April 3 - Kansas University (Lawrence, KA)
Location: Alderson Auditorium
Time: 7-10 PM

The KU screening will stand out as one of the most rewarding screenings of The 11th Hour college campus tour. Lawrence, though a relatively small town in the middle of Kansas, proved to be doing big things on the environmental front. The 11th Hour team was warmly received and recognized by the Lawrence community and the KU students. Close to 300 students and community members attended the event held at Alderson Auditorium. The venue only holds 180 people, but students made due by sitting in the aisles. Our student contact, Melissa Rogers, had the screening catered by “Lean Burger,” an all-organic burger joint in Kansas. Guests mingled and ate hamburgers before the event, which set a very familial tone for the entire evening. Melissa also told us that The 11th Hour screening had the highest attendance of any event in the history of Alderson Auditorium.

The screening was followed by a large panel discussion consisting of Stephan McGuire, co-Producer of The 11th Hour, and seven renowned scientists, professors and experts. Joining Stephan were Nancy Jackson, daughter of Wes Jackson and Project Director of The Land Institute’s Climate & Energy Project, Karl Brooks, Associate Professor of History and Environmental Studies at KU, Johannes Feddema, Professor of Atmospheric Science at KU, Jane Gibson, Professor of Anthropology at KU and member of the Lawrence Sustainability Network, Brian Sifton, member of KU Environs student organization, Donald Worster, environmental historian and Professor of U.S. History and Environmental Studies at KU, and Scott Allegrucci, TV and film actor who moderated the panel discussion. [Need examples of questions and quotes]

Various students signed up to www.11thhouraction.com using the Hewlett Packard laptops after the event.

Following the 11th Hour screening, students have been approaching our student contact Melissa Rogers asking about ways to make better environmental choices in their everyday lives. KU is making progress towards becoming environmentally sustainable. “Sustainable KU,” a super-organization consisting of all of the “green” organizations on the KU campus, has recently been formed through KU’s new Center for Sustainability. The student organization E.A.R.T.H. (which is coordinated by Melissa Rogers), is coordinating several Earth Day events on the KU campus and has just started a campus community vegetable garden as a means of promoting environmental education and local sustainability practices as well as the importance of healthy nutrition. E.A.R.T.H. has also set up various activities throughout the Lawrence, Kansas community, such as an after school environmental session for junior high school kids and a parade with outdoor events and educational sessions in downtown Lawrence on Earth Day.

The University Daily Kansan discussed the screening in its May 1, 2008 article “Greening It,” a copy of which is attached hereto.
 

Kansas University Student Union

11th Hour Action table and sign up with HP computers

Students filling the seats of Alderson Auditorium

Panel discussion: Karl Brooks (Professor of Environmental Law & History), Johannes Feddema (Professor of Geography, IPCC) Jane Gibson (Lawrence Sustainability Network) Nancy Jackson (Land Institute) Brian Sifton (Graduate student at KU),Donald Worster (environ. historian) and Stephan McGuire (co-Producer of The 11th Hour) and Scott Allegrucci (moderator)

Stephan McGuire discussing personal actions and The 11th Hour Action campaign.