Environmental Council Meeting
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
MINUTES
Old Chapel Room 401
Present: Nan Jenks-Jay (Co-Chair), Connie Leach Bisson (Co-Chair), Diane Munroe, Andrea Hamre '05, Mandy Helwig '04, Katy Saunders '02.5, Charlotte Tate, Ben Brouwer '04, Helen Young, Andi Lloyd, David West, Ben Wessler '03
The first meeting of the '02-'03 academic year began with introductions around the table. Students who served on the Environmental Council in previous years were invited to attend since the first meeting occurred before the SGA had completed its appointment process. It is anticipated that student members will be appointed before the next meeting.
1. Background on Environmental Council – Nan Jenks-Jay provided a summary of the history of the Environmental Council which began as the Energy Council in the 70's under the leadership of David Ginevan. The Energy Council was able to assist in a significant shifting down of energy use resulting in the council becoming dormant in the '80s. Later Dave Ginevan again saw a broader role for the council and it was re-established as the Environmental Council (EC). Prior to Nan's arrival, the EC was chaired by John Elder and Stephen Rockefeller and produced two significant reports: "Pathways to a Green Campus," and "State of the Environment."
The Environmental Council has played a significant role in formulating key environmental policies including a building and design standard to guide College expansion and a construction and demolition recycling best practices guide. The EC recommended the establishment of the Project Review Committee that was instituted by President McCardell. For the past three years, the EC has overseen an Environmental Grants program which will continue for this academic year. The EC meets with President McCardell at least twice during the year and provides him with copies of the minutes of each meeting. President McCardell treats the EC with respect.
2. Work of Council in '01-'02 Connie referenced the back pages of the handout as a source of information on the focus of the EC in past years. During '01-'02, the EC awarded and monitored twelve environmental grants, hosted an Environmental Fair in the fall and a series of Earth Day events over a weekend including an emphasis on hanging out clothes. It's focal point was supporting an emissions inventory of greenhouse gases, working in part through a subcommittee deemed the Carbon Neutral group. The EC invited key members of the College staff to meetings to discuss issues such as falling recycling rates and increases in paper consumption. Near the end of the year, the EC sent a strong letter to acting President Ron Liebowitz encouraging action on the pedestrian campus issue. The Faculty Council invited members of the EC to one of their meetings and they also sent a strong recommendation to the Administration supporting numerous pedestrian campus initiatives.
3. Update on summer activities: In support of student research, Connie shepherded a meteorological tower project proposed for the top of the Snow Bowl through the Act 250 permitting process. The 100' tower will hold wind monitoring equipment and will hopefully be constructed during October. The third issue of Environmental News was published and mailed and includes a feature story on the roots of a sustainable campus that provides additional background information on the integration of academics and operations in the Environmental Peak. New students received a quick environmental orientation at the Welcome Center where a "green" dorm room was on display. In addition, summer intern Katy Saunders and Connie found a suite of male students in LaForce willing to model Middlebury's first "Environmental Dorm Room." Ben Wessler, working with Connie this fall, will set up open house events where the campus community will be invited to tour the suite and explore a variety of actions one can undertake to reduce his/her ecological footprint here on campus. With the opening of LaForce and Ross, each resident received a sheet highlighting many of the environmental features with a particular emphasis on the green certified wood. A photo display honoring the loggers and people involved in harvesting and crafting the architectural products and furniture of Ross, incorporating photos taken by student intern Eric Skovsted '02, was hung in the lounge adjacent to the Ross Dining facility.
4. Report from Carbon Neutral Conference: Katy Saunders brief the EC about the recent Northeast College Campuses on Climate Action conference held at Skidmore. She also indicated that the Student Government Association (SGA) is very supportive of this initiative and helping to bring recommendations from the conference and the Carbon Neutral committee to a broader campus forum by possibly working through the Community Council. Katy also announced that the Conference of New England Governors (CONEG) and the Eastern Canadian Premiers are planning to propose a partnership between these entities and higher learning institutions to work within their own entities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 10% below 1990 levels by 2012.
5. Environmental Summit and student group coordination: Katie Saunders and Ben Brouwer provided a summary from the Middlebury Environmental Dialogue summit hosted by the SGA on September 14th. Twelve environmentally oriented organizations on campus met for three hours to articulate long-term environmental goals for Middlebury College.
6. Initial discussion on EC goals/focus for '02-'03; potential subcommittees: This item was held for discussion at a future meeting. Nan identified the types of subcommittees that had been effective in past years. Connie mentioned that she would be sending out information about the Environmental Grants as this committee needed to be formed quickly so that the grant program for this year could be announced. Nan also suggested that the EC might want to consider holding a joint meeting with UVM's Environmental Council to see if there might be some sort of joint initiative the two entities might wish to pursue.
7. Next Meeting:
Environmental Council meeting dates for the remainder of the fall semester
October 8
October 22
Nov 5
Nov 19
Dec 3