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Most people think of Greenpeace and recycling when they think of Earth Day, but UC Berkeley kicked off its Earthweek 2001 events yesterday with panel discussions on political reform and nuclear weapons.  

Now in its second year, Earthweek’s panel discussions will include a host of issues ranging from genetically-modified food and California’s Energy crisis to the war on drugs in Columbia on campus throughout the week.  

“We are raising consciousness. Which is a slow subtle process of building networks, friendships and activities that bring people together,” said Howard Chong of the Campus Green Party.  

To members of the Campus Green Party who helped organize the event, the subjects are a natural fit into Earth Day’s philosophy. 

“It’s not just the environment. It’s politics, housing, business. It’s a lot of things,” said Evan Payne of the Campus Green Party. 

This is Chong’s second year helping with Earthweek. He is also interim president of SOURCE, or Students Organized for Using Resources Conscientiously and Efficiently, and sees the Earthweek events as a way to bring global issues home while bringing attention to some issues that affect UC students and Berkeley residents directly. 

“On campus, we are offering an alternative to the ‘get a degree, make money, work and spend, two-party system lifestyle,’” he said. “This is an electoral forum. Aside from the Florida coverage, there was very little talking about alternatives.” 

Chong, 21, is the self-proclaimed “tent guy” who said he was arrested for handing out flyers on the housing crisis sitting near a tent in a UC parking garage.  

He believes that UC should take a stronger stand on solving the student housing situation that he said is reaching emergency levels. 

“The housing situation is in crisis. It needs to be subsidized, not necessarily monetarily, but it needs to be addressed,” he said.  

Chong will be a fourth year electrical engineering major this fall, but said he will most pursue a career of politics. For Chong, the Green Party is a natural fit. 

“The political arms were interested in my goals – which is to see a better world community both in touch and enlightened by its surroundings,” he said.  

Earthweek 2001 events are officially organized by the Progressive Student Alliance and are sponsored by the school, student groups and the city of Berkeley. For more information visit ucb.earthweek.org.