CommunicAsians WINTER09.

indd 1 1/7/2009 11:15:23 PM

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 2 1/7/2009 11:15:23 PM
 communicASIANS
winter 2009, XIII, issue no.1

cover graphic by Cecilia Yang

Feature communicASIANS is published quarterly

6
by the Stanford University Asian American
Activities Center (A³C). Views expressed
Green Is the Color to Be ........................................................................... 3 in communicASIANS are those of the
A Conversation with Palo Alto Councilmember Yoriko Kishimoto......4 writers and do not necessarily represent
Addressing environmental issues in ethnically-diverse communities the opinions of the A³C. communicASIANS
welcomes all signed letters of opinion,
A Day in the Life of… a Stanford Student........................................6 which are subject to editing for length,
How much energy do you use in a day? accuracy, and grammar.

The Beijing Olympics: China’s Environmental Efforts........................8 Asian American Activities Center
The measures taken before, during, and after the Olympic Games Old Union Clubhouse- 2nd Floor
Stanford, CA 94305-3064
Justice through Empowerment: A Bay Area Organization’s Fight...10

8 An organization’s efforts to bring environmental justice

Staff
Editor-in-Chief
News Betty Pham

Is Green the New Black?..........................................................................12 Associate Editor

A peek into eco-friendly couture Christie Cho

12
Why Farm on the Farm?...........................................................................13
A Stanford student explains the role of student gardens Layout Editor
Gea Kang

Voices Contributors
Susan Chen
Picture This..............................................................................................14 Vanessa Dang
A poetic interlude about the beauty of nature Dylan Kim
Tiffany Lau
Organic Living: Cost Effective?.................................................................15 Melissa Luu

15
Can you save the environment while saving money?
Ashni Mohnot
Shaping the Future: Social Entrepreneurship & You............................... 16 Betty Pham
Sustainable solutions created by young social entrepreneurs Samantha Toh
Kentaro Watari

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 1 1/7/2009 11:15:26 PM

 CA
A3C Staff
Editor’s Letter
Assistant Dean and Director
And so the seed of eco-consciousness was planted. But Cindy Ng
that seed is no longer just a little seed—it has managed to
grow into that tree you bike by on your way to lecture. As Assistant Director
a senior, I have had the opportunity to observe and partici- Shelley Tadaki
pate in the movement towards a greener way of living during
these four long years. From friendly dorm competitions to Administrative Associate
that pesky-but-thought-inspiring plate scraping, the Stanford Michael Nguyen
community has worked tirelessly to incorporate sustainabil- Lilian Thaoxaochay
ity measures into our work hard, study hard, and play hard
Bobby Wei
lifestyle.
You are probably wondering how this specifically relates
AIM Coordinator
to the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community. I get it.
Growing up in a Vietnamese household, the only educational Phillip Hon
material I had about sustainability efforts came from com-
mercials featuring Recycle Rex and his recycling dinosaur Asian American Studies
buddies (nostalgic yet, anyone?). In this issue of Commu- Lan Le
nicASIANS, we address environmental issues that not only
directly affect you as a member of the API community but Community Building
also the person reading over your shoulder. Quynh Phan
This issue highlights a variety of interesting stories, but I’d
like to address one that was not included but hit me close to CommunicASIANS
home as a Bay Area native. Not too long ago, both San Fran- Christie Cho
cisco and Oakland passed bans on Styrofoam to-go contain- Gea Kang
ers. This affected many of the food vendors as compliance Betty Pham
meant finding an alternative that would be useful for both hot
and cold liquids and match the inexpensiveness of foam con- Computer Services
tainers. Many of the alternatives suggested and found were James Xie
not as affordable or hardy against hot foods. How do you
pack rice porridge, Vietnamese noodle broth, or heavy left- Facilities Coordinator
overs in a way that does not empty the pockets of restaurant Emily Zhao
owners but is also environmentally friendly? I love my rice
vermicelli and barbecued beef piping hot, but can I forgo that Frosh Interns
heat to reduce the mountains of slowly degrading foam?
Katherine Chen
There are so many small things that you can do to con-
tribute to the sustainability movement. You can do a small Richard Lee
thing, like making the conscious effort to reduce the amount Melissa Luu
of waste generated at ever meal, or a big thing, like leading a Huy Phan
city-wide campaign to outfit all buildings with more efficient
heating systems. The choice is yours. Grad Student Programming
So here we are. As students, readers, and leaders, I en- Adam Wang
courage you to take your time as you thumb through these
pages. Take a moment to reflect on your footprint—how Health and Well-Being
lightly do you tread? Eunice Lee
Please feel free to e-mail me at bnpham@stanford.edu Andrew Pipathsouk
with any of your comments, concerns, or questions.
Publicity
Enjoy, Cecilia Yang

Speaker Series
Jason Jia
Betty Pham
Editor-in-Chief
Jason Lee

Webmaster
Adam Moua

2 communicasians

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 2 1/7/2009 11:15:29 PM

 CA

g reen is the color to be these days, with the sustain-

ability movement building momentum and environ-
mental activism sprouting up all around the world.

The surge in gas prices this past summer fueled the na-
tionwide debate on fuel efficiency, and businesses be-
gan looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

Here on campus, a combination of student activism and campus

policies have made sustainability a priority. From biodegradable
tableware to energy conservation competitions between dorms,
the Stanford community strives to make green a way of life.

In the end, however, sustainability comes down to our indi-

vidual everyday actions, including turning out unused lights,
avoiding bottled water, and minimizing food waste at meals.

Environmental sustainability is not an API issue, an item

on the liberal agenda, or an American phenomenon,
but a way of life that applies to the global community.  |

Photo courtesy of http://flickr.com/photos/yahya/132963781

communicasians 3

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 3 1/7/2009 11:15:32 PM

 CA

conversation
palo alto councilmember
kishimoto
by Dylan Kim

I
n 2007, Yoriko Kishimoto became the first Asian American
mayor of Palo Alto. Her position allowed her to draw upon
her business and technical expertise and to support programs
reflecting her lifelong passion for the environment and walkable
communities. Her call to action for Palo Alto in 2007 was “Build-
ing a Green Economy through Innovation.”
Now a Palo Alto Councilmember, Kishimoto comments: “Palo
Alto is in a unique position, situated in the San Francisco Bay area
at a cultural and economic epicenter of California, where the forces

of history and geopolitics bring together changing demographics

and entrepreneurial energy. The challenge facing Palo Alto and any
city is how to maintain a dynamic and vibrant economy while sig-
nificantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
She was born in Shizuoka, Japan. After graduating from Wes-
leyan where she majored in East Asian Studies, she earned an
MBA degree at Stanford University in 1981. She has been a Palo
Alto resident since 1988. She founded Japan Pacific Associates, a
U.S.-Japan technology business consulting firm that she ran for 20
years.
For the past seven years, Kishimoto has devoted much of her
time to public service. She was elected to the Palo Alto city council
(in 2002 and reelected in 2006) where she has played numerous
roles. She has served as city council representative to the Valley
Transportation Authority, a regional agency, as a member of the
nine-county Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board of
Trustees, and as chair of the Palo Alto Finance Committee.
Over the years, she also has been active in the community, serv-
ing as chair of the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan Transportation
Committee, Treasurer on the Hidden Villa Board of Trustees, and
as president of the Palo Alto Civic League.

Photo courtesy of http://flickr.com/photos/canopy/2195809104/in/set-72157603720420410

4 communicasians

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 4 1/7/2009 11:15:34 PM


Dylan Kim (DK): Do you think that the API community’s involve-
ment or perspectives in regards to energy will change in the future?
And if so, in what way?
CA
used to driving for every single trip. So it will still be a big change,
but it is very feasible.
DK: What are the next steps that we need to take to create a sustain-

k
Councilmember Yoriko Kishimoto (CYK): Well, I think they will
change as all of our lives will change. So, yes, in a big way.  We
have to move fairly aggressively toward a low carbon future. As you
know, Al Gore is one spokesperson for this movement, the IPCC has
come out with findings and the state of California governor, Arnold
Schwarzenegger, has also adopted the goal of 80% below 1990 reduc-
tion by 2050.
We have also set some interim goals as well. It is both our chal-
lenge and opportunity to rebuild the economy as a post-petroleum
economy. So, it’s huge.
able and healthy environment for the next generation?

CYK: Next steps, well, did you bike here yourself?

DK: Uh-huh, yes, I’m right on campus.

DK: What roles do you think ethnic communities will play in com-
bating energy and environmental issues?
CYK: Okay, good [laughs]. You know, it’s going to impact every
aspect of your life. Even from the city’s point of view, we’re actually
doing a review of our environmental policies tonight. It’s a span of
topics, everything from impact on marine life to green house gases.
One is zero waste, we just adopted a big zero waste contract.
On green house gases, for example, even just zero waste alone, I
think it’s about 8% of our greenhouse gas emissions in Palo Alto. If

“
you look at green house gas emissions, about half of it is from trans-
CYK: We all have to pitch in. It’s portation and half of it is from
our collective future. I was the everything else. If we don’t man-
first Asian on the City Council; age to make it happen in trans-
now there are two of us. But the
great thing about the Bay Area is
it’s such a great democracy. For
We all have to pitch in. It’s
example, last year, of the fifteen
mayors in Santa Clara County,
our collective future—we
five were Asian. We don’t have
the luxury of anybody sitting
don’t have the luxury of portation, we’re not going to get
back and letting somebody else
anybody sitting back and there, so everything from alter-

”
do the work. native transportation, shuttles,
letting somebody else do bicycles is a big part, walk-able
communities, and then technol-
the work. ogy changes like low carbon fu-
els; the president-elect is going
to be supporting I understand.
DK: Right, we have to be vigi- Since Palo Alto has its own
lant. utilities, we have the opportunity
to do a lot of things. Conserva-
CYK: Oh, everyone has to par- tion is the lowest root on the tree

k
ticipate, yes. And actually, it’s not going to work, unless everyone
participates. So, you have to participate as a citizen, so you get your-
self educated and informed about what’s going to happen if you do
not do your part and [think about] what kind of world your kids and
grandkids are going to live in.
[You] also need to participate as a consumer in terms of the choices
you have in terms of what kind of appliances you buy, what you do to
update your house, [and] what kind of vehicle you drive, whether it’s
a car or hopefully a bicycle. As an investor, that could be another role
that you educate yourself on. Another part as a citizen, of course, is
whom you support as your representatives. You can support fairly ag-
so for example, Palo Alto was thinking at one point of looking at
whether we have room for a generation plant in Palo Alto. But there is
no place to put one so they contracted with the Rocky Mountain Insti-
tute and found a potential for 70 megawatts more than what the power
plant would have provided; they found room for conservation.

DK: That’s great! Palo Alto definitely has more sway than other cities
over this kind of thing since we own a lot of our own utilities.

gressive policy positions, like gas taxes. You are supportive because
you understand the larger picture.
DK: What is your opinion on organic living and the green lifestyle?
Do you think it is feasible in terms of relevant cost, scale, and time?
CYK: If it’s not feasible, our future is grim. Yes, it is very feasible. I
kind of think of it as, it’s only been a one-generation blip in which we
lived this over-consumptive lifestyle. It’s only one generation that’s
CYK: We definitely have a lot of control and very well informed con-
sumers. Environmentally purchasing is another big one. Everything
from being the leading edge in terms of streetlights to recycled paper,
etcetera. Everything you buy, you know, you vote with every dollar
that you spend. Green buildings is another major initiative that we
have taken over the last year. And construction demolition, have you
heard of that? It’s called C and D ordinance, construction demolition
ordinance, because I think it is something like 30-40% of the waste
that goes into landfill is C and D. And most of that could be recycled
or prevented by using what you have rather than tearing down. Reuse
is always best of course, recycle second best. n
communicasians 5

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 5 1/7/2009 11:15:35 PM

 CA
how
h
uc
m
by Vanessa Dang
h
aving grown up with an environmen-
tally-conscious mother, I never had
to actively think about what I myself
could do. At home, we had brown paper bags
for old papers, a container under the sink for
recyclable bottles and plastics, and a small
compost bin. However, upon arriving here
and taking responsibility for my actions, I
became more aware of the actual amount of
waste I was producing.
I quickly recognized my laptop and cell
phone as the top two sources of energy us-
age. However, a day of actively observing
my energy consumption revealed that I use
electricity through a multitude of different
sources, including electric toothbrush, calcu-
6 communicasians
CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 6
energy
lator, printer and laptop outlets, room lights,
cell phone charger, and alarm clock. I also
realized that I leave most of these electronics
plugged in all the time, and even if an appli-
ance is off but plugged in, it will still use elec-
tricity. As for the energy-greedy laptop, while
the seven hours that I leave it on is shocking,
I’m sitting at my computer for about half of
those and only use it for school-related work
for less than a third of that time.
Before even thinking about my water con-
sumption, I brainstormed a number of ways
to reduce the amount of energy I waste. The
first idea that came to mind was to simply
unplugging what isn’t constantly in use and
to turn off my laptop when I am away from
the room. I also used to charge my cell phone
every night, but now I turn it off at nights and
charge it only when needed. Lastly, one of
my favorite things to do: sitting in the dark.
The sun’s light is strong enough to illuminate
my desktop so I am going to use artificial
DO
l i fe of
i n t he
a day
a n f o r d
a st n t
$ s t u d e
light only when necessary, which means that
I might be brushing my teeth in the dark.
Perhaps even more of an issue than energy
is my water consumption. From brushing
my teeth, to washing my face and hands, to
showering and flushing the toilet, the number
of gallons used in a day adds up. Include the
amount of water I drink everyday, and this
number only climbs higher. (And if I used
bottled water—which I don’t—then the num-
ber of gallons of water I use would increase,
as would the amount of energy and waste
from the production and plastic.) From the
time I woke up to the time I went to sleep, I
flushed the toilet ten times, which sparked my
curiosity about the number of gallons used for
one flush. According to the Stanford Facili-
ties website, “over 90% of toilets have been
upgraded to 1.6 gallon per flush units, all of
the undergraduate residence showerheads are
now 2.5 gallon per minute fixtures, and sinks
are now flowing at 1.5 gallons per minute.”
Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/emdot/50537499
1/7/2009 11:15:35 PM
 CA

yC u use in
one
da
of
wB
a
En
er
y?
& throo
w W was m l gy
w R ater ing ight:
h Us
f 5m ag
w L oom : 1 m ace)
apt ligh inut
inu
t
e:
3 o t e e s (b
w T 0 mi p: 7 h : 5 m (wash rus
hin
o n u o i n i n
w S ilet tes urs utes g f gt
h fl o ( 3 ( a c eet
w W ow ush r les act blin e) h
a er: e s : s f u a d s
w C ter 7 or l
om : 30 minu 0
1 wo ly usi down
(af mo sec tes rk) ng )
t
w R er 7 n r ond it;
o
w T oom whe om l s x 1
0
w L ooth light n it g ight: = 5
a br :5 et 4 m
12 ptop ush p min s dark hours inute
ho & lug ute ) s notes and homework
u rs p rin : 2 s
W i t h
some calcu- ter 4/7 assignments. While
out I take notes on both
lations, I estimate lets sides of the paper, there
that I directly use about dur is nothing I can do to de-
45 gallons of water every ing crease this number, short of
day. the insisting that my professors
While we are dependent on water, day decrease the amount of lecture
there are many ways, both individually and : material so that we might save
as a community, in which we can eliminate con- paper.       
the unnecessary aspects of water usage. First sume, I Not everyone can contribute in-
of all, I suggest paying attention to how long have stopped novative ideas (read: Google) to the
a shower takes and for what percent of that using a tray in the world. But do not be daunted and take
time you actually need running water; for the dining halls. comfort in the idea that you can make a
majority of the shower time, the water is run- Finally, I noted the amount difference and help the environment im-
ning for no reason. of paper I used. As a result, I now mediately. Take a recycled pencil and re-
So I’m going to follow the advice my wise print double-sided and, when possible, I cycled paper (old receipts work, too) and
mother has been giving me for the past cou- print four pages on one piece of paper. In ad- start writing down your energy and resource
ple of years: turn off the water when it is not dition, I created a scrap-paper drawer in my consumption for as many days as you choose.
in use, e.g. shampooing, lathering, etc. I have desk so I no longer need to use fresh pieces Afterwards, take note of what you can elimi-
found that this method saves a lot of water and of paper for trivial matters. My largest source nate or decrease and make the changes for a
isn’t all that inconvenient. In terms of help- of paper consumption is notes: I seem to greener, more sustainable lifestyle. n         
ing decrease the amount of water I indirectly use at least 15 pieces a day, between lecture

communicasians 7

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 7 1/7/2009 11:15:36 PM

 CA

beijing
ci s:
m p
yl fine-particle pollution. In 2004, the
by Weiqi United States Embassy in Beijing stated
Samantha Toh that the concentration of airborne par-

I
ticulates in Beijing equaled that of New
t is no surprise York, Los Angeles, Washington, Chi-
that Beijing’s cago and Atlanta combined. These facts
environmental and figures had bleak implications for a
health is ailing. Since city whose burgeoning population and
Deng Xiaoping first bulging demand for homes, cars and
liberalized the economy, goods indicated an inevitable continua-
China’s industries have swelled tion of pollution.
uncontrollably, thrusting Perhaps, then, the Olympics came
Beijing into the ranks of as a blessing to Beijing’s inhabitants as
the world’s most pol- it pressured the government to unleash
luted cities. People an environmental plan. Coal-burning
have become accus- furnaces were replaced by natural gas
tomed to breathing production, factories were shut down
pea-soup smog, and or relocated, and millions of trees were
living in hazardous planted. Some effort was also made to
pollution levels. For tackle the problem of vehicle emissions,
Beijing, the Olym- such as the replacement of up to 79,000
pics signified an polluting older taxis. Mere months be-
immense challenge; fore the Olympics, stricter emergency
for the sake of the ath- pollution controls were further intro-
letes and China’s own duced. Beijing closed down a host of
reputation, the government factories within Beijing as well as 340
had to clean up the city with factories in the neighboring cities of
great speed. Tianjin and Tangshan. Additionally,
Beijing’s pollution problem Beijing motorists were only allowed to
cannot be underestimated. As late drive on alternate days, reducing traf-
as 2007, up to 1,200 new vehicles fic by 2 million vehicles per day. These
were added daily to the city’s stock- were among the measures aimed to re-
pile of 3 million vehicles, filling the store Beijing’s elusive blue skies.
air with choking exhaust. The con- Now that the Olympics are over,
struction boom further aggravated however, questions are being raised.

8 communicasians

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 8 1/7/2009 11:15:39 PM

 CA

china’s environmental
efforts

Were the tactics used by west-

the Chinese government sus- e r n
tainable in the long run? Wherein coast
lies the root of the problem of pollu- of the
tion, and how can the Chinese govern- jing. In the United
ment be motivated to continue pushing long run, the States. For
their environmental agenda? education example,
The answer to the first question is a re- system could according to
sounding no. Tactics used by the Chinese incorporate researchers from
government are not sustainable in the long environmental the University of Cali-
run, mainly because the most extreme— awareness, with fornia, Davis, almost all the par-
and the most effective—are no longer used a target of mobilizing ticulate matter over Lake Tahoe is
post-Olympics. Economic development environmental philan- from China.
remains the prime target of the Chinese thropy. These solutions   It cannot be disputed
government. The maintenance of clean air would reduce demand for that China must clean
by closing down factories and restricting polluting goods, the root of up its act; not only
road usage would cripple the economy if the problem. After all, restrict- Chinese lungs,
implemented permanently. ing supply in Beijing will only but global
Pessimists argue that the Olympics pro- shift the problem to other parts of health is also at
vided a stimulus for short-term clean up, China—a temporary and essentially stake. Yet, we
with no heed paid to environmental pro- ineffective solution, particularly as should not be
tection once the world’s attention faded. winds draw pollution into Beijing from spending all our
Although this is true to some extent, the outside provinces.  time pointing
efforts China has put into cleaning up its The stimulus for these long-term im- fingers, because
act in the long run should be recognized. provements may come from both within part of the China
China has reduced sulfur-dioxide from and without. As the Chinese population problem lies with us.
dirty coal with a conversion to cleaner fu- becomes wealthier, a demand for cleaner As much as one-third of China’s pol-
els, while attention has been paid to im- air should put pressure on the government lution comes from making goods for the
proving Beijing’s public transport system.  to pay some heed to the environment. An U.S. market.
But Beijing can do more. Private car exodus of the wealthy often means an ex- As Scientific American warns, “You
ownership, for example, could be discour- odus of the educated, something Beijing can outsource manufacturing to develop-
aged by taxing license plates. This policy should want to avoid at all cost. ing countries with more lax environmental
was tried and tested in Shanghai, with International pressure will also moti- standards, but the pollution will still come
heartening results: Shanghai adds about vate the government. Chinese pollution has back to you. There’s only one atmosphere
one-fourth as many cars per year as Bei- global implications, reaching as far as the after all.” n

Image courtesy of http://flickr.com/photos/yhancik/20066510

communicasians 9

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 9 1/7/2009 11:15:43 PM

 CA
justice
Q& with
A Timmy Lu
by Betty Pham
What is APEN?
APEN is a nonprofit community-based organization that goes
back to 1993. We’re based out of Oakland, California and Rich-
mond, California. We are an organization that focuses on envi-
ronmental racism. Environmental racism is when poor people are
unfairly unburdened with environmental impacts.
Our major ongoing campaign is against the Chevron refinery in
Richmond. Chevron is looking into a major refinery expansion and
was basically saying “We’re going to build all these new factories
and expand our capacity” and think that it’ll have no environmen-
tal impact.
If you put junk in, something comes out. Similarly, in Oakland,
we see areas like west and east Oakland where people of color
deal with a lot of truck traffic and a lot of diesel pollution. There
is a compelling case that shows that these people are affected the
hardest.
How did you get involved with APEN?
When I was at Stanford, I was involved with a lot of activism.
A lot of the issues that I worked on dealt with the workers issues.
10 communicasians
a bay area organ
CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 10
through
em
Asian Pacific
Environmental
Network (APEN)
There were a lot of debates going on at the time and even though
Stanford was making strides in pushing for affirmative action, I
thought Stanford could make a stronger stand.
Why is it that communities of color seem to suffer the most
with respect to the issues addressed by APEN?
I think a lot of the reason is broken down into two ways: an eco-
nomic system that places a value of profit over everything, even
human life, and the creation of an institution of racism that says
it’s okay. It mostly refers to white middle-class communities that
say “No, we don’t want this in our backyard”. The thing about the
low-income communities of color is that they usually don’t have
the power to say no and organize.
What are APEN’s current projects?
Our projects are always developing. At the moment, we’ve been
in the process of finding our new strategic direction. What we’re
generally moving towards is a broader, statewide perspective on
things. We’ve been extremely active in this round of elections.
We’ve also been slowly expanding our capacity and our numbers
to make a big impact. We’ve been working with major coalition
partners combined with a lot of grassroots organizing and good old
fashioned protesting.
1/7/2009 11:15:47 PM

empowerment
What strategies are employed to raise awareness and unite the
community?
We can’t really get anywhere without our organizers and grass-
roots leaders who feel strongly about these issues and are willing
to devote a lot of time and energy. We develop our work based
on what their needs are since they have the closest connection to
the community. It really starts there. We do a lot of educational
sessions to get them informed about what the different issues are,
what environmental justice is, how different policies will impact
them. We decide collectively how we want to do our work. So
from there, we execute. We knock on doors, make phone calls,
come to events, and roll people out to meetings. Part of our elec-
tions work involves us going door-to-door, making tons of phone
calls to pull in a lot of energy.
What is more effective: grassroots movements, or legislative
action?
I wouldn’t compare. It’s a false sort of comparison to think that
you can have one and not the other. Legislative action can happen
a lot of different ways in California. We have a system of ballot ini-
tiatives and propositions where we Californians are the legislators.
I remember reading that after the first week that after the bailout
was proposed and approved, thousands and thousands of people
anization’s fight
CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 11
CA
against it were calling their legislature and it worked. It wasn’t
exactly a coordinated campaign, but it demonstrates the power
that the people have. Grassroots organization and legislative action
work hand in hand. Legislative work is a component that we have
to take into consideration when we do our grassroots organization.
There are a lot of grassroots organizations that there are groups
that focus on policy. We’re more than happy to work with these
organizations, but our strength lies in grassroots organizing.
What can a student do to get involved with APEN or non-profit
organizations in general?
The opportunity depends for each organization. I recommend that
any Stanford student get involved with APEN by learning more
about environmental justice, environmental racism and more about
the issues that we’re working on. Get informed about what’s go-
ing on outside of the Stanford bubble. There are a lot of organiza-
tions looking for help, and the Haas center can connect you with a
non-profit organization. A Stanford student can offer a lot if their
interest and passion are there. I got into working with APEN, but I
didn’t come into it with an environmental justice perspective. My
real passion and excitement at Stanford was with workers issues.
There are plenty of opportunities at Stanford to get involved with
activism. n
Photos courtesy of http://www.apen4ej.org
communicasians 11
1/7/2009 11:15:49 PM
 CA
is green the new black?

c
a peek into eco-friendly
outure by Mel
issa Lu
u
o t h ; they d oo
iscov-

b
c l mb
r e d t hat ba be
e
making could
l e means ation fiber ng
i n g f a shio n a b
a n a r t icul s p u n i nto stro
e ’s - c
ent—it a decla ft fabri
a statem ersonal style, nd. On and so rs of
p ta ea
of your r which you s s with after y i n g
s f o o d d r c h
f ideal ems at of s e a the
ration o e, fashion se en you think
fac h u for
the sur movement. W y fashion, yo ect
e n d l s, p e r f y
the gre entally frien f burlap sack s e
m o de j e r
environ ental images tric homema fab r i c to
m c e n m - ir
ev o k e or e c eb e c o in the use
m p m aterial, , as people ar y con- use . T h is
he o w ever m e ntall d e s igns ention-
. H
jewelry asingly envi romote an ec
r o n o -
a n o n-conv ve away
all of mo n
re
ing inc king steps to ting itself in
p
f a b r i c is a ditional cotto orks
, t a f e s n . a l f t r a hi wc h
scious ani hio t o r-
l y w o rld is m high-end fas ani- from tha anic cotton, w effects of no
f r i e n d e v e n th i s m rd o rg rm f u l o ing
u s
s p e c t s of life— t few years,
s n o t i c e- towa nteract the ha . In addition t d of
the pa n
a asingly made to cou n production uce one pou lso
Within s been incre h a s co t to p r o d on a
n ha shion on mal s of water to tton producti cides
festatio o-friendly fa lks and fashi on co esti
c wa ast gall onal cotton, rld’s p ent of
able. E impact on cat During this p it i t h e w o
e n. od trad 1 percent of .4 perc
quite th oss the natio ek, health fo s e s 1 g r o w n on 2 able Cot-
acr e nt u onl y stain
shows l e s F a shion W t entertainme t h o u g h it is t i l e l a nd (Su
ge ar n- fer
Los An SoyJoy and onsored a ru - the world’s 08). n vironm -
en-
p a n y r t s p e n v i c t , 2 0 i n g e
com enA
ation G ring the work Among ton
s of Proje nda br produc
organiz t u s . h r y s and Li very step of ustain-
r
ow fea esigne ent
C ss to e using s t are
way sh lly-friendly d d at this ev l a warene ion line. By tha
ta se n d t a sh t dyes
ronmen ners showca duo Chrys a r ing their fa d low-impac ater system,
sig r- fo an w
the de wanese siste i n s p iration g able fabrics entering the ion in China
T a i r a w h i n f o r e u ct
we r e who d ’s c l o t ted b e g pr o d , and
d a W o n g ,
t i l e w o m e n
e r l a k e . t r e a
z i n g c l o t h i n
t i o n p ollution ice
Lin ersa Silv trali rta t tw
ylish, v nity of ol- cen transpo by boa
their st r L.A. commu ttalion, is a c - to eliminate uction units ain om dly
c mit-
m t h e i h e B a l y c o u g p r o d d a r e m
fro ,T nd in in rien
e i r c o mpany mentally-frie m bam- shipp Chrys and L nmentally f h re-
Th iron fro ear, nvir o wit
of env imarily l as a y o creating e tep is to work h part-
lection ing made pr lends as wel te d t ne x t s on it
w
ture cl
oth
a n i c c otton b a s h i o n . Their i n c o operati ecycling is
boo an ee silk.
d org ashion
f aterials iwan. R act,
- f r a r l y s t art on f ight cycled m heir native Ta Taiwan—in f g
cruelty sters got an e ere six and e a ners from t industry in recycli
n
The si t h e y w n d L i nd p o r t a nt w u p with a ey con-
ng; wh
en sa im gre se. Th
, Chry om an Linda eir hou dustry with
designi respectively es designed fr d Chrys and r o m t h
ld m ve oss f n in
years o ys with costu as since evol - facility acr ire the fashio y designs. n
p l a t e h e s i s o i n s p frie dl
n
put on s .
as
Their t mboo fabric, inda
th
tinue t ronmentally-
h e e t vi
bed s ts to ba s and L their en
r o m b ed shee aterial. Chry mboo
f m b a
demark field of
ters’ tra neers in the References
pio
are the
s The Battalion. www.thebattalion.us.
s Sustainable Cotton Project (2008).
www.sustainablecotton.org.

Photos courtesy of http://www.thebattalion.us

http://flickr.com/photos/fredarmitage
12 communicasians

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 12 1/7/2009 11:15:55 PM

 CA
?
why “Great
reason to get outside
and take in the outdoors
through all of your
senses; the textures, the smell
of dirt and fresh air, the sight
ofvarieties, plants, colors, shapes

on you’ve never seen before, noises out-

side that you never stopped to really
listen to, and tastes—munching on edible
weeds or harvested veggies is delicious, too.

the
It’s a full body experience.” 

—Diane Lee ’11,

Student Gardener

m ?
far
by Kentaro Watari the spring (ES180B), and bolster interest and involvement

W
hen Jane and Leland Stanford converted their vast
plot of farmland into a university in 1876, they
vowed to maintain a farm on a portion of the land.
In the Founding Grant for the university it was written, “It
y
shall be [the Trustees’] duty… [to] maintain on the Palo
e-
Alto Estate a farm for instruction in Agriculture and all its
t-
branches.”
is
In 1996, the Stanford community came together and
act,
reestablished the Stanford Student Farm, which had origi-
ling
nally been founded decades ago, to fulfill this part of the
con-
Grant over a century later.
with
There are two types of Stanford farms: the Stanford
s. n Community Farm and the campus gardens. The commu-
nity farm provides plots of farming land for lease to the
Stanford community. The campus gardens are managed by
students and produce herbs, fruits, and vegetables for the
dining halls. Recently the university has brought on board
a new Farm Educator, Sarah Wiederkehr. She aims to pro-
vide a greater educational component in environmentally
and socially sustainable agriculture including a class in
among students.
So the question is: why should anybody, let alone an API
student, who most likely has never plowed the earth or been
inclined to do so, spend precious time with plants instead
of the myriad of other opportunities available on campus?
Even for the sustainably-inclined, the question that Michael
Pollan posed of “why bother?” looms somewhere between
the apathy that arises after one too many midterms and
club meetings, and the overwhelming disillusionment that
comes about when one truly considers the size and scope of
climate change and the energy crisis.
Farming the land is for you, and it is for all of us. Stu-
dents already involved agree—it provides great stress relief
and a well deserved respite from the Stanford Duck Syn-
drome. Locally grown produce reduces the university’s car-
bon footprint and energy use.
Most significantly, the action of tilling the earth yourself
and producing herbs, fruits, and vegetables to eat within the
Stanford community heals the modern day divide between
man and earth, production and consumption, and everyday
actions and their consequences. n

communicasians 13

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 13 1/7/2009 11:16:09 PM

 CA

{}
Picture This
An aqua-blue stream gently flows,
Unmoved by what lies in its path.
Running to a place no one knows
And no one asks, fearing its wrath.
The flaming sun radiates its glow,
While birds chirp at the break of dawn.
Butterflies perform a fine show,
Dipping high and low and then gone.
The icy-clear sky high above
Casts a few raindrops now and then.
The Heavens demonstrate their love
By subduing a storm once again.
The air chills with every cool breeze;
The flowers turn with the light winds;
A child gives off a single sneeze,
Then simply wipes his nose and grins.
A man fishing by the seashore
Is pleased to take par t in all this.
Content with such a tranquil bore,
He blows his son a tender kiss.
by Susan L. Chen
14 communicasians Photo courtesy of http://flickr.com/photos/28481088@N00/

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 14 1/7/2009 11:16:12 PM

 CA

ORGANIC LIVING
SAVE THE
ENVIRONMENT?

I
by Tiffany Lau
felt a little intimidated when I walked into a Whole Foods for
the first time. The bright lighting and aisles of environmentally
conscious products seemed to be the opposite of the 99 Ranch and
Mariners markets I was used to. I shuffled down the aisle to the pro-
duce section and looked at the organic selection of fruits. I squeaked
when I read the price on a package of grapes - $9 for a bag of grapes?
Grapes rolled as the bag hit the table. I frantically cleaned up my mess
to escape once I noticed that everyone was staring. I immediately
scurried back to the comfortable
setting of the closest 99
Ranch once I left Whole
Foods.
With organic products
TIFFANY LAU
shops stocked with local and organic foods have been on the rise.
Many proclaim that the benefits of “organic” products, or products
made with green resources and procedures, include nutritional value
and promote eco-friendliness. But with organic products being nearly
double the price of non-organic products, is organic living worth it?
According to Mayo Clinic, there has been no conclusive data that
shows that organic food has substantial nutritional value compared
to non-organic food. On the other hand, eating organic promotes
environmentally-friendly farming practices that reduce pollution and
conserve water and soil. It is a
way to invest in the long-
term future of our planet
and preserve resources

With green and or- for future generations.

ganic living being the
newest and hottest trend, nearly twice the price of Some also declare that
organic food tastes bet-
new specialty
non-organic products, is ter and has fewer resi-
dues from pesticides,
organic living worth it? though experts have
found little evidence of
that.
These days I walk into
Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods
without any qualms. To help support the conservation of the earth’s
natural resources, I buy a few organic products, but am not pres-
sured to stock my room with them. Some items are even cheaper
organic than not, such as detergent and sometimes produce. But
on a tight budget, buying everything organic is not possible so
I pick and choose. My mom tells me that I should buy organic
fruits, vegetables, and meat but that dairy products like cheese,
milk, and eggs do not need to be organic. Even though the
produce may not look fresh and large, knowing that I’m do-
ing my part towards a more sustainable world makes me feel
refined as I walk out the door with my groceries in a reusable,
eco-friendly bag in hand. n

OR SAVE
MONEY?
Photos courtesy of http://flickr.com/photos/ppdigital/, http://flickr.com/photos/smcgee/, http://flickr.com/photos/elev3n/ communicasians 15

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 15 1/7/2009 11:16:15 PM

 CA
Shaping the Future:
Social Entrepreneurship & You
W
h e n
B i l l
Dray-
ton created
Ashoka in
1980 to in-
vest in vi-
sionary
change by Ashni Mohnot
agents who solved social prob-
lems with new paradigms,
he created the field of social
entrepreneurship, providing
competition to nonprofits and
governments, and creating an
atmosphere of greater account-
ability and efficiency in reform
of the social sector. When Jessica
and Matt Flannery began Kiva to
connect lenders in the U.S. to African
entrepreneurs in need of capital, they
spearheaded a social lending revolution
that facilitates resource transfer between
rich and poor segments of the population
in sustainable and scalable ways. Bill
Drayton, founder and CEO of Ashoka fa-
mously said, “Social entrepreneurs are not
content just to give a fish or teach how to
fish. They will not rest until they have
revolutionized the fishing industry.”
Social ventures are known for the
depth of their reach. They steer away
from one-time fixes to social problems,
instead advocating sustainable solu-
tions that help as many people in as
many places as efficiently as possible.
Social ventures often run on finan-
cially sustainable business models,
sometimes rejecting nonprofit status
to avoid dependence on dona-
tions or charity. While non-
profit workers
16 communicasians
CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 16
have
earned
the reputation of
being poorly paid do-
gooders, social entrepre-
neurs have pioneered the idea
of doing well financially while
doing good for the world. Much like
technology startups are shaped by the
vision and personality of their founders,
social ventures are often as successful as
their creators are evangelical about the new
ideas they embody.
The zeitgeist has filtered down to college cam-
puses. Ensconced in Silicon Valley, a world hot-
bed of social entrepreneurship, Stanford University
is uniquely positioned to nurture the next generation
of social entrepreneurs. The annual Social Entrepre-
neurship Challenge run by the Business Association of
Stanford Engineering Students (BASES) has produced
some fascinating new social ventures, one of which is
Gumball Capital (http://www.gumballcapital.org/), the
winner of the 2007 Stanford Entrepreneurship Challenge
and now a full-fledged student-run nonprofit. Gumball’s
mission is to engage students in micro-entrepreneurship
to raise funds for microfinance, creating positive social
impact. I direct Gumball’s newest program, Gumball
University (http://www.gumballuniversity.org/blog/),
an online portal for first-timers learning about social
entrepreneurship and microfinance.
Gumballs are a metaphor for change. A small
amount of money in a gumball machine lets one
gumball roll out, while shifting the rest slightly
closer to the exit. Gumball Capital seeks to cre-
ate the same impact in the developing world
where each entrepreneur who escapes
poverty generates greater wealth for the
whole community through goods, jobs,
and services, and increases the
standard of living for his own
family, thereby breaking
the intergenerational
cycle of poverty. n
1/7/2009 11:16:17 PM
CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 17 1/7/2009 11:16:17 PM
 communicASIANS winter 2009 Non Profit Org.
U.S. Postage Paid
Palo Alto, CA
Permit No. 187

***TIME VALUE PLEASE EXPEDITE***

Published by the Stanford University Asian American Activities Center
Old Union Clubhouse- 2nd Floor, Stanford, CA 94305-3064
(650) 723-3681 http://a3c.stanford.edu

CommunicAsians WINTER09.indd 18 1/7/2009 11:16:17 PM