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Population Report Edition I: 2005 Printer-friendly version of this page Let's Get Active! News From Capitol Hill Feature Story In the Spotlight Let's Get Active Resources Activists in Action In 2005 we will be highlighting population activists from around the country who are taking action in their communities. Listen to their stories and find out more about how they became involved with Sierra Club's Global Population and Environment Program. Laura Kelnhofer, Minnesota Population Activist Laura Kelnhofer Ever since I can remember, I've been interested in environmental and women's issues. My mom opened my eyes to the population issue, and after I did a research paper about it for an environmental science course in college, I was hooked. It is the perfect cause for me to work on, since it addresses both the environment and women's empowerment. After a couple years in the "real world," I wanted to volunteer for an environmental organization that worked on the population issue so I could do something I was passionate about and help make the world a better place. When I was at my parents' house one day, I saw the North Star Journal on their sofa, and in it the announcement for the local International Issues Committee meeting, of which one of the topics was population. I joined the Sierra Club and showed up at the meeting. They didn't have a lead committee member for population, so I became it. When the announcement for the Population Activist Training in Washington, D.C. came out, I knew I had to go. I went, and met Sarah and Annette. It wasn't long after that they asked me if I was interested in joining the Global Population and Environment Program Committee (GPEPC) for the National Sierra Club. It was very flattering and exciting to be part of a national committee on population for the oldest and largest environmental organization! Being part of the GPEPC has been a tremendous experience for me. I've learned so much more about the population issue and its solutions and in turn have reached out to educate others through college and public presentations and events, letters to the editor in the local newspaper, lobbying, and casual conversations. The ultimate highlight of being part of the GPEPC was the opportunity to travel to Ecuador on a population study tour. On that trip, we talked to rural, indigenous people, who told us how family planning programs like the ones we advocate for have improved their lives and their environment. Seeing the real-life benefits for people first-hand was a life-changing experience and not only increased the depth of my passion for the issue, but also added credibility and a human touch to my educational outreach. The Sierra Club's population program has not only offered me an outlet for my desire to work on something I care so passionately about and helped my personal growth tremendously, but also helped me reach out to others to educate them about the importance of the population-environment connection. Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club