November 8, 2000
Environmental Council Meeting Minutes
November 8, 2000
Le Chateau D
Chair: Nan Jenks-Jay
In attendance: Nan Jenks-Jay, Story Parker, Ben Wessler, Kathy Morse, Caitlin Hicks, Amy Seif, Krista Siringo, Katie Saunders, Oren Frey, Charlie Sargent, George McPhail, Carlos Lopez-Hollis, Jon Isham
Absent: Erik Skovsted, Mike Snow, Pete Ryan, Tom Kelly
1. The meeting was called to order at 4:20 p.m.
2. The minutes from the October 25, 2000 meeting were approved.
3. Council Membership
A. Student Rep to SGA:
Carlos Lopez-Hollis has volunteered to give a summary of Environmental Council meetings to the Student Government Association (Zack Bourque).
B. Linda Pitkin :
Linda Pitkin has resigned from her staff position on the Council, due to the time demands of the Minerva Project. She writes, "I shall miss my friends on the Council and the opportunity to make important contributions to environmental awareness." Linda Pitkin, who has been a dedicated member of the Council for many years, will be missed. The Council will discuss if we will bring another staff member onto Council for the spring semester.
4. Discussion
A. Should EC members apply for EC grants?
The Council, in a unanimous vote, decided that Environmental Council members can apply for environmental grants as long as they are not on the selection committee. There was concern that this may be perceived as a conflict of interest, but Council members argued that, since the selection committee choses proposals "blindly," they could not possibly show favor towards Council members. Another point made is that Council members should not be penalized for being on the Council.
B. Should the EC fund staff time at Environmental Fair?
This question was raised because hourly staff from Facilities Management will be giving demonstrations at the Environmental Fair. The other presenters at the Fair are volunteers from organizations. This issue is complex, and will be revisited by Nan and Amy. For this year, the Environmental Council will pay for FM staff time.
5. Sub-Committee Updates
A. Environmental Grants :
Grant recipients from the first round include Katinka LoCascio'01 and Rich Wolfson, Josh Frank '01, Mike Romankiewicz '03, Dane Springmeyer '02 and Chris Kantz '02, Susanne Fogt '01, and Matthew Biette. Their projects include
Ecological Greenhousing, A Teacher's Guide to Local Resource Use, A Look at Alternative Paper Use at Middlebury, GIS Campus Tree Map, Weybridge Compost Bin, Examining the Snow Bowl Facility, and Heating a Greenhouse using Compost. The deadline for any future grant proposals is Feb 1, with a rolling admissions process.
B. Environmental Fair:
Twenty groups are coming to the Fair. Advertising will include a banner on Proctor, a Campus ad, posters, a Middpoints announcement, and table tents. Dining will hold a candlelight dinner that night for energy conservation awareness.
C. Climate Change :
An air conditioning policy is being developed. Clean Air Cool Planet has been contacted, and they will help us to do the greenhouse gas emissions inventory. A binder is being kept on climate change information.
D. Environmental Peak:
The group is taking a look at the Pathways Report and Audit and breaking it down into categories. The Peak committee will discuss asking faculty to request double-sided assignments as part of the Environmental Peak.
E. State of Environment Report :
This report may be focused around the ecological footprint concept and finding out what the "footprint" of Middlebury College is (how much land is truely being used to support college activities).
6. Other Business
A. A/C Switches :
The Council discussed the issue of whether having switches for A/C in student rooms would upset or confuse the students who will not have access to A/C. The students on Council did not think it would be a problem. Suggestions included putting informative stickers on the switches or covering the switches during the regular academic year. The Council will ask students about this in a questionnaire at the Environmental Fair, which will also address heating and other concerns.
B. Green Careers Teleconference :
CSO is hosting a Green Careers Teleconference in Dana Auditorium from 12-2 pm on November 9.
7. The meeting was adjourned at 5:45 pm.
Minutes respectively submitted by Amy Seif on November 9, 2000.