OCR Text |
Show - MARCH 26, 2014 THE FORUM In 2007, Westminster College signed the American College and University President's Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). Since then, the college has been working to minimize its carbonfootprint. L V I f ; V t Everything starts in the Environmental Center, said Kerri Case, director of the Environmental Center and assistant provost for sustainability fellows. The center provides the support, both with people and financially, to help sustainable ideas grow. Case said part of her role as provost has been working with faculty and staff across depart- ik 0 I t I ments. We try to get the whole school on board with our environmental efforts, Case said. hotos courtesy of The Environmental Center Griffin coop heated in the organic Sustainability Fellows work out of the Environmental Center to find projects that can improve Westminsters efficiency. Every semester, a new set of fellows comes in and provides ideas for projects they think could minimize Westminsters environmental foot print. Sustainability fellows work with the policy side of things, Case said. They try to make improvements in the infrastructure so that the institution as a whole can be a part of this sustainable commitment. The fellows collect data on everything from water use to air mileage to get a full scope for how much energy and resources Westminster collectively consumes. They then take that information to target the most relevant projects. Ideana Carrasco, environmental studies major, and Marlayna Townsend, work Stand, which can befound in the Richer Commons during Spring and FalL at the Farmers 1 The fellows have worked on recent campus initiatives, including die new printing policy, the organic garden and the Real Food campaign, which catalyzed the change from Sodexo to Bon Appetit. Real Foods: Bon Appetit collaborates with the Environmental Center to be a more conscious food service they buy local and use Westminsters they also cut back on honey. Recendy, containers. Printing policy: By setting restrictions on printing, they hope to encourage people to only print when absolutely necessary. Organic garden: an opportunity for all students to collectively grow, harvest and take home Westminsters own local produce. in-hou- se to-- go We see that students who arent necessarily environmentally inclined find interest in the projects completed by the sustainability fellows, Case said. Most of the projects taken involved a lot of input and feedback from students." The small garden includes raised vegetable beds, compost bins, a gathering space and a chicken coop. Student volunteers maintain the garden, and the produce is available each week at a campus farm stand. The full --campus garden program also involves monthly cooking classes, a fall food film series, discussion groups, workshops and a partnership with the Westminster for Real Food movement. 5rSuW0l of Hie classes, especially the field studies classes, glue you tlie opportunity to get in and do hands-o- n ujoiIl , AH Ideana Carrasco, environmental studiespremed double major r on y-u- s i I LcJ - yde Collective: a group who care about biking for transportation, rec- - combination of the rding to the website, the rives people an outlet for port in terms of a mainte-communit- y. mally bike commute and :ganism to do my part, irrasco, double major in ntal studiespremed, us sustainability fellow, Westminster, there are in- -i rays that you can get be a part of the com- - Those within the environmental studies major have the opportunity to promote sustainability. According to Westminsters website, the curriculum is designed to be a highly-interactilearning experience that fosters engagement in local and global environmental issues. The environmental studies major is experienced-based by virtue, Carrasco said. All of the classes, especially the field studies classes, hands-o- n give you the opportunity to get in and do work. Carrasco said professors take initiative to talk about organizations, to students events and opportunities. Landscaping and structures Westminsters landscape is maintained by head landscaper Craig McClean. ve one-on-o- ne 4 v In the past six to seven years, we have been doing a lot around the grounds to make them McClean said. The only more supplemental work that ever needs to be done is the field to Shaw, McClean said. When you consider the amount of water that can collect in three acres worth of land, that makes a big diff- just to keep everything looking nice. A new master landscaping plan was completed in 2005 along with a grant from the Energy Solutions Foundation. This enabled the college and native landscapto demonstrate water-vis- e The water that is collected is then pumped back and reused on campus lawns for watering. The drain also helps the college to continue its effort to dean up Emigration Creek. When storm water floods Emigration Creek, it can cause environmental effects, McClean said. The drain helps to inhibit flooding that can cause erosion and also the leaching of any chemicals like from the salt that we use for icy sidewalks. Meldrum is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building. Any water collected in Meldrum is directed into an underground cistern that is also used for irrigation. The water is run through a sand and oil separator to minimize pollutants and is tested by a chemistry professor to ensure that the water is safe for the plants. self-sustaina- nr Cm ; ing on campus. All of the plants planted since the new plan--tree- s, shrubs and ornamentals were all picked with water efficiency in mind, McClean said. Along with proper plant picking, the school invested in new structures. .The latest remodeling completed on Dumke Field and Meldrum Science Center help Westminster get the most out of its resources. Westminsters updated Dumke Field is made of artificial turf that does not require water or insecticides. A storm drain was placed underneath the field. The storm drain collects excess water from erence. |