Past RATS Activities:

***************** 1998-1999 *********************

November 5, 1998: HCP Hearings: About 30 members of the Stanford delegation attend the intense and inspiring hearings at the Marriot Convention Center in Oakland.
Nov. 16, 1998: Written HCP comments were due; an estimated 30-35 letters were sent in by Rats; USFWS was overwhelmed by the several thousand in total that they received.
November 14-15, 1998: Earth First! anti-HCP rally in Arcata California. We camped among the redwoods (photo) and marched (photo) on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Nov. 27, 1998: Boycott and protest the GAP day - Protests in SF in Union Square and around the country (Same day and area as Fur-Free Friday -- was a blast!)
Jan 30, 1999: Seven Rats leaflet the Stanford Mall Gap (see email statement #19 of 1/30/99 in this archive for details).
Feb 2, 1999: Successful picketing of GAP table at Career Day on White Plaza.
Feb 14-15: Seven well-informed and prepared Rats (Nina, Minna, Brian, Rob, Emily G...) take a trip to Mendocino County to learn more about the MRC/Gap issue from the direct sources. RATS makes a group decision to put a hold on future Gap boycott activities for the moment until we can verify whether Sandy Dean will carry through on his promises. Focus back on Headwaters HCP.
Feb 28: Four Rats (Nectar, Jessica, Galen, MSG) go to the Sacramento Rally and have very constructive conversations with our legislative aides (for Palo Alto -- Sher, Hayward/CV, Sonora, Santa Cruz -- Keeley) on the eve of the full acceptance of The Deal by Hurwitz.
March 15: Three Rats (Rob, Galen, Mandeep and honorary Rat Nimi!) attend boycott protest of Home Depot for selling old-growth lumber in Campbell, connect with some Santa Cruz forest folks, and get charged at seeing people locked down right on top of the old-growth Redwood being sold inside the store.
April 2: Spring Lundberg and Noel come and speak on campus about their civil rights lawsuit against the Humboldt County Police for pepper spraying nonviolent activists in former (and reviled) Assemblyman Frank Riggs' office (as well as in PL headquarters and on a lockdown to a PL bulldozer). Spring's songs are very inspiring.
Various meetings: letters to assemblypeople and state senators about AB717 and AB742 (forest practices reform bills).
May 22: Our first major organized protest, at San Carlos Home Depot. A very courageous effort to hang a banner is stymied by Dark Forces (Galen, Dan). Awesome flyers are printed up and copied (Nina, Krissa, Emily G.). People fly in from other biomes and lands to attend our rally (Anna of Brown U.). Chants are chanted and songs sung (Becky, Rob, Mandeep). And many, many HD customers are talked with and learn about the issue due to unstinting and energetic efforts of everyone (including Mike, Jessica, Dana). A fine watermelon is shared betwixt us all. And wonderful happy shining new and occasionally seen faces (Anna, Jared, Alejandro) join us in the revelry.
It's also great that two very experienced NCEF folks can join us in our action (Mountain Goat, Ash).
Galen fedexes a bunch of petitions urging HD to vote yes on an old-growth ban at their shareholders meeting on Wed May 26.
June '99: Nick K. finds a wonderful way of sharing warm thoughts and feelings with HD stockholders.
Also Spring '99: Rob C., Nick K., Becky C. and others set up a direct feed from Julia Butterfly's cell phone up in Luna to a microphone in front of the Stanford Bookstore.
Summer 1999: Because of the above, HD claims they will stop selling all Old Growth in 2002. Nick feels happy.

***************** 1999-2000 *********************
Fall 1999: New academic year -- focus on WTO, Old Growth free campus, THP 520 etc. Lots of energy and new folks
Fri-Sat Oct. 15-16, Big Basin Redwoods State Park: First retreat of the year, attending: Carolyn, Jessie, Lindsey; Galen, Dan ; Tom, Mandeep, Cynthi, Forrest, Minna ; Nina, Ethan, Lauren, Donald ; Ari, Twila, Leanne; and... Dave the AnthroMan!
Tues Nov. 9: RATS, Synergy and Columbae House sponsor awesome concert by socially conscious folk artist Casey Neill on the Col lawn
Fri Nov. 12: Big WTO teach-in on campus, great success, see: Daily article. Put together by Carolyn, Ari, Galen, Jessie, Dan, Lawrence, Lauren, and Cynthi (and all others who posted flyers!)
Nov 28 - Dec 3: RATS up in Seattle at various and overlapping times: Galen, Carolyn, Jessie, Dana, Ari, Ali, Cynthi, Lauren D., + others Zev,Louise A., Lauren I., Janelle + Frances, Corinne
Dec. 12: Julia B. rally: Donald, Dana, Leanne, Kristin, Ethan, Jacquie, Mandeep, Paul A. (arrive Sat at 8pm, leave Stafford at 4pm Sun)
Jan. 12: Rob, Mandeep, Dana, Cynthi, Leanne, Forrest, Nathan go to the board of forestry meeting in Sacramento to support rules banning old growth logging for 4 months. The board in all its wisdom does not pass the rules citing no clear evidence of an emergency, even though 97% of all old growth is gone. However, our first experience meeting Julia Butterfly in person was very exciting. Several Rats folks also talked with aides to our state representatives, which was good.
February 4: RATS successfully protests against Fidelity Investments and their stake in Occidental Petroleum. Check out the article in the Daily. Later in day Andrea Tuttle visited campus to speak and afterwards came to Synergy to talk to RATS. Read Mandeep's account of her visit. In all it was an exciting and successful day for RATS.
March 9th: RATS protests at Fidelity Investments again to support the U'WA tribe of Colombia.
March 28th: Julia Butterfly Hill Circle Of Life came to Stanford to promote her new book and speak about her experiences in Luna. Rats helped promote the event and gave out information about RATS.
First wknd of April: several RATS (Forrest, Leeza, Dan, Tom) join the action at Headwaters NCEF Base Camp, working on the Hole in the Headwaters (THP 520), locking down to trucks at Columbia Helicopter, and locking down at a local supplier of the herbicides that the logging companies use to spray after clearcutting.
April 14: (Fri) RATS puts on another of its series of rapidly-becoming-famous teach-ins, this time on the IMF and WB and corporate globalization's impact on humans and the environment all around the world. For a launch point for much more info, go to: A16.ORG Website
April 17: (Mon) Many a RAT is a member of the Stanford contingent -- which is some 35 strong, with at least 28 in one festive Caltrain car!! -- to the rally in SF which is held in solidarity with the massive Washington DC A16-A17 rallies opposing the "loan shark" policies of the IMF/WB/WTO triumvirate. (Estimates are that at least 700 people were at this rally, see: A17 Rally Front Page Picture ).
April 30: (Sun) Reportback at Syn of Wash. DC actions, by Paul Anderson, honorary RAT.
May 4: (Th) Co-sponsor with BAA a slideshow presentation by Doug Thron and Karen ... on Headwaters and the New River Fire Natural Resource Area idea; room 320-105. Moving and inspiring, as always..
May 5: (Fri) GMO and GE food workshop put on by RATS, White Plaza.
May 25: (Th) Last major protest of the year, at Fidelity because of their continuing complicity with Oxy Petroleum and resulting destruction of U'wa homelands.

***************** 2000-2001 *********************
Jan 20, 2001: (Sat) i20 -- inauguration protest of "Thief-in-Chief" (aka "Chief Village Idiot") Bush, in SF -- RATS, and `quasi-RATS' attending: Galen W, Minna S, Nina R, Dana G, Efrain Z, Krissa L, Cynthi K, Dan S, Tom, Mike M, Chris F, Lauren D, Nathan M, Forrest F, Martha R, Mandeep G., Donald.
Other Stanford activist organizations: Justin, Nick G, Zoe, Logan G, Josh H, Tarek G.
Green Building Campaign headed by Lauren D., Nina and others continuing full steam ahead with some cooperation from the Administration.. results unknown, yet..
Feb 3-4 (i think): RATS Winter Retreat, Humboldt State Redwoods State Park -- attending: Dan, Nina, Emily G., Martha, Minna, Tom and i'm missing a few people yet..
Feb 9-11, 2001: (Sat-Sun), Minna, Nathan, Jacquie, Mandeep go up to "California Forest Activist Organizing and Strategy Conference" at the Mendocino Woodlands
Sat, March 3: IRV conference (put on by Stanford Green Party)
Sun Mar 4: TreeClimbing training.

Sat, March 10:

Strategizing/ Workshop for all Activists:

Facilitated by Randy Schutt (Randy has 15 years training experience,
trained both Minna and
Krissa, and is generally awesome)

The training will focus on
          Working as a group
          Facilitation of a consensus group (this is an invaluable
skill that makes groups very effective but is also useful in your
daily life)
          Strategizing
          And a little of nonviolence too.
          (Something for everyone)

Contact krissa@stanford to attend!

April 6-8: Nathan, Molly A., Emily G., Tom, Martha, and Mandeep go on trip to Jackson State Demo Forest and sustainable logging at 10-mile Ranch in Mendocino County
(See: JSDF Campaign Homepage for details on the first).
Mon, April 23, 7pm: HAVC (Penny and Duff) in the House!! Some 50 people show up to a Sneak Preview of the film Tree-Sit - The Art of Resistance fill to near its 63-person capacity room 30, History Corner. Good discussion and Q&A afterwards (some of the RATS-types attending: Minna, Cynthi, Mike Milne, Krissa, Emily G., Molly Aeck, Mandeep, Paul Thrushbyrd Anderson, Denali, Lawrence, Snow, Christine, Nathan, Leah, others..) Good intro to local farmland issues by Debbie Mytels.
Wed, May 2: Casey Neill Trio concert, Col Porch. This *rocked*.
Poem by Nina after the concert
Th, May 3: Tongass Nat'l Forest Slide Show, Columbae Lawn.
Thurs, May 24: FBI lawsuit Rally on the 11th Anniversary of the car bomb attack on Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney, Federal Courthouse, Oakland, CA. Attending: Snow, Salmon, Mandeep, Thrushbyrd.
Thurs, May 31, Columbae Lounge, 9pm: RATS sponsors talk+singing by incredible forest activist/singer Alicia Littletree, talking about the Mattole, and the Judi Bari case. Sings "Ghost of a Chance", by Danny D. attending parts: Rohan, Twila P., Mandeep, Nina, Robert A., Shannon, Lucy, Nathan M.
Fri, June 1: S.Fire -- last cool RATS social event of the year, RATS + friends attending: Snow, Salmon, Minna, Nina, Tom, Emily L., Emily G., Yarrow, Chris F., Krissa, Mandeep, Nina, Matty L., Lawrence, Peter Kinne + others..
Sat, June 2, 9-11am, USGS HQ Menlo Park: RATS represents at Energy Teach-in by Rep. Anna Eshoo, Assemblyman Joseph Simitian and others, attending: Minna, Nina, Mandeep, Tom, Peter Kinne, Kirsten. Talk to Lily, the leg aide of Rep Eshoo, for some time. She's in the local office on Emerson St, and may be someone we want to talk to about federal forestry/environment related issues again.. also brief words with Michelle, Assmn. Simitian's Leg Aide on env'l issues. he's less cool than Eshoo, but many of the issues we want to deal with are on the State level, so the connection to his office will be perhaps more important. Possibly a few RATS can get clear and very informed on the issues with the Mattole/ Hole in the Head and go to his office in the summer.
We also check out all the cool maps they have for sale and the seismometers and their little science center -- neat place, and right close by!
Sun, June 3, Monument Gate: Mandeep, Thrushbyrd, Snow, Salmon, Amanda
Report of the "Acting in Concert for the Mattole" rally
*********************** 2001-2002 ***************************
*************************** Autumn qrtr Kickoff Meeting!!
Oct 13-14: Forest Immersion Wknd up in the Yolla Bolly Wilderness area let by Ellen and David Drell of the Willets Environmental Center, first RATS trip of the new academic year; attending: Nina, Forrest, Laura H., Emily G, Molly A., Becca, Sanjay, Dan, Galen, Mandy, Rohan, Amber, Martha, David. RATS follows up this trip by writing numerous letters (and tabling to get even more) to support additions to Boxer's California Wilderness Bill, and to urge Senator Dianne Feinstein to support the bill.
Nov 8: White Plaza WTO teach-in organized by Forrest et. al. orig announcement
RATS along with SCPJ co-sponsors the Stanford Contingent to the SF rally; attending: Galen, Dan, Becca et al... Globalize Justice Not War -- Friday November 9th in SF, Sat Nov 10 in Richmond.
Nov 11-12: RATS FIW #2, to Mendo - toured the Parker Family Ranch with FSC certified foresters Linwood Gill and Craig Blencowe, attended scoping session for the FSC certification of MRC at the Albion School. see Nina's thoughts after trip , Mandeep's mini-report
********************* Winter qrtr***************
RATS works on campus outreach and recruitment, and campus paper buying policies, and tables extensively in White Plaza to gather signatures opposing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and to urge Feinstein to cosponsor the Wilderness Bill
Mid February: RATS hosts activist and songwriter Daryl Cherney to speak about the upcoming civil lawsuit against the FBI. For more info see The Judi Bari website. Many RATS get inspired to attend the trial and support rallies.
Tom and other RATS organize several Critical Mass Bike Rallies in Palo Alto, starting in Early March. Each one had attendance of well over 50 bikers, including professors and community remembers and a couple random high school students who just happened to be biking along the same street as us
RATS winter retreat to Rob Levitsky's property near Big Basin - hike down to the waterfall.
********************* Spring Qrtr*****************
April 5-7: RATS visits the Aradia Tree Sit on Gypsy Mountain, bringing enough food to last for weeks. Spending most of the wet night on the mountain were Kjerstin, David, Becca, Abby, Kristin, Martha, Forrest, Galen.
April 16th: Kent Stromsmoe, of the Ancient Forests campaign, comes to talk about the Heritage Tree Initiative. After much internal debate, RATS decides to collect signatures for the initiative campaign.
April 30th: RATS hosts Casey Neill and his new band at Columbae - last minute rain forces the show to move inside.
May 2nd: RATS arranges a showing of PickAxe at Synergy's Political Film Series.
Late May: Many Ratties participate in organizing the un-career fair - a series of events aimed to help students question careerism and share valuable life skills such as sewing, cooking, dumpstering, guitar playing, and bike repair.
May 31-June 1: A four year gathering of RATS - with many members who graduated or no longer active in attendance, by a campfire in the Santa Cruz Mtns. In attendance: Matt L, Emily G, Dan, Galen, Forrest, Mattie, Abby, Kristen, David, Rob C., Mandeep, Nina, Rohan, Rob L., Chris F., Martha, Krissa, Cynthi, Stephanie, and Lauren D. Much sharing of love, music, stories, and omeletes. A fitting ending for the many folks who spent four years Ratsing and now move one to action in the larger world...
**********************2002-2003******************
Upcoming:
A new Academic Year... a new group of leaders, with many of the old folks graduated... Upcoming campaigns include continued work on National Forest Roadless Areas, The California Wilderness Bill, Bush's plan to combat forest fires by clearcutting old-growth trees, and Pacific Lumber logging in the Mattole and elsewhere. We also hope to continue working on campus sustainability issues, in solidarity with our friends Students for a Sustainable Stanford and the Stanford Community Farm by pushing for more responsibility in wood and paper procurement. Finally, we hope to complete work to memorialize our friend Minna, may she rest in fiery peace!
could someone remember to update this sometime? It was last updated by Forrest in early September, 2002. Pretty nifty how much we've done, huh?

Past RATS Activities:

Upcoming: