The Daily Bruin
April 20, 2007

It was a scene straight from the runways: the music pounded as models showed off handwoven skirts, plunging V-necks and body-skimming corsets.

But this show was different from a regular couture show: The materials used to make the dresses were all recycled as part of the “Outfits from the Trash Can” event at the Bruin Earth Day Festival.

On Thursday, 17 student groups came together as part of the Environmental Task Force to put on the Bruin Earth Day Festival, a multimedia exhibit that included games, free samples of juice, cupcakes and a fashion show. The primary goal of the shows and booths was to educate students about recycling and maintaining an Earth-friendly lifestyle.

One student had made a blue dress out of flattened Pepsi cups from Bruin Café, and another created a neckline on a pink dress from scrunched-up tissues and newspaper.

Gina Kim, a fourth-year women’s studies student, designed and modeled her dress as a representative for Bruins for Animals, which sponsored the event along with other groups such as Amnesty International, E3 (Ecology, Economy and Equity), Environmental Bruins and the Student Welfare Commission Recycling Committee.

“I thought it was a fun, really creative way of making environmentalism fun,” Kim said.

In addition to campus mainstays such as Flexcar and the UCLA Institute of the Environment, other groups made an appearance.

Kristen Tribby, the education and marketing coordinator of Babeland, was there to educate students about Babeland’s environmentally sound sex toys.

“Our lube is vegan, and it’s water-based,” Tribby said.

Carol Felixson, the docent and program coordinator for Bruins for Sustainability, said there are some steps people should take to maintain sustainability on campus.

“They first must educate themselves. They need to invest in current solutions and be imaginative. The more they understand, the bigger the difference will be,” she said.

Representatives for Bruins for Animals said they believe meat production is harmful to the environment.
Sanjay Rupani, a third-year political science student and vegan member of Bruins for Animals, said the meat industry is more wasteful than most students know.

“It takes 2,500 pounds of water to produce one pound of meat. We’re wasting a lot of materials,” Rupani said.

The main theme of the day was
“Blue + Gold = Green.”

Saira Gandhi, a fourth-year international development studies student, was the head coordinator for the Earth Day Task Force, the umbrella group which put together the program. She emphasized how the 17 different groups came together to make the Bruin Earth Day Festival possible for students.

“This is a really collaborative event between a lot of students. This was not a singular effort,” Gandhi said. “The Earth Day Task Force made the festival into a place where students can come together and celebrate the environment.”

Photo by Gaily Romero
Margaret Lee, a fourth-year international development studies student, models in the “trashin'” show as part of the Bruin Earth Day Festival in Bruin Plaza on Thursday