WELCOME TO BlueGreen
Issue 2 ~ November 5, 2003
The BlueGreen electronic newsletter is a handy bi-weekly update of sustainability initiatives and events on campus and in the local region. It will automatically arrive as an e-mail link for those who sign up for this list serve. Otherwise it is available on our website at http://www.middlebury.edu/administration/enviro/publications/
We started this communication piece last year as a means to keep the Middlebury community better informed about the numerous environmental projects, presentations and opportunities on or near our campus. To submit information for the next issue of BlueGreen, send an e-mail (including graphics) to Connie Leach Bisson, Campus Sustainability Coordinator at cbisson@middlebury.edu
On the Calendar
Calendar Highlights at-a-glance
Thurs. Nov 6
12:15 Bob Osborne, "Environmental Attitudes, Motivation, Emotional Affinity Toward Nature, and Sense of Efficacy" (BIH 216 with lunch provided)
12:20 Architecture Table (Ross Seminar Room ~ LaForce 121)
7:00 "Loss of Farms" (Withey Hall ~ Green Mountain College)
Sat. Nov 8
9-3:00 Careers in the Common Good (Le Chateau)
10-11:30 "The Solar Home" (Merck Forest and Farmland Center ~ Rupert)
Wed. Nov 12
12:30 Green Corps Fellowship information with current Fellow Annie Leary (bring lunch to FIC Hamlin Seminar room)
Thurs. Nov 13
12:15 Karen Fisher-Vanden, "What is Driving China's Decline in Energy Intensity?" (BIH 216 w/lunch provided)
7:30 Bill McKibben "Living Local as if Life Depended On It" (Otter Creek Audubon Society's Annual Program ~ Kirk Alumni Center)
Tues. Nov 18
4:30 Environmental Council meeting (Old Chapel 401)
5-7:00 Addison County "Save Energy and Protect the Climate" Kick-off Forum (American Flatbread, Middlebury Marbleworks)
Wed. Nov 19
4:30 Pat Manley, "Sage, Forrows, Pock Marks, and Shipwrecks: Dynamic Activities on Lake Champlain" (BIH 219)
Thurs. Nov 20
12:15 Chris Shaw, "Getting Green in Mesoamerica: Dams or Protection for the Usumacinta River" (BIH 216 w/lunch provided)
12:20 Architecture Table (Ross Seminar Room ~ LaForce 121)
5-7:00 Environmental Fair (Ross Dining)
Howard E. Woodin Colloquium Series
Bob Osborne, Professor of Psychology at Middlebury College will present "Environmental Attitudes, Motivation, Emotional Affinity Toward Nature, and Sense of Efficacy" on Thursday, November 6th. Karen Fisher-Vanden, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College will talk on "What is Driving China's Decline in Energy Intensity?" on Thursday, November 13th. Chris Shaw, local author/nature writer will discuss "Getting Green in Mesoamerica: Dams or Protection for the Usumacinta River" on Thursday, November 20th. All Howard E. Woodin Colloquium presentations take place in Bicentennial Hall Room 216 on Thursdays from 12:15-1:15 with lunch provided. These events are free and open to the public.
Loss of Farmland
Chris Coffin of American Farmland Trust discusses economic implications of losing working farms. Farmer panel follows. Withey Hall, Green Mountain College. Info 287-8310 Thursday, November 6, 7 p.m., Poultney
Working for the Common Good: Careers in the Common Good
Saturday, November 8 at Le Chateaufrom 10-3
Are you interested in making a difference while you make a living? The nonprofit sector often gives recent college graduates greater responsibility, leadership and immediate growth than entry level positions in the private sector. Come learn more by attending this symposium. You are welcome to attend some or all of the events listed below, but an RSVP is required for the keynote lunch. Questions? Contact Krista Siringo in CSO at x5106.
Schedule:
All day: Organization info tables
10:00-11:00am: Grant writing workshop
11:15am-12:30pm: Panel presentations: environmental field, year of service programs, international NGO
12:30-1:30pm: Lunch with keynote: Charles Bennett, Senior Researcher at The Conference Board in the Global Citizenship Unit.
1:45-3pm: Concurrent panel presentations: fundraising and development, the public sector/government, direct/social service
The Solar Home & Green Tours
Presentation on The Solar Home at Merck Forest and Farmland Center in Rupert, VT, Sat. Nov 8 10-11:30 a.m. When Mark Freeman and his wife retired from teaching they knew they've have to live simply and cheaply. They set out to build a solar home and designed their dream retirement home in nearby Washington County, N.Y. Mark's book "The Solar Home" is his chronicle of that experience detailing how to design, build, and live in a home heated directly by the sun. A slideshow is part of the presentation and Mark will answer audience questions. $8/members $10/non-members
Green Homes Tour of the Mad River Valley on Sat., Nov 8, 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Yestermorrow Design/Build School (Warren, VT). This day-long tour will visit a variety of "green" homes in the Mad River Valley will focus on sustainable design principles, including passive and active solar design, energy efficiency, off-grid systems, and alternative and non-toxic building materials. Meet the owners and architects of these innovative homes! Transportation from site to site is provided. Registration: $35 (lunch is available for an extra $8 or you can bring your own). Register: 496-5545.
Partnerships for the Northern Forest
Partnerships for the Northern Forest: 2nd Annual Northern Forest Leadership Exchange & 1st Meeting of the Northeastern States Research Cooperative. Thursday-Friday, November 13-14, Burlington
Northern Forest researchers, community leaders, business leaders, and others who care about the future of the Northern Forest of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York are invited to a unique conference dedicated to building partnerships and strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability and prosperity of the region's communities and landscapes. Programs will include: workshops and strategy sessions for community and business leaders designed to produce a cohesive regional strategy for advancing and securing the financial resources needed for broad-based, sustainable development in the Northern Forest; presentations and discussions by NSRC researchers who are actively studying the ecological, economic, social, and cultural challenges facing the Northern Forest region; crossover workshops between researchers and community leaders to explore emerging research needs, new ideas for addressing local and regional challenges, and new partnerships between researchers, communities, non-profits, and businesses to best serve the people and ecosystems of the Northern Forest. Info: http://www.uvm.edu/snr/nsrc or Melody Brown Burkins (NSRC), 649-5732, or Heather Cowenhoven (NFC), (603) 229-0679
Protect the Climate
Addison County "Save Energy and Protect the Climate" Kick-off Forum on Tuesday, Nov 18 from 5-7:00 p.m. (American Flatbread, Middlebury Marbleworks)The Middlebury Area Global Warming Action Coalition is hosting the kick-off forum at American Flatbread in Middlebury's Marbleworks. The event will allow local businesses and individuals to learn more about global climate change and how they can reduce emissions while saving money. Middlebury College and several businesses will have displays and there will be a forum for discussions concerning climate change, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. Free admission. Flatbread and a cash bar will be available. Contact: Steve Maier at smaier@adelphia.net or 802-388-7669.
"Hydro Vermont: Are the Ct. River Dams a Good Investment for Vermont?"
A public forum organized by Sustainable Energy Resource Group at the Montshire Museum on Wednesday, November 19, 7-9PM, Norwich
Speakers include:
- Brian Evans-Mongeon of the Vt. Public Power Supply Authority.
- Vince Illuzzi - Vt. State Senator, Vt. Renewable Power Supply Acquisition Authority
- Kerrick Johnson - CVPS Gov. & Political Affairs Rep.
- David O'Brien - Vt. Dept. of Public Service Commissioner, VRPSAA, and
- Hervey Scudder - Director Northeast Center for Social Issue Studies.
Free, refreshments served. For more information, contact SERG at: 802-785-4126 or SERG@valley.net.
Environmental Fair
In partnership with Dining Services' delicious Thanksgiving feast for students [on Thursday November 20th] featuring Vermont foods , Environmental Affairs and the Commons Environmental Liaisons invite you to join in the fun of the Environmental Fair in the lounge and hallway outside Ross Dining from 5-7 p.m. The Environmental Fair will focus on the advantages of local and organic foods, ways to "green" your holiday plans, and, of course, highlight environmental organizations and initiatives on campus. Make it your plan to eat dinner at Ross on Thursday, November 20th.
FELLOWSHIPS
National Wildlife Federation, Campus Ecology Fellowship Program**Leadership development and seed grant opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students.
REQUEST FOR FELLOWSHIP PROPOSALS: Due by DECEMBER 19, 2003*National Wildlife Federation's Campus Ecology Fellowship Program offers a nationally recognized opportunity for undergraduate and graduate studentsto green their campuses and communities, gaining practical experience inthe conservation field and first-hand knowledge of the challenges and opportunities inherent in conservation efforts.
**Application Information**Visit http://www.nwf.org/campusEcology/dspFellowshipscfm/dsp to access the grant guidelines, selection criteria, project requirements, perks and privileges, sample projects, online application information and more!
Laura DuMond '00 and Ron Schildge '03 were both NWF Campus Ecology Fellows.
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Green Corps: Training the Next Generation of Environmental Leaders
2004-2005 Environmental Leadership Training Program
Can you imagine yourself running a campaign to defend old growth forests from corporate logging companies, protecting local communities from pesticides, or starting your own environmental group? Green Corps' one-year, full-time, paid Environmental Leadership Training Program gives you the best training available to launch an organizing and advocacy career.
Green Corps is a non-profit Field School for Environmental Organizing, founded by leading environmentalists in 1992 to identify and train the next generation of environmental leaders. Our program includes intensive classroom training, hands-on experience running urgent environmental and public health campaigns, and placement in permanent leadership positions with leading environmental groups.
Apply on-line at our website, www.greencorps.org. Deadlines vary by location beginning in January 2004 and concluding March 1, 2004. For a complete description of the application process and campus recruitment dates, see the website, or contact Jenna Perry at 617.426.8506 or at jobs@greencorps.org.
Katie Simpson '02, John Nick Sanders '97 and Marika Holmgren '91 have all been Green Corps Fellows!
Maximizing Blue Green: Recycling
Have you seen the new green table tents in the dining halls? Well, it's true; YOU can help recycling be more efficient and successful at Midd. You may not have even considered some of the things that we are capable of recycling (for example: transparencies, disks, CDs, toner cartridges, carpets, etc.). However, in order to make recycling most effective, it is essential that we deposit of each item in the correct location. For more information on how and what to recycle, visit the Recycling homepage, at http://www.middlebury.edu/administration/recycle, and click on the "What to Recycle at Middlebury" link at the bottom. Remember that cold and hot paper cups and food are not recyclable. Liquid contaminates dry paper and requires whole bags of potentially recyclable paper to be thrown out.
