Preparations for IAAS USA National Summit

Only two days after arriving back for Saint Louis from the Clinton Global Initiative University at Washington University, I am waiting in the Des Moines airport to go to North Carolina for the IAAS USA National Summit. For the first time, my flights have been delayed due to bad weather. This development is not surprising considering the rainy weather. I hope the rest of the team doesn't have too many problems flying out tomorrow. I am particularly in love with the rain today. It reminds me of the day on the ISU Horticulture Farm this summer when it began to pour. Everyone rushed in from the fields in the downpour. As we watched, we were quiet in celebration among the waves of rain. I truly felt I was a part of the farm when I realized what joy the rain brought me.

Plans are big for North Carolina! At the conference, my goal is to unite IAAS United States socially and electronically. I am planning to run for National Director so I can help unify IAAS USA throughout the year. Communication and unification will bring us strength, and it is time for IAAS United States to be a major IAAS chapter internationally, especially as the World Conference of 2014 in the United States approaches. The only way we can do this is to improve our connection and communication internally. With or without the National Director position, I’d like to set up Facebook and Twitter pages for our group. If I am National Director, I would like to be on the list serve for every IAAS chapter in the United States. This way, we can provide status updates on Facebook and Twitter about what each IAAS chapter is doing each week and the developments for World Conference (WOCO) 2014.

In addition to improving internal communication, I would like to improve the public face of IAAS USA. Creating a webpage for the United States with subpages for each chapter will help us in several ways. First, we will be able to garner sponsors with a professional website that informs investors about our activities and accreditations, such as our partnership with the FAO and status as a non-profit organization. Secondly, the website will provide information for international IAAS members who wish to travel to an IAAS USA chapter for a conference or exchange program (EXPRO). This fall, IAAS ISU will have the first IAAS Expro with IAAS Hohenheim. The hosted student will learn how to run a community sustained agriculture organic horticulture farm at Table Top Farm, located about 20 minutes outside Iowa State University. Additionally, he will have the opportunity to participate in IAAS ISU by helping to plan World Conference 2014 in the United States.

My final goal for the conference is to get all IAAS USA chapters involved in planning WOCO 2014. Our chapter would like to offer placement as a part of the Organizing Committee for IAAS USA members who secure sponsors for WOCO 2014. Input from every chapter is necessary for planning the best WOCO possible.

Before the conference, I will spend one evening with my best friend and her roommate at Duke University in Durham, NC. Unbelievably, the only college campuses I’ve seen are Iowa State University, Washington University, CATIE in Costa Rica, and the campus in Uppsala, Sweden.  I expect Duke to be beautiful; besides, I cannot wait to see my best friend where she currently spends all her time. She’s going to have to be patient with all the photos I’ll want to take!

It is so strange to me to travel this much. I am beginning to get very used to airports when only four months ago I had never set foot in one. Things can change quickly… I still have a rush of adrenaline from traveling today. It could be my lack of sleep and my strong cup of Costa Rican coffee.

Here I sign off until North Carolina!

Take Less, Give More

Last Thursday night, I had a dream my assignment for the summer was to live in poverty in Latin America. In my dream, I lived in a black plastic garbage can on the underside of a garbage truck. I had dark hair, and I remember feeling unhappy about my living situation. I woke up very guilty for my discontent feelings for living in poverty. The next day, Tiffany Westrom and I drove to the Clinton Global Initiative University in Saint Louis, and I do not believe the timing of my dream was a coincidence. I keep analyzing why I was inherently unhappy about living in poverty. A conclusion is yet to be arrived at, but I know this is part of what drives my passions. This is why I set out to Saint Louis for the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGIU) that day and why the projects that motivate me most are those that are accomplishing tangible change.

At the conference, we generated many ideas by listening to professional and famous speakers and speaking to our peers, people just as motivated as us to create positive change in the world. We also had many ideas about how to manage our own event. This is the beauty of an event that is not run perfectly in the eyes of a participant.

From the speakers and our peers, we gained three big ideas from the conference for the Take Less, Give More Water Initiative. First, we would like to have Take Less, Give More be the auspice for all change projects in the Department of Residence. This could mean, the Take Less, Give More Energy Initiative, Take Less, Give More Gender Equality Initiative, etcetera. If a student can dream an initiative and get behind we would like Take Less, Give More be the platform that supports that student in their initiative.

Secondly, we would like to set up a pen pal and Skype relationship with the community we are raising funds for water infrastructure improvements. A pen pal relationship between ISU residents and members of a community abroad has several purposes. First, a relationship with people from the community would allow us to serve the needs of the community in the most effective way possible. Talking to people and helping them with the tools they request is the best way to support development. Secondly, a pen pal relationship has the potential to empower women of both communities. Skills in writing, informational exchange, interpersonal communication, and consistency are key to developing and maintaining a meaningful pen pal relationship. We hope to encourage consistently socially responsible citizens who are able to communicate their values and accomplish projects thanks to their communication abilities. The next step is to communicate with charity:water about where our funds water infrastructure will be placed so we can establish a relationship.

Third, we would like to create a book about the residents of Oak-Elm Hall who were and are agents of positive change at any stage in their lives. Tiffany and I plan to begin in Oak-Elm Hall with our book, Take Less, Give More: the legacy of Oak-Elm Residence Hall Women at Iowa State University, because we are both Community Advisers in this residence hall. The project has the potential to expand if students from other residence halls are interested in compiling a book about their residence hall. The purpose of compiling a book is twofold. The first goal of the book is to honor the legacy of past Oak-Elm residents by inspiring current residents to continue these projects or create their own. Secondly, we plan to sell copies of the book to raise funds for projects within Take Less, Give More. The research for the book may prove difficult, but the rewards are certainly in sight!

After the panel on engaging women in global water solutions, I was excited to speak with a youth leader from SustainUS, a youth run group that works to represent students at United Nations conference such as Rio +20. During the panel, she told us about a new initiative of SustainUS to form a United States government youth lead sustainability lobby. After the panel, I told her I would be thrilled to contribute to this project. After telling her I was a member of IAAS, a light bulb went off. She asked me, “Do you know a Sam…” I replied, “Sam Bird?” She replied affirmatively and told me she was in Rio Dijnero at Rio +20 with Sam Bird. She told me, “You guys are smart.” Instantly, I had more credibility with her and to offer to the youth sustainability lobby. This is one of the moments where I think to myself, “Go IAAS!” I am looking forward to being in contact with her in the future. Working in agricultural and environmental public policy looks to be incredibly rewarding.

With respect to event management, we decided we would offer coffee and light snacks during the networking portion at the beginning of the event. At CGIU, they offered a buffet style dinner. The food was delicious and incredibly gourmet, but I always felt awkward eating while standing and conversing with people I had just met. At a conference I would plan, I would have had a formal dinner after the opening speaker. At the formal welcome dinner, I would group people by interest in the seating arrangement. I am taking notes for World Conference 2014 plans!

Our favorite part of the conference was the Commitment Exchange Expo. We were able to explain the Take Less, Give More Water Imitative to our peers and hear about their commitments. It was incredibly useful and empowering to learn of their passions and brainstorm methods of moving forward with our commitments.

The day was beautiful and we got off to a timely start. The beauty of the Iowa countryside is never wasted on me. We were delighted to see the landscape to change to green, and when we reached the city, we instantly felt like small Iowa girls in the big city. When we reached the Saint Louis metro area, we turned the radio to what would become our favorite station for the weekend. Saint Louis WILD played Rihanna’s “Throw It Up” each and every time we got in the car; Tiffany and I could not help but associate this song with Saint Louis. When we reached the Washington University Campus, we were surprised to find fraternities right next to the green grass of central campus. The brick architecture recalled what we imagine the east coast to look like, although neither one of us has been there before. Even when were not in our ISU marked car, everyone seemed to know we were not from Missouri. We were impressed at how friendly everyone was. On the last night of the conference, we found a napkin under the windshield wiper of our car. Unbeknownst to us, it was a note from a friendly Oklahoma State Student.

If you would like to donate to Take Less, Give More, visit www.charitywater.org/takelessgivemore. You may also visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/takelessgivemore. Thank you for your interest and support!