EMS Steering Committee

Meeting Minutes

Discussion Record
December 5, 2005

Attendees: Dale Hennessey, Ellen Shukis, John Bryant, John Fortini, Mary Jo Maydew, Mike Buckley, Nancy Apple, Rick Bigelow, Lauret Savoy, Tracy Zhu

I. Environmental Action Coalition Report

EAC successfully completed a Million Monitor Drive campaign getting 75% of students to enable the energy saving features on their computers. With the goal reached, the College will award EAC with Renewable Energy Certificates equivalent to the student computer energy use for 1 year. EAC will work with LITS to make sure information on energy saving settings is provided each year to incoming students. Tracy will prepare a manual of how to run a MMD in the future.

At Thanksgiving, EAC organized a ‘Go Cold Turkey’ education campaign to get students to turn off lights and appliances over break.

EAC has recruited student volunteers to serve as Energy Coordinators in the dorms. Facilities Management will have a kick-off meeting the beginning of next semester.

Next semester, EAC will work with the ECO-Reps on the Recyclemania competition. They have recruited volunteers for the residence hall competition.

II. Working Group Reports and Discussion

1. Green Building Design and Construction
a. The Guideline Implementation Worksheet was distributed. This document mirrors the “MHC Environmentally Responsible Green Building Design and Construction Guidelines” and will be used to track progress on individual projects. The Group tested in on the Mandell/1837 project, which was designed before the Guidelines were in place, and it appears to be a useful tool.
b. The first project the Guidelines will be used on starting in the design phase will be the Mead renovation scheduled for summer 2006.
c. Also distributed was a comparison of the item count in the Guidelines with the point based LEED and Minnesota systems which will be useful as our program matures and we move forward in discussing how we measure performance.

2. Energy Conservation
a. The ‘Energy Conservation Policy – Heating Season’ was distributed.
b. LITS has joined the Million Monitor Drive pledging to set the energy saving features on all monitors in labs, and office computers as they are upgraded.
c. There was an article in The Source about the MMD and asking faculty and staff to set their computers to energy saving mode if it is not already activated.
d. Lighting in the Howard Gym was upgraded over the summer (see FM web site for more information).
e. Dining Services and Todd have been working with Coke to reduce the number of soda machines on campus and keep the more efficient models. Vending misers have also been tested and are planned for installation on additional machines.
f. A heat recovery project in Carr is in design phase and is to be completed by next Fall. The project has a 3.5 year payback and is expected to save enough heat to offset the increased demand of the new residence hall.

3. Grounds Practices
a. The Integrated Pest Management Plan is complete and we are working with constituent groups on implementation.
b. A draft tree protection policy, “Trees and Soil at Mount Holyoke College” was distributed. The Group is working toward best management practices. A pilot project is proposed, Ellen and Brian Clark will be preparing a budget proposal. We need to find creative solutions to getting maintenance work done and supporting program needs while protecting campus trees. Mary Jo suggested we think about this in 2 pieces: education and finding a middle ground operationally that is respectful of the needs of the tree canopy.
c. Mike reported that they have tried more environmentally friendly products on the athletic fields and they have not worked as well and resulted in complaints from the users.

4. Waste Reduction
a. Facilities Management has an ongoing project to standardize recycling containers and signs in the residence halls. Buckland is complete and they have containers to do 9 additional halls. They will also standardize container labels and signs in the academic and administrative buildings.
b. The outside composting container enclosures are complete and acceptable to the Board of Health.
c. Post-consumer composting starting in Blanchard this semester. We are now composting at all locations identified in our original plan.
d. The College will participate in Recyclemania again this year, but will expand the effort to include the entire campus and add an emphasis on waste reduction. It was suggested that we look to the staff council for help with this effort and consider recycling coordinators in larger offices. Students can also be an effective advocate with faculty.
e. Mike reports that there continue to be faculty and staff that do not recycle and suggests we need to renew a reminder campaign.

III. CE Report

Lauret reported on her plans for the Center for the Environment. The focus will be broad, thinking about the environment as the context and conditions in which we live and from a multidisciplinary perspective. With regard to other environmental efforts on campus, CE wants to collaborate not duplicate. Public programming this Fall included Winona LaDuke, a Native American rights activist and environmental scholar. They are also working on expanding the nature trails, increasing the use of the land as an ecology classroom, the feasibility of an organic garden on campus, and a community service project with Bay St. Louis LA.

IV. Other Initiatives

Dining continues their work with the 5-College group on local food. There will be a meeting in January with local farmers.

MJ suggested that it would be a good idea to have an article in Alumnae Quarterly to engage alumnae in our efforts.