UC Santa Cruz is a nationwide leader when it comes to environmental causes on college campuses and now has a magazine to prove it.
The Environmental Media Project, a student media organization founded at the beginning of this year, has recently released Gaia magazine, the first publication to highlight sustainability efforts on campus. Created by four undergraduates, Gaia is comprised of solely student-submitted work, from original essays about consumerism and nature writing, to a seasonal eating guide and a full color photo essay.
Gretchen Engbring, one of the founders and editors of Gaia, said that the original idea for an environmental publication stemmed from the need to present the dozens of on-campus student environmental organizations in a cohesive manner.
“The environmental movement on campus can be appear very disjointed to someone who is new and trying to find a way to get involved,” Engbring explained. “From Student Environmental Center, to ESLP, to Green Campus, we wanted a publication that would highlight all these impressive efforts in a coherent way.”
An extensive section entitled “Student Action and Opportunities” is devoted to highlighting environmental organizations on campus that students can get involved in. Gaia also includes a 10-page resource guide, which is full of practical information on what individuals can do in their everyday lives to make a difference such as alternative transportation and conscious consumerism.
Gaia magazine will have a launch event on Wednesday, May 27th at the College Eight Red Room at 6:30 pm. The event will include readings from the magazine, raffle prizes, as well as delicious and organic food and drinks. For more information, email environmentalmediaproject@gmail.com.
Rosie Spinks is one of the founding editors of Gaia.
