Barnard women recently received an email instructing them to "go green," giving a list of environmentally-friendly suggestions that would save the university money. I'm not really sure this is the right approach. After all, the eco reps have existed well before Sparr announced the diminished endowment. Long before it was fashionable, eco reps encouraged students to engage in "green" projects -- to always choose the green option-- which is not always the cheapest. (See: those expensive lightbulbs. grumph.)

But recently, going green has overlapped with the self-interests of our wallets. It saves energy to turn off the lights when you leave the room, and it saves money! (Of course, there are debates arguing that depending on the number of times the light switch will be flicked, the constant surges of energy is actually worse and more costly than just leaving the lights on to begin with. But that is neither here nor there ...

Given the ensuing economic downturn, do you think that we will be seeing more "green" jargon laced with economic incentives rather than the usual "do the right thing" incentive? (or whatever else hippies lace their propaganda with these days...)

Entire message to Barnard students after the jump.

Last Tuesday night, Justin Rockefeller, CC '02, spoke in Hamilton  about Generation Engage, the civic engagement initiative he co-founded. The four-year-old organization was created on the premise that voting rates correlate strongly with volunteerism rates, and it addresses the civic opportunity gap for young people who do not attend college because that demographic has tended not to vote in elections in large numbers. To find out how Generation Engage addresses this gap, click here.

Nicole Cata is an Events Coordinator for CPU who helped organize Mr. Rockefeller's appearance.

Last night Jonathan Safran Foer, the accalimed author of Everything Is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, was at the Kellogg Center , courtesy of the Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life. What was billed as a discussion of terror and its impact on literature quickly became one solely about literature, but it was interesting nonetheless. Hit the jump for our review of the event.

This evening, HRI presented a discussion on the role of human rights in sustainable development featuring Jeffrey Sachs and moderated by Human Rights Law Professor Peter Rosenblum. The conversation ranged from an overview of the distinct histories of human rights groups and sustainable development initiatives and their recent convergence to the dangers of downplaying international law and the inadequacies of analyses from a human rights perspective.

CubPub has lots of political coverage lined up for you this week. If you're looking for something to do, here are our picks:

• The Mayor of Mexico City - Monday 1230
  Low Faculty Room
• Bolivian President Evo Morales - Tuesday 10AM
  Low Rotunda
• Jeff Sachs on Human Rights - Tuesday 430
  Jerome Green 104
• Genealogy of Liberty - Tuesday 630
  Schapiro CEPSR
• The Reach of Science - Tuesday 630
  Low Rotunda
• Somalia, Tragedy of the Decade - the UN Political Affairs Officer in Somalia -
  Wednesday 7:30 Satow Room

Yesterday noon, WEAI hosted the last of its Brown Bag Series, "Reporting China." The cozy lunchtime talks took us from Tibetan, Chinese, American, to a UK journalist perspective, through a range of media from television to print. Wrapping up the series was "Is China As Strong As It Seems" with Rob Gifford, London Bureau Chief, National Public Radio.

The New Yorker's Hendrik Hertzberg and The Nation's Katha Pollitt joined Columbia's historian-provost Alan Brinkley to think about the election and what's coming now. For many in the audience, the night seemed as much about continuing the Obama celebration as making sense of it. Brinkley remembered how depressed everyone was the same  event four years ago, and made the well-received observation that everyone in the room did not look depressed now.

We bring you word of two election watch parties that will probably be large-scale, fun events. First, CPU is holding its own election night watch party tomorrow at 7 pm in the River Hall basement lounge, on 114th between Broadway and Riverside. Secondly, the Black Student's Organization is holding an election party tomorrow starting at 6 pm at the Malcolm X Lounge in Hartley. Enjoy!

Thursday night, the history department hosted a panel discussion featuring Alan Brinkley, Alice Kessler-Harris, Matthew Connelly, and Natasha Lightfoot. The discussion was focused on historical themes that have been prominent aspects of this election - class, race, and gender being the most prominent. We've got some highlights from the event after the jump.

Sachs Student Lecture: Progress and Challenges in the Millennium Villages

Earlier today in Miller Theatre, Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the UN Millennium Villages project, gave Columbia students a broad look at the project's beginnings, achievements, and future plans. Piecing together the many-faced portrait of poverty in Africa, Sachs walked the audience through the Millennium plan and approach. Sachs stresed that Millenium Villages are a demonstration and a learning project, "to document a way out of the poverty trap, that then, can be scaled up" from the local to macro level.