Welcome to OPIRG Kingston

Working groups are the heart of OPIRG. Volunteers with an interest in a particular issue or project work together to increase public awareness, educate themselves and others, raise funds, or otherwise do work in the public interest.

To start a new OPIRG Kingston working group, please see the Working Groups Application for more information.

Working Groups

Queen’s Backing Action on Climate Change (QBACC)

Queen’s Backing Action on Climate Change (QBACC) is the only student run environmental- activist group on campus that works directly with the Queen’s administration in order to develop and implement more sustainable policies on Queen’s campus. We believe that large-scale political action and policy changes are the most effective way to go about reducing the university’s carbon footprint, ultimately putting Queen’s where is should be – a showcase for sustainability. Our group differs both in organization and goals from other environmental groups at Queen’s. The scope if this group is larger than most other groups since we have a very large membership and executive committee.

Global climate change and environmental degradation are THE challenges of our generation. Our actions now will define the future of every generation. Our goal is to help Queen’s and Kingston to become part of the growing movement of cities and educational institutions across the world who are beginning to engage with this problem. Our hope is not only to bring about change through our actions but to demonstrate that the change needed can and must come from students and concerned individuals. We hope to empower students beyond feeling that environmentalism is about recycling or buying eco, or turning of lights.

Through political actions we hope to send a clear message to the government of Canada that Canadians are demanding action and that our current policies (the world in the developed world) are not only embarrassing but if not reversed could derail international negotiations.

QBACC is always accepting new members – those students, faculty and staff who are frustrated with the sense of feeling helpless in the fight against climate change. If you are interested please email us at queensbacc©gmail,com  queensbacc©gmail,com  

Food Not Bombs

‘Food Not Bombs is a group of volunteers who provide a free lunch every Sunday (and occasionally at other events in town) by collecting and preparing donated food from supermarkets and grocers. It was born out of the belief that hunger is not an agricultural problem, but rather a problem of distribution. It is estimated that up to 25% of the food in North American ends up in landfills each year, translating to 130 lbs. of wasted food per person (enough to feed 49 million people). \r\nVolunteers are needed to prepare and serve food – it\’s a small time commitment, as little a few hours per month! No experience needed! Email us to get involved: fnbkingston[at]lists.riseup.net

Alternative Jewish Voices

‘Alternative Jewish Voices is a group of like-minded members in the Kingston and Queen’s communities, who stand in solidarity with all those opposing racism and discrimination in all its forms. The group aims to provide an alternative space for Jews on Queen’s campus and in the Kingston community to engage in dialogue and discussion on issues and topics that are rendered silent in many circles. Through this they will provide a platform to speak out in defense of human rights whether in Canada, in Palestine/Israel, or elsewhere. AJV also intends on being the starting point to understanding the implications and dangers that come along with places and spaces that speak in the name of Jews worldwide.

Germinations

Germinations strives to advocate for, raise awareness about, and fundraise towards more community-oriented, anti-oppressive and non-hierarchical institutions in the Kingston area. Germinations operates as the programming collective at the AKA Autonomous Social Centre in downtown Kingston. The social centre is hoped to be a major space in Kingston that can be a launching pad to community-oriented, anti-oppressive and non-hierarchical organizing that aims at total social transformation. Contact us at germinationsriseupnet

Sunnyside Community Garden

‘The community garden, under the name “Quattrocchi Community Garden,” was started in  2001 in an undeveloped lot “Block D.”  For 4 years, it was a space that community members enjoyed and used to grow their own veggies and flowers!  For two years after the condominium construction at Block D, we searched for a new home.  We now have a new home on MacDonnell St near Brock St and have started planting in spring 2007!  The new community garden is called the Sunnyside Garden.  If you are interested in getting involved or just want to keep up-to-date on our events, please contact us at sunnysidegardenriseupnet .

Community Urban Sustainability Projects

CUSP hosts small free/cheap skill shares, and public workshops on any topic relating to sustainability in the city. We are also working on a petition to change a Kingston by-law to allow for raising chickens within city limits. More info is available at http://cuspkingston.blogspot.com/

Free Geek Kingston

‘The objective of Free Geek Kingston is to reduce downstream e-waste through refurbishment/reuse. Equipment for reuse is available at low or no cost to both less class-privileged Queen’s students and Kingston community members. If e-waste is to be salvaged for scrap, we ensure that the entire recycling stream is socially and ethically responsible (i.e. not sent to dumps in developing nations, with little to no labour or environmental laws). Free Geek is a resource for training/experience in, but not limited to: computer repair, open-source software and the open-source software movement, commercial recycling and e-waste recycling, non-profit management and collective decision-making. Furthermore, these skills and services are available through a grass-roots, non-hierarchical and non-profit organization. Lastly, Free Geek Kingston is a safe space where anti-oppression is incorporated into the organizational culture.

Kingston Urban Agriculture Action Committee

‘KUAAC is a group of concerned citizens who are interested in moving our community towards a more sustainable food system. The group focuses on local, community-based change initiatives. The goal is to increase urban food production and consumption through a variety of projects including but not limited to community gardens, increase of urban agriculture projects, farm-to-school and school-to-farm projects. The prime focus is to take effective action to transform the community’s food system.

Alternative Frosh Week

OPIRG Kingston annually hosts altfrosh after Orientation Week, which expose other aspects of Queen’s culture. Check it out to meet new people and learn about what is going on in Kingston!

radio613

‘radio613 is a collective and radio broadcast dedicated to Jewish politics, culture, and religious life. Diasporic tones find auditory homes through featured interviews, music, readings, discussion, and documentaries. Each week radio613 presents Jewish perspectives on religious/spiritual thought and practice, race and racism, gender and feminisms, anti-semitism, identity politics, colonialism and resistance…and more! Tune in on Mondays from 5-6pm on CFRC 101.9fm in Kingston or online at www.cfrc.ca.For more information, contact Malcah or Avi from the radio613 collective at radio613riseupnet .

Alternative Resource Library

‘The Alternative Resource Library is housed at the Grey House.  It’s free and anyone in Kingston is welcome to browse our stacks, take out books and videos, or drop by to search the web and have a cup of fair trade coffee.

Coalitions and Joint Projects

‘These are initiatives conducted in conjunction with other groups on campus and in the community.

Loving Spoonful

Loving Spoonful is an innovative collaboration among OPIRG Kingston, The Partners In Mission Foodbank, The Sisters of Providence of St Vincent DePaul’s Justice and Peace Office and the National Farmer’s Union Local 316. We hope to address issues of hunger and food waste in the Kingston community by reclaiming and recovering food from grocery stores and restaurants and redistributing them to local meal providers and agencies. We also hope to combine this effort with supporting locally and sustainably produced food. For more information please email susanlovingspoonfulorg or visit www.lovingspoonful.org

Black History Month

‘Starting each fall, we organize an amazing slate of events for February to celebrate Black History Month in Kingston. Everyone welcome to join the organizing committee or attend events.

Positive Space

‘The Positive Space Program is a project dedicated to marking Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-identified positive spaces on campus. Individuals attend information sessions and then post Positive Space stickers in their workplaces to identify their participation in the program. To register, please complete the application on-line.

MayWorks Festival of Labour and the Arts

Reelout Queer Film and Video Festival

reelout queer film + video festival started as an OPIRG working group and has now expanded to be its own non-profit organization, which still retains close ties with OPIRG.  We are now entering our eight year of programming innovative, sexy, intelligent, glam, fascinating, independent queer film and video in Kingston. The festival is held at the end of January. Watch out for other screenings throughout the year. If you like watching movies and organizing fun community-building events, then check out our website.

Free Queen’s!

Free Queen’s! is an initiative dedicated to providing wider access to quality education. Twice each year, the Free Queen\’s group organizes a non-credit, university level course that is available for anyone – for free! The group consists of representatives from the OPIRG, Gender Studies, the Equity Office, students, and community members. Find out more on the Free Queen’s website.

Yellow Bike Action

‘Fighting pollution and poverty!  Yellow Bike Action is a volunteer-run, anti-hierarchical, and pro-community space. Volunteers learn about bike repair and recycle used bikes, providing affordable and environmentally-sensible modes of transportation to Kingston residents. YBA is also always looking for donations of used bikes, bike parts, time, and money to help cover our overhead costs. Anyone interested in helping out, whether you know anything about bikes or not, is welcome to drop in. For more information drop by the YBA bike shop at 23 Carlisle Street in Kingston or call 545-0404.

People’s History Project

‘The People’s History Project gathers first-hand interviews and documents related to social movements in Kingston, and creates a well-organized, public archive. The PHP aims to preserve an aspect of Kingston’s rich history that is often overlooked in traditional histories – Kingstonians’ important roles in the broader social movements of our time. This archive has an emphasis on documenting the first-hand experience of participants in grassroots social movements. As well, it preserves a collection of relevant newspaper articles, placards, posters, handbills, buttons, t-shirts and other surviving materials. You can currently access the ever-expanding archive in the Alternative Resource Library. We hope to have an abridged version of the archive on the web in the future.For more information email peoples_historyopirgkingstonorg .