NIC's 'Popcorn' turns green

North Idaho College's Popcorn Forum, which was a well-known event at NIC for more than 30 years, has been revamped as Cardinal Connections and will be held March 15-19 at NIC.

The event will maintain the same format as a weeklong symposium with a variety of speakers, films and panel discussions held each day. New this year are several hands-on activities that explore the day's theme.

This year's event is titled "Sustainability 101" and focuses on what the college and local community can do to move toward greater overall sustainability.

"I am so pleased with the enthusiasm by faculty and students about this year's topic, Sustainability 101," said NIC Cardinal Connections Chair Rachel Dolezal. "Cardinal Connections follows in the footsteps of the well-known Popcorn Forum event held at NIC in years past. This year's program expands upon the traditional speaker-symposium style of the forum to include a multimedia, interdisciplinary approach to the topic, through hands-on projects and demonstrations that compliment the information provided by our speakers and film screenings. We hope that the community, staff, students, faculty and administration enjoy the academic and experiential components of our 2010 Cardinal Connections program."

All of the following events are free and open to the public.

n On Monday, March 15, the symposium will focus on the theme of waste sustainability. Director of the Kootenai County Solid Waste Department Roger Saterfiel will present from 9 to 10 a.m. in the Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.

A screening of the film "Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home" will be held at 11 a.m. in the Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center. The documentary focuses on how the typical family household has become one of the most environmentally damaging systems.

From 1 to 3 p.m., recycling and waste sustainability will be promoted across campus with visual awareness displays in all major buildings on campus as well as Earth Day promotions in the Edminster Student Union Building. The jazz concert "In the TS Spirit," honoring the 30th anniversary of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, will wrap up the day's events at 7:30 p.m. in the Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.

n Spokane Riverkeeper Rick Eichstadt will present the opening lecture in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 16, which is themed water sustainability. Eichstadt represents organizations working to protect and restore the Spokane River watershed.

The film "Blue Gold," which features water as the oil of today, will be shown at 11 a.m. in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center and again at 6 p.m. in Molstead Library Todd Hall. Water conservation displays from the Bureau of Land Management will be on display in the Edminster Student Union Building from 1 to 3 p.m. and students will hand out reusable water bottles during the "Return to the Tap" campaign.

A panel discussion on "Ensuring Our Local Waste and Water is Sustainable" will be from 7 to 8 p.m. in Molstead Library Todd Hall.

n The Wednesday, March 17 theme will focus on food sustainability. Jennifer Hall, community food-builder at the Main Market Co-op in Spokane, will present from 9 to 10 a.m. in the Schuler Performing Arts Center.

A film screening on "Food, Inc." will be shown at 11 a.m. in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center and again at 6 p.m. in Molstead Library Todd Hall. The film covers the global issue of food production and safety.

NIC faculty, staff, students and community members can participate in the building of a community garden on campus from 1 to 3 p.m. while receiving tips on making a raised bed garden at home. The community garden will be located at the corner of River Avenue and Lincoln Way.

A panel discussion on "Promoting Local Food Sustainability will be from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Molstead Library Todd Hall.

n The topic for Thursday, March 18 is power sustainability. Panhandle Electric Vehicle Association President Gordy Ormesher will present from 9 to 10 a.m. in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.

The film "Blind Spot," about the worldwide oil and energy crisis, will be shown at 11 a.m. in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center and again at 6 p.m. in Boswell Hall Room 102.

Demonstrations of electric bicycles and motorcycles will be from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Edminster Student Union Building. A panel discussion on "Making Local Energy Sustainable" will wrap up the day's events from 7 to 8 p.m. in Boswell Hall Room 102.

n Events will wrap up Friday, March 19 with events focused on the overall theme. A presentation on sustainability plans and a sustainability commitment marathon will be presented from 9 to 10 a.m. in the Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.

The film "Convenient Truth" about provoking environmentally-friendly and cost-effective changes in cities worldwide, will be shown from 11 a.m. to noon in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center. The day will also host a campus-wide conservation drive, raising awareness of sustainability issues.

Everyone who attends the day's 9 a.m. lecture will be eligible to win a daily sustainability prize valued at $100.

Cardinal Connections is cosponsored by North Idaho College, the Associated Students of NIC and the Human Rights Education Institute.