WELCOME TO BlueGreen
Issue 5 ~ February 16, 2004
The BlueGreen electronic newsletter is a handy regular update of sustainability initiatives and events on campus and in the local region. It will automatically arrive as an e-mail link for those whosign up (by clicking on the words sign up) for this list serve. Otherwise it is available on our website at http://www.middlebury.edu/administration/enviro/publications/
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
Tues. Feb. 17
4:30 p.m. Environmental Council meeting Old Chapel Room 401
6:30 p.m. Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF) Public Meetingthat is part of the legal requirement to revise its Land and Resource Management Plan. The purpose of the February meetings is to begin drawing proposed future management areas on maps. There will be a brief overview of the management areas beforehand. (Bristol Elementary School ~ 52 Mountain Street)
8 p.m. "You saved the World Last Semester? So What Now!" Informational session on being active at Middlebury, for more information contact Liz Lyons x6674 (Pearsons Lounge)
Wed, Feb. 18
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Environmental Citizens' Lobby Day. VPIRG (the Vermont Public Interest Research Group) and other environmental groups are sponsoring a citizens' lobby day at the Vermont statehouse. From the invasion of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) in our farm fields to finding clean, renewable sources for our future energy needs, citizens will be sharing their concerns with representatives and senators. No prior statehouse experience is needed; organizers will brief you on issues and lobbying techniques at the start of the day. Sign up www.vtEnvironmentalLobbyDay.org (Montpelier)
5 p.m. Campus Sustainability Grant applications due (See more information later in newsletter)
6 p.m. Green Corps Information Session for information on this non-profit field school for environmental organizing. www.greencorps.org (BIH 216)
6:30 p.m. MiddAction Fair highlighting agencies and campaigns around the county and state involved with social, economic, and environmental justice. (McCullough Social Space)
6:00 - 8 p.m. Wind Towers Public hearing on siting and use of wind towers conducted by the House Committee on Natural Resources and Energy (Rutland Senior High School Theater)
Thur. Feb 19
12:15-1:15 p.m. ES Colloquium: Bill Bress, State Toxicologist for the Vermont Department of Health "Environmental Chemical Releases Routes of Exposure" (BIH 216)
Fri. Feb 20 - Sun. Feb 22
Northeast Climate Conference at Harvard University (See more information below)
Sat. Feb 21
9 a.m. NOFA-VT Winter Conference "Expressing the Culture in Agriculture" (Vermont Technical College ~Randolph Center)
Mon. Feb 23
6:00 p.m. Peace Corps Information Session sponsored by CSO (BIH 104)
Thur. February 26
12:15-1:15 p.m. ES Colloquium:Don Mitchell, English & ES; Chris Klyza, Political Science & ES; Steve Trombulak, Biology & ES, Middlebury College. Core Panel Discussion: "Biocentrism: Origins and Prospects" (BIH 216)
Fri. Feb. 27
9:00 - 5:00 p.m. The Business Sustainability Initiative Conference at Dartmouth College http://mba.tuck.dartmouth.edu/pages/clubs/bsi/
Sat. February 28
10:30 a.m. - 12 noon Building Your Own Greenhouse, Merck Forest & Farmland Center. Mark Freeman will be here to discuss building your own greenhouse in your backyard. Building a greenhouse can be easy and inexpensive with practical instructions. Areas of discussion will include selecting a site, laying a foundation, framing, ventilating, plumbing, and wiring. From simple cold frames to large freestanding structures, you'll find all the information you need to get you going to extend Vermont's all-too-short growing season. $8/members $10/non-members. Registration required. Info: 394-7836. (Rupert)
2 - 3 p.m., Black Market Wildlife, Join Robert Mulkeen, wildlife inspector, as he participates in ECHO's Wild Animal Weekend. He'll be giving a talk, "Black Market Wildlife: Protecting Endangered Species on the Canadian and Mexican Borders". Robert has been an inspector for 7 years and began his career on the Mexican border in Laredo, Tex. He will bring in contraband items such as stuffed owls, sea turtles, and elephant ivory for the public to see, discuss why they were seized, and have an accompanying slide show. Included in price of admission. Located in Community Room. Info: 864-1848, x117. ECHO Center (1 College Street ~ Burlington)
Campus Sustainability Grants
The Environmental Council and Atwater, Brainerd and Cook Commons are co-sponsoring a spring term Environmental Grants program. Over $2500 will be awarded for projects that further campus sustainability at Middlebury. Student, faculty and staff collaboration is encouraged. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 18th. For more information and and an application form, visit our website.
NOFA -VT Annual Conference
Expressing the Culture of Agriculture is the theme for NOFA-VT's annual conference taking place on Saturday, February 21st beginning at 9 a.m. at Vermont Technical College in Randolph Center. http://www.nofavt.org/event.php?e_id=15
New England Environmental Education Alliance Conference
CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS: New England Environmental Education Alliance (NEEEA) Conference, 2004 October 15-17, 2004 at the Breadloaf Campus of Middlebury College in Ripton, VT. The theme of the conference is "Opening Doors: Collaboration Strengthens Our Voice to Build Sustainable Communities". Applications due by March 1, 2004 and information available at www.vermontsweep.org
Northeast Climate Conference
Organized by students for students
February 20-22, 2004 Harvard University, Cambridge, MA Sponsored by the Climate Campaign, a coalition of many of the Northeast's leading student environmental networks (Econortheast, Envirocitizens, freetheplanet, SEAC, Sierra Student Coalition, student PIRGs), this is a tremendous opportunity to link up with other action-oriented students in the northeast concerned about global warming. Information about the conference is available at http://www.climatecampaign.org/ Students interested in carpooling should contact Connie Leach Bisson at x5043 or cbisson@middlebury.edu
Efficiency Vermont Award
Middlebury College has received the Excellence in Energy Efficiency Award from Efficiency Vermont, a statewide energy efficiency utility. The award was developed to recognize an organization that has effectively partnered with Efficiency Vermont to fully integrate energy efficiency into its organizational practices. Middlebury has consulted with Efficiency Vermont on a number of construction, renovation and educational projects, including the new library currently under construction, the new dining and residence halls for Atwater, and the distribution of compact fluorescent bulbs to all new first year students.
When completed, the new library will save $35,000 annually in energy costs annually due to energy efficiency measures applied to building construction and lighting. These efforts equate to avoided annual production of carbon emissions by approximately 500,000 pounds.
Brower Award
EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE is accepting applications through June 1, 2004, for the fifth annual DAVID BROWER YOUTH AWARDS. People age 13 to 22 who have demonstrated outstanding leadership with projects in environmental Conservation, Preservation or Restoration are encouraged to apply. Six winners from the U.S. and Puerto Rico will each receive a cash award of $3,000 and ongoing support of their development as environmental leaders. Recipients will be honored at a ceremony in the San Francisco Bay Area on September 30. Applications are available February 1 at http://www.earthisland.org/bya
National Wildlife Federation Campus Ecology Fellowship
Congratulations to Phil Aroneanu and May Boeve who just received an NWF Campus Ecology Fellowship to study vermicomposting. Working with Dining Service Director Matthew Biette, Phil and May will begin to add worms to the greenhouse soils located adjacent to the college's compost facility. The nutrient rich worm castings will assist these gardeners in growing salad greens for dining operations.
EPA Sustainability Competition ~ $10,000 grants
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a new P3 Award: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability. It will provide grants to teams of college students to research, develop and design sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. P3--for people, prosperity and the planet--has two phases. Initially, teams compete for $10,000 grants. EPA will support up to 50 student design projects during the 2004-2005 academic year for research and development of their sustainable design. This first phase is meant to encourage creativity, allowing the teams to: 1) define a technical challenge to sustainability; 2) discuss the relationship of the challenge to people, prosperity and the planet; and 3) develop a design approach to address the challenge. Challenges from a wide range of categories will be considered, including agriculture, built environment, ecosystem, energy, resources and water. In spring 2005, the P3 grant recipients will be invited to Washington, DC to compete for the P3 Award, which provides additional funding for further design development and implementation. The award is open to undergraduate or graduate teams in colleges, universities and other post-secondary institutions in the United States. Closing date: March 25, 2004.
http://es.epa.gov/ncer/p3/designs_sustain_rfp.html