Location: Facilities Conference Room

Time: 12:00 pm

Present Martha Larson, Kim Smith, Sharan Ganjam Seshachallam, Rae Horton, Alex Miller, Allison Tucker, Olwenn Fruchart, Phillip Lundquist, Stephie Fried, Mary Savina

Secretary: Alex Miller

  1. Introductions
  2. Useful Links:
    1. EAC Website: https://apps.carleton.edu/governance/environment/
    2. Climate Action Plan: https://apps.carleton.edu/sustainability/assets/11.06.13_CarletonClimateActionPlan.pdf
    3. Sustainability Office Website: https://apps.carleton.edu/governance/environment/
  3. Sustainability Update
    1. Utility Master Plan: Board Preview
      1. Planning for the next 100 years of facilities infrastructure, the Utilities Master Plan is designed to save money on utility and operation costs, and drastically reduce our carbon emissions for campus overall. There are three alternates (besides business as usual) that are being considered with the preferred direction (Alternate 2) including hot water distribution with geothermal and combined heat and power (CHP) and an isolated system for the Rec and Goodhue.
      2. Alternate 2 would have a capital expense of $37.7 million, reduce operating expenses by 36%, and reduce carbon emissions by 38% in Scopes 1 and 2 of our carbon footprint. Payback from the project is estimated to be 17 years.
      3. Geothermal wells would be drilled in the bald spot (150 wells), mini bald spot (80 wells), and Bell Field (150 horizontal wells).
      4. New energy station included in new science renovations. New energy station would be online in 2019.
      5. Steam eliminated from campus as heat source by 2021.
    2. Real Food Calculator 2015-2016 Results
      1. 28% Real Food on average. Calculated by dollars spent on real food that qualifies as ‘real’ (ecologically sound, local, humane, fair).
      2. Currently looking at ways to reduce the amount of ‘un-real’ food purchased and increase the amount of ‘real’ food on campus.
      3. Effort headed up by Perrin Stein (CCCE), Jerrilyn Goldberg (Bon Appetit), and Jenna Greene (STA in the Sustainability Office).
    3. Zero Waste or “Landfill 10” Committee goals
      1. Review the Climate Action Plan waste section and refresh the “recommended actions”
      2. Empower the Zero Waste Committee to develop a campus-wide waste reduction plan with specific waste reduction targets and task forces
      3. Empower the Zero Waste Committee to develop a campus-wide waste reduction plan with specific waste reduction targets and task forces
  4. Proposed 2016-2017 EAC Initiatives
    1. Recurring budget for student conference attendance: Which conferences will we fund for students, how frequently, is there an application process, other questions.  Will discuss at next EAC meeting.
    2. Utility Master Plan Outreach: After Board approval, EAC will need to work on outreach of the UMP to campus community. Will discuss at next EAC meeting (after board decision).
    3. Airline Travel Offsets Evaluation: Air travel accounts for 17% of our overall carbon footprint and 62% of Scope 3 emissions. Since air travel is integral to the campus for professional development and off campus study is a core part of campus life at Carleton, reducing the amount of flights is not favorable. Will discuss at next EAC meeting with more details on costs/options.
  5. EAC Funding Requests
    1. Environmental Alliance: $309.60 for meals expenses for students who are off-board to attend bi-term meeting.
      1. Motion by Kim to approve the request. Seconded by Mary. 9 votes in favor of the motion, one abstain. Motion passed.
    2. Food Recovery Network: $128.22 for clamshells to distribute food in their programming.
      1. Motion by Mary to approve the request. Seconded by Allison. 9 votes in favor of the motion, one abstain. Motion passed.
  6. Topics for next meeting
    1. Budget for students to attend conferences, carbon offsets, Climate Action Week, Zero Waste Committee update, Real Food Challenge update from guests Perrin and Jerrilyn