Caley Jorgensen.



At the end of the long day, group leaders and helpers put together a sign using recycled cardboard and cans for a group photo in front of Paul and Babe, as they did last year. At 5 p.m., everyone gathered in the Rotary Pavilion next to the Tourist Information Center. Here, guest speakers spoke to the group about environmental issues and how they’re involved.

Mayor Richard Lehmann explained how the city has become more aware and has used clean energy. “Decreasing our carbon footprint is something we’re very conscious of as a city and city council,” he said. He explained that the city wanted to build the BREC so it uses clean energy. Geothermal heat pumps, or pumping natural heat from the ground, are being used, as well as high-efficient light bulbs. “The BREC was built with windows facing the west, so we could take advantage of the natural, solar heat,” Lehmann said. “Bemidji is working hard and has made a commitment.”



Senator Mary Olson spoke to the volunteers at the end of the
day. "I want to say how thrilled I am to be living in a place
where people like you are genuinely committed in keeping this
area a beautiful place to live and raise our families in," Olson said
Photo by Caley Jorgensen.



The district’s State Senator, Mary Olson, also spoke. “It’s very difficult politically to get these things done. You have one side concerned about cost and the other side saying, ‘One way or another we’ve got to do something because this is becoming a crisis in our world and we have responsibilities,’” she said. “I was proud to be a part of supporting that legislation.” Part of her initiative was to find a way to take politics out of the process of managing natural resources and “make decisions for the right reasons, rather than for political reasons.”



Chris Waltz, the Northwest CERT [Clean Energy Resource Teams] coordinator, and Marty Cobenais, office manager for the Indigenous Environmental Network, also spoke at the gathering to share information about energy and climate. Worldwide, 350 organized 7347 events in 188 countries this year. This was an increase from the 5,200 events held by 181 countries in 2009.

As the sun lowered towards the horizon and the air cooled, people started leaving and the big event came to an end. “With leaders and volunteers, the total amount of people totaled around 70,” said Brett Cease, organizer and group leader. “It exceeded my expectations and it was greatly appreciated.”



Volunteers gathered for a group photo to share on 350.org. The sign
read, "350 Get to Work!" and is made of collected cans and used
cardboard. Photo submitted to 350.org.