Environmental Council
Meeting Minutes
December 3, 2002
- Review of Minutes of 11/19/02. One spelling correction was noted but no other changes were requested.
- Announcement
First Year Electricity Reduction Contest for the month of November resulted in electricity savings in all residence halls. Milliken's energy consumption dropped 5.8%, Stewart's dropped 6.7%, and Battell dropped 9.9%. Allen, however, dropped a whopping 12.9% and won the contest's $150 prize.
Subcommittee reports
- Land Use
Focus will be on developing a policy recommendation on the management of College lands. Current thinking is to focus on local/regional lands (not lands abroad) comprising non-campus lands. Subcommittee will continue work begun by the ES 401 class, meeting with key people involved in land decisions for the College, Gary Paul Nabham and faculty/local experts of ecological issues. They will research land use management policies at other institutions.
- Purchasing/Consumption
Subcommittee spent some time learning the role of Purchasing at Middlebury and its particular assistance with bids and purchasing coordination. Purchasing has a guideline document for clothing that supports anti-sweatshop policy. Members are considering work in such areas as developing similar guideline documents for the purchasing of other products combined with presenting researched alternatives, exploring sources for sustainably harvested fish for the dining halls, researching more sustainable packaging for The Grille, and developing tools for educating the campus on making environmentally preferable purchases.
- Education
Exploring who to educate. Brainstormed numerous ideas of educational events or means of educating including:
Environmental film series; improved advertising of existing events/lectures; weekly env. article in the Campus or an "environmental opinion box"; booklets similar to U of Buffalo's Green Computing Guide; outreach program linking college & high school students; study abroad student dialogue about environmental issues and progress in other countries.
- Grants
Most projects underway. Vending misers out and collecting data. Survey out to Yellow Bike members and bikes stored for the winter. Dining Services has ordered the laundry water recycler. Hybrid vehicle team has met with Purchasing Director and received feedback from College Advancement of their interest in using a hybrid. Wind monitoring tower has arrived at the Snow Bowl and will be erected in late spring. Organic Garden project received funds from SGA and will be meeting with key faculty & staff to explore the next phase of activities. Tree inventory team tagging trees every Tuesday. Mapping component and data access via the web is nearly complete.
- Environmental Fair feedback
Mixed feelings about Ross Commons location. Some felt it was too spread out and reduced dialogue because the lounge space was too tight. Good to alternate venues to capture more people. Possibly look for another event to link to such as Septemberfest or May Day.
Air Conditioning Prioritization and Review Committee has been formed to:
- review the College's current AC guidelines;
- establish general principles and priorities for AC spaces across campus; and
- recommend which, if any, of the buildings proximate to the library should have AC.
Recommendations are due by January 31, 2003. Nan has been appointed to the Committee and Connie, along with staff from Facilities Management have been asked to assist in the Committee work.