Recycle Mania

Many of you familiar with SCU may realize that sustainability is a big movement here on campus.  People on all different levels are dedicated to the mission of sustainability from those in operations, to students, to professors.  In addition to organizations such as the Environmental Studies Institute and the GREEN Club, Santa Clara is currently participating in RecycleMania.  RecycleMania is a competition between universities from all over the United States and Canada to see who can reduce waste and recycle the most.  Walking in front of Benson last week, you may have noticed the trash auditing or "dumpster diving" (an event in which students go through the trash to remove items from the trash that should have been recycled) that was going on.  RecycleMania is going on until March 28, so I encourage you to keep it in mind the next time you go to throw a plastic water bottle away in the trash.  

BAWSI

BAWSI is a program for young girls to encourage them to get active. Bay Area Women Sports Initiative (BAWSI) is a nonprofit organization to get women athletes out there and create healthy, hopeful lives. The goal is to make women athletes a more visible and valued part of the Bay Area. Some of the Santa Clara women sports teams volunteer at these events BAWSI holds for young girls. The teams go and help teach the girls how to play different sports, and also help them get moving and give them hope and goals. The people who work these events hope to give wholeness to these young girls' lives and encourage them to be proud to be a female athlete. Getting involved with BAWSI is a rewarding experience, and the girls are extremely appreciative.

Fundraiser

This year I chose to become a part of SCU's hip hop dance team called Hipnotik.  This entire week, we have been trying to fundraise to get ourselves things that will provide us with some publicityt.  Not many people know who we are, so the proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards getting our name out there.  This entire week, if anyone from SCU shops at IBISS boutique we get 20 percent of the profit.  This is a huge amount of money and really helps us out because its difficult to fundraise when not many people know who you are.  While this may not be traditional "student community action," it certainly benefits members of the community, so do your part and go shop at IBISS boutique! Its located in Franklin Square

Community Responsibility (and a good cause!! :)

so, since I'm not currently involved in anything as cool and immersive as my blogging compatriots, I will continue to express my ideas and responses to the field I am involved with: pets and the Humane Society of Silicon Valley.

Currently, I've been receiving news alerts of their campaign to not only build a newer and better environment for these rescuees, but they are "going green"!! -- an endeavor I am sure we can all respect and get behind. Additionally, they are "thinking outside the cage" (as they put it) in an attempt to make their organization and location more sustainable and affective as a place to encourage safety and adoption amongst their rescued animals.

The whole project is really quite incredible, and the details of their new Center is almost mind-blowing! This will really be a place where the animals can feel safe and almost "at home" as they live not in cold, chain-link pens, but in "home"-type environments, where they'll be more likely to behave in their natural temperament and personality (thereby, hopefully, allowing for more and better-fitting adoptions :)

(photos borrowed from <http://giving.hssv.org/site/PhotoAlbumUser?AlbumID=5153&view=UserAlbum> copyright & thanks to HSSV.)


HSSV is also going to continue with their all-proceeds-help Pet Store and with their incredible Veterinary resources, but will also be adding doggie daycare, grooming services, and even training and education centers!

It's all really quite exciting, and I hope they'll be successful in raising their necessary funds. Animal rescue is an important endeavor, and I think too often we forget how helpless and scared these animals can be out in the world on their own, or in homes where they're abused. It is a wonderful gift to bring a rescuee home and know that you're making them happy, safe, and giving them the love they deserve. For my own part? I can't imagine not having my husky-mix Sasha around the house. She is a joy and an amusement and a wonderful gift~

So...
do your part! help in whatever way you can, be it adopting, donating, or just buying some food or toys for your friend's pet at the HSSV pet store (cause all proceeds DO go to the society and their mission for the protection of these animals).

www.hssv.org

(photo borrowed from <http://giving.hssv.org/site/PhotoAlbumUser?AlbumID=5153&view=UserAlbum>. copyright to HSSV.)

Immersion Trip

This Thanksgiving break I was fortunate enough to go on an immersion trip to New Orleans.  This is a picture of some signs that were outside of one of the houses we were helping rebuild.  It was wonderful experience helping rebuild houses after Hurricane Katrina, and one that I will remember forever.  One of my friends lived in New Orleans when the Hurricane hit, so being able to give back to their community was something that I have wanted to do for a very long time.

the best friend...

going back to pets--

For my 21st birthday, my mom paid the fees for me to adopt a beautiful husky-mix from the Humane Society: Silicon Valley (HSSV). We were finally able to bring her home Monday and she has since been "living it up" around the house, and, I will be the first to admit that I find it hard to be disciplined in not giving her "people food" or letting her get too comfortable on my bed. She is absolutely adorable and has the sweetest disposition, but still enough curiousity and playfulness that she is eager to explore her new home and neighborhood or play with me in the living room. She has that puppy-spirit/heart that enjoys pawing at reflections on the floor from a mirror or watch face and you can see the "hunter" in her when she spotted one of my neighbor's cats in the backyard going after some birds (whom I sure will be relieved to have a dog around again). It's great to have a pet again after so many years, but I've been surprised over the number of "parental" problems to face!!

One of the foremost? :: should I crate her or not?

There's a lot of controversy in discussions over whether or not crating is fair treatment to the animals or not ("EEK!! It's a CAGE!!"-mentality). The literature I have read on the subject argues that it couldn't be further from cruelty, esp. in regard to dogs. They argue for the "den" quality of a crate, which dogs prefer and feel safest in, especially when they're rescuees.
This is probably true on a "typical" basis, but with my little Sasha? I'm finding it hard to acquiesce. She definitely prefers to hang out and sleep on a blanket or doggy bed and I always feel so guilty when I have to crate her up to leave for school. I know it's all part of discipline and, since she's been sleeping fine at night, I know there probably isn't a history of crate abuse in her past, but...it still doesn't change that it's not her favorite place. I guess I'll just have to continue walking her through it slowly and be there to assure her that I haven't gone anywhere. (on a side note: I'm glad that I opted not to go for the typical plastic crates you see usually and instead got a pretty nice canvas one which has a certain "camping" feel to it, and is a lot more inviting than the usual ones).

I love having a dog again, though, and there's such an extra satisfaction over knowing that I'm giving a good and loving home to a dog previously without one. True, there might be some "peace of mind" about puppies you buy from a litter or whatnot, but I think I'd rather roll the dice on an unknown history with my gorgeous husky mutt and know that there's one less dog in the pound at risk of fatal "kennel cough" or worse.


soo....if you're thinking about a new pet? Take it from me: The shelters and Humane Society are most certainly worth the time to look. Most pet adoptions in the area will include rescuees from these organizations and the staffs are very good about behavior assessments, fair treatment, vaccinations and loving care. At least give them a look:: there's a lot of happiness and satisfaction to be had~

Immersion Trips

Over Thanksgiving break, I had the opportunity to go on an immersion trip to Tijuana, Mexico, and had the time of my life.  I can honestly say that it was simultaneously the most difficult and rewarding experience I have had thus far in life.  We spent four days building houses for families in need and living in solidarity with them.  Over the course of the four days, I found myself physically exhausted but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually renewed.  Personally, I think immersion trips are some of the most unique and fulfilling opportunities that Santa Clara offers to its students.  If you ever have a chance to go on one, I highly recommend it.  The Ignatian Center is currently offering a variety of immersion options for spring break, including in Appalachia, Nogales, Mexico, and Tuba City, Arizona.  If at all interested, I encourage you to get in touch with the Ignatian Center in Sobrato Hall for more information and application details.