Let’s Find Some Common Ground

For the average citizen, reports of war, social crisis, and environmental issues are average features on the evening news. Although, for the members of Common Ground, though, they are a call to action. For the past twenty years, the organization has met to discuss and try to find solutions to different socio-political issues. Today, Common Ground holds a membership of nineteen students who discuss ways to raise awareness of various problems.

“We are under the name Common Ground, so it’s not exclusive,” says club president Melissa Saggerer. “It tries to mold to whatever issues are pertinent at the time. I think it was based in the 80’s on opposing nuclear power. We try to be broad, but it’s hard to attack that many issues all at the same time. It kind of goes in peaks and valleys. Last year we were predominantly environmental and this year we are definitely changing gears to political.”

In recent years, Common Ground’s most prominent cause was the preservation of the environment, especially recycling programs.

“We’ve done a lot of work trying to figure out the recycling program, like in the HUB,” Saggerer says. “I think they have recycling now in a few more places than they used to. We sort of helped to get a little bit of that fire going. We’ve been talking to some of the people trying to promote awareness that we do recycle. There’ve been a lot of myths around that we don’t and everything goes into the garbage, which it does at times but only if its mixed, like it’s not everything that it’s supposed to be. If it’s contaminated then it’ll be thrown away for sanitary reasons, mostly to protect the people who are sorting the trash.”

Common Ground also tries to raise awareness about recycling among the students, who may be apprehensive to do so for certain reasons.

“People seem to be really apprehensive to recycle because its beer bottles or beer cans for the most part,” says vice-president Lydia Perry, “and they don’t want to be taking out their trash and thinking that it’s going to be a reflection on their character, so we’re trying to start something where people shouldn’t worry about being charged or assessed. Just the fact that you’re recycling is good enough for us.”

As part of its environmental efforts, the club sponsors activities for Earth Day on Tuesday, April 22, including bands and information tables discussing different environmental issues. Last year, a solar-powered van demonstrated the uses of solar power. “For the most part it’s just getting people aware of their natural surroundings and how they can take part to conserve it,” Perry says. “We see things are depleting our world, whether it be by chemical or biological means. We need to conserve our environment for our children.”

While the environment remains a strong focus, Common Ground’s attentions have turned to protesting the possible war with Iraq. The club is funding a trip to a protest in New York City on Saturday, February 15 and is focusing attention on a future protest in Concord. Common Ground is also planning an open discussion on the war that will hopefully take place in Frost Commons. The club has also sponsored information tables in the HUB for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and other organizations.

Meetings take place at least every other week in the Tower Room of Lamson Library and mostly include discussions of issues and ways to address them.

“We delegate people to a certain area,” Perry says, “like Karen DeWitt from the Wellness Center is a member of the Common Ground and did the ‘Newsflush’ which focuses on recycling. Right now, we are just getting people aware about the recycling program and actions they can take to voice their opposition to the war in Iraq.”

For more information on Common Ground and its activities, contact advisor Gary McKool at 535-2457.