EARTH Updates (03-18-08)
EARTH Week April 14-19
Adams State's sustainability group, EARTH (Environmental Action for Resources, Transportation, and Health) will present a number of activities during the college's first EARTH Week Celebration, April 14-19. The group thanks Provost Michael Mumper for budgetary support of the events. Times and events are subject to change, so check portal announcements for updates or click here.
Attendance to ALL events is free and open to the public.
- Mon., April 14
Film: "Who Killed the Electric Car?" and biodiesel presentation
7 p.m., Carson Auditorium - Tues., April 15
Activist poet, David Smith-Ferri, 7 p.m., Carson Auditorium Wed., April 16
Webcast of the National Wildlife Federation's Campus Chillout
5 p.m. - Porter Hall 130
- Thurs, April 17
Jenny Bird in Concert, 8 p.m. - Carson Aud.
In collaboration with Alamosa Live Music Association (ALMA) - Fri., April 18
- Steel Drum Concert, Noon - Location TBA
- Telluride Film festival in collaboration with ASC Adventure Program, 7 p.m. - Carson Aud. - Sat. April 19 - Sun Day - SUB
- Solar Expo: Energy lectures/demos/displays, in collaboration with the SLV Solar Association, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. SUB banquet rooms and Carson Aud.
- Reduce/reuse/recycle garage sale (donations for sale gladly accepted) 8 a.m. - noon
- Rio Grande cleanup, 9-10 a.m. (depending on water flow) meet in front of SUB at 9 a.m., bring garbage bags and wear shoes appropriate for mud
- Green Bike unveiling - Tomato plant sale
At each event, ASC Community Partnership will be selling re-usable grocery bags imprinted with the logos for ASC Community Partnership and EARTH.
EARTH initiatives
All faculty, staff and students are welcome to attend meetings of the sustainability group, EARTH. the next meeting is Tuesday, April 1, at noon in the Student Life Center of the SUB. Regular meetings will be held the first Tuesday of each month this semester.
Two EARTH work-study students, Edgar Thomas and Kailee Potter, are working to consolidate recycling efforts on campus. All the academic buildings have been surveyed with respect to location of existing bins for aluminum and plastic. Thanks to Habitat for Humanity, additional bins have been placed in many buildings. Base areas (central sites for accumulation of bin contents) have been identified for most buildings and a regular schedule of pick-up of materials for recycling is being developed.
The Energy Task Force is compiling a comparison of energy usage between 2006 and 2007 and working on a study of lighting on campus. Recycling Task Force members, Kyli Kehler, donated some old 55 gal drums for use as outdoor recycle bins. The task force plans to have art students decorate the drums, then during EARTH week, campus citizens will vote to select their favorite design.
The Composting/Food Task Force is working with Audrey Liu to use her teepee greenhouse north of campus for gardening and is discussing composting at the Community Greenhouse (12th and Edison) on March 2nd
The Transportation Task Force has 9 bicycles ready for the debut of ASC's Green Bike Program during Earth Week.
Svaldi signs Presidents Climate Commitment
President David Svaldi recently signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, making ASC the 10th campus in Colorado to become a signatory to the ACUPCC. Building on the growing momentum for leadership and action on climate change, the Presidents Climate Commitment provides a framework and support for America's colleges and universities to go climate neutral. The Commitment recognizes the unique responsibility that institutions of higher education have as role models for their communities and in training the people who will develop the social, economic and technological solutions to reverse global warming.
Presidents signing the Commitment are pledging to eliminate their campuses' greenhouse gas emissions over time. This involves:
- Within two years, setting a target date and interim milestones for becoming climate neutral.
- Taking immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by choosing from a list of short-term actions.
- Integrating sustainability into the curriculum and making it part of the educational experience.
- Making the action plan, inventory and progress reports publicly available.
