Time: 9:00 am
Present: Jamie Long, Laila Parker, Laura Hmelo, Norm Vig, Phil Camill, Wayne Beierman, Dennis Easley, Richard Strong
Secretary: Max Wilson
New Business
Environmental Statement of Principles
The language for the statement of principles decided upon by the special student committee was presented to the EAC and deliberated upon:
“Carleton College, as a liberal arts institution, recognizes that it exists as part of interconnected communities which are impacted through personal and institutional choices. We are dedicated to investigating and promoting awareness of the current and future impacts of our actions in order to foster responsibility for these human and natural communities. Carleton strives to be a model of stewardship for the environment by incorporating ideals of sustainability into the operations and daily life of the college.”
The meaning or intent of the word “operations” was brought up and it was explained that it was meant to cover the administrative decisions made within the college and was intended to cover the top-down measures toward sustainability that can be taken.
The wording of the last sentence was discussed, and it was decided that it should be changed from “the operations and daily life of the college” to “the operations of the college and the daily life of individuals” in order to emphasize the focus on both top-down measures represented by operational changes made by the college as an institution and the bottom-up measures represented by the everyday choices made by the individuals which make up the college
Dennis Easley brought up the fact that “impacted” is not widely regarded to be a real word but it was decided that no other word carried the same weight and connotations as “impacted,” and thus it was not changed.
In the first sentence “which are impacted through” was changed to “that are impacted by”
**ACTION**: The following wording was approved and adopted:
“Carleton College, as a liberal arts institution, recognizes that it exists as part of interconnected communities that are impacted by personal and institutional choices. We are dedicated to investigating and promoting awareness of the current and future impacts of our actions in order to foster responsibility for these human and natural communities. Carleton strives to be a model of stewardship for the environment by incorporating ideals of sustainability into the operations of the college and the daily life of individuals.”
Off-Campus Housing Composting
The question of where funding for the initiatives that the EAC sponsors comes from – this issue was raised in connection with resources to get the necessary containers for the proposed composting project for off-campus houses and the townhouses.
It was suggested that the committee request a budget either directly or as a line item in the facilities budget for EAC projects and research.
Several options for collecting and moving compost were discussed – Max and Laila are going to investigate the various options and report back to the EAC.
Evans Renovation and Townhouse Review
On Thursday, April 19 architects for the Evans renovation are going to have a meeting with representatives from the college to discuss some of their plans and to fill out the Minnesota Sustainable Design Guide Worksheet. EAC members are encouraged to attend. The meeting is in the Sevy Faculty Lounge.
The Review of the Townhouse performance on the Minnesota Sustainable Design Guide Goals will be conducted shortly.
Planting a Screen Between Farmhouse and the Rec Center
Mark McKone, director of the arb, was consulted about possible native plantings that could effectively act as a shield between Farmhouse and the Rec Center.
It was suggested that a small berm or raised bed could be built and planted with native prairie grasses.
The old gravel road to Farmhouse will be removed and replaced with soil increasing the space a screen can be constructed in.
The temporary building that formerly housed the Modern Language Center will be moved out into the general area of Farmhouse to be made into a new office for the Arb and possibly a small interpretive center.
This new office has the potential to increase the foot traffic in the area.
The lawn area behind Farmhouse will be preserved.
A screen of Burr Oaks and Prairie Grasses was proposed.
The question of the effectiveness of prairie grasses as a screen in the winter was raised as heavy snow would flatten the grass.
Utility work need to be done in the area in the near future so development should be held off until after that work is completed.
Tree Free Campaign
The EAC was briefly informed of the student effort to get the majority of the paper bought by the college to have 100% post-consumer waste content.
It was noted that the estimated cost difference would be $3 per box from $25 to $28.
Kyoto Protocol Standards
The idea of having Carleton meet the emissions standards set by the Kyoto Protocol was presented.
Many other schools are already involved and there is a national organizing body for the effort: Center for Environmental Economic Development (www.7by7.org).
Wayne Beierman has recently done a review of conservation measures taken by facilities.
Sample Measures:
- variable speed drives on much of machinery
- energy management system in place which monitors and controls 1200 points
- high efficiency motors have been put in place and are paid for by Excel
The chiller plan represents the highest energy cost
Steam Trap program is an area to focus on in the future.
Energy records dating back to 1989 are being complied and will be analyzed and normalized by a consultant to act as a baseline for our energy consumption to help guide future planning.
The total square footage at Carleton has increased by 18% since 1990. Any emissions reductions goals may have to be in terms of per square foot emissions.
In any institutional effort to reduce emissions, individual efforts must also be emphasized. A publicity effort in conjunction with the new environmental statement of principles might be good.
5% of the energy from Excel is from renewable sources.
Carleton is in the top 30% of consumers for Excel if we demand more renewable energy or agree to pay a premium for renewable energy we could have a substantial effect in the system.
It was suggested that the EAC maintain a connection with RENew, the local group pursuing sustainable energy for Northfield.
The potential for alternative energies developed directly by Carleton should be investigated.
Meeting Adjourned