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Middlebury College has a long history of environmental awareness and responsibility beginning with the founding of the Environmental Studies program in 1965 that was complemented by equal attention from the operations side with the formation of an Energy Council in the 1970s led by David Ginevan, Vice President for Administration and Treasurer. Through the early eighties, the Environmental Council worked with staff to institute a series of conservation measures, retrofits and new technology that significantly decreased energy use on campus. After a period of inactivity in the mid-eighties, the Energy Council was reactivated in September 1990, again by David Ginevan. As the Council's agenda of environmental concerns and initiatives expanded, it was renamed the Environmental Council. The membership of the Council has always included faculty, staff, and students.

In recent years the Environmental Council has been engaged in a number of long-range planning studies concerned with the greening of Middlebury College. The Council has encouraged research by faculty and students as well as staff, which resulted in many valuable reports and recommendations.

In the fall of 1994, the Council (chaired by Steven Rockefeller) prepared a special report "Pathways to a Green Campus" for the President of the College providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of the College from an environmental perspective with recommendations for advancing the process of greening the institution. In 1998, the Environmental Council completed its first "State of the Environment Report" -- an environmental assessment of the campus. In recent years, Council members have participated in one or more subcommittees, outlined in the highlights of Environmental Council activities.

The Environmental Council wishes to thank several people whose environmental leadership here at Middlebury has established a systemic commitment to environmental mindfulness and stewardship. David Ginevan for his untiring commitment to building a sustainable campus and his continued support of the Environmental Council. To President John McCardell for the vision and recognition of the Environment as a Peak of Excellence at Middlebury, and his challenge to the College community to continue to build a sustainable campus through his philosophical support and for funding the Environmental Grants program. To John Elder and Stephen Rockefeller, former Chairs of the Environmental Council for expanding the role of the EC during the nineties, and to Nan Jenks-Jay, current Chair and Director of Environmental Affairs, for her fervor to integrate environmental awareness and responsibility into every action of this institution.

Environmental Council