GEAR (Georgian Students for Environmental Awareness and Research) is a group of volunteers working throughout Georgian College and Barrie to raise awareness about environmental issues and goals while promoting sustainability within the campus and community

GEAR is one of the greatest opportunities students have to start sharpening their skills in environmental remediation and sustainable development.

“In real life, it’s rare that you are offered the same support that this educational institution will offer us as we work though GEAR to promote environmentally oriented attitudes on campus,” says Mandy Hutter, a Georgian College student.

“After all, if these attitudes are to carry on into the ‘real world’, it doesn’t hurt to have a little hands on experience incorporating them into your learning here at Georgian. It’s about time to yank the sticks out of the gears of GEAR!”

The first meeting is at the Barrie Campus Students’ Administrative Council (SAC) meeting room the A Building on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. The first meeting will cover housekeeping items and activities such as:

• Executive update: taking nominations or appointing individuals who want to include themselves on part of the committee that will run GEAR
• Goals for the year: including establishing/tweaking the mandate or vision to better suit the concerns of the current student body
• Budget overview: looking at what resources the group has at its disposal and what’s need to initiate activities

The remainder of the meeting will focus on activities and brainstorming ideas. Through open discussion, GEAR will discuss ideas and focus on promoting the group itself, the attitudes GEAR wants to encourage and the goals the students taking part in GEAR want to get going.

Current GEAR activities include:

• Weekly free coffee servings to raise awareness and funds for upcoming projects
• Organizing weekly food servings and collaborating with the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), the cooking club and local grocery stores to promote waste reduction and poverty reduction

GEAR has provided reliable help and an active voice in such issues as bike recycling, Site 41 protests, Bear Creeks Appollo Solar Panel Project, the Lake Simcoe Protection Act, and other local green groups.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• Contact Mandy Hutter at 100128251@student.georgianc.on.ca
• GEAR Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=2242322773&ref=search