Environment // Task force members joined with other Duluth students to attend Clean Energy Student Lobby Day and the Student Forum with Governor Pawlenty on March 3, 2008. Additionally, the Task Force is renewing and redoubling its efforts to clean up local rivers and streams. MPIRG recently celebrated a victory—after working with the UMD administration to establish a separate student fee to create a position for campus sustainability, the administration has agreed to create the position without raising student fees! UMD is getting greener by the minute! Task Force Leader: Jamie Ebert, eber0175@d.umn.edu.

UMD students talk with Representative Mike Jaros about pending clean cars legislation.

Fair Trade // MPIRG students passionate about fair trade issues have recently collected 1,000 signatures from the Duluth student body in support of a University wide mandate that only fair trade coffee be sold on campus. The University Senate will be considering adopting a resolution in support of such a mandate at their upcoming meeting in April. The Task Force has been working with Oxfam and will bring Oxfam’s message to the upcoming Hunger Banquet at UMD. Task Force Leader: Leah Nelson, nels5131@d.umn.edu.

Affordable Housing and Homelessness // MPIRG students organized a "Taste of Reality" event aimed at educating and motivating students to support the Housing Solutions Act. This event was co-sponsored with Amnesty International and Oxfam. Several MPIRG Task Force members attended Student Lobby day on February 28 and spoke to their elected officials. Go student Lobby Day! Task Force Leader: John Derbis, 218-340-4175.

MPIRG will be hosting the 5th Annual Free Democracy Summit in April. More information to come!

Campus Contact
Jamie Ebert, (218) 726-8157, jamie@mpirg.org

www.d.umn.edu