Visit www.waytogovt.org to learn more, and register before May 4 for a chance to win an iPad and other great prizes! Register as an individual, but be sure to specify Middlebury College as your employer. In 2010 we won an honorable mention for our participation, so let’s do even better this year!

VT WALK & ROLL TO SCHOOL DAY
Wednesday, May 2. Info @ saferoutesvt.org <http://saferoutesvt.org>
Escort school children in walking, biking, or rolling any other way to school each first Wednesday in May. Complements International Walk to School Day each first Wednesday in October. Initiated by Safe Routes to School VT to build excitement for the Way to Go Commuter Challenge, also in May. To help as a crossing guard along busy Route 7 and four-way intersections, contact lasermily@yahoo.com.

BIKE SAFETY FAIR
Thursday, May 3, 3:15-5 p.m., Mary Hogan School, all ages
Helmets (some free, others at reduced cost). Bike tune-ups (free thanks to area mechanics). Obstacle course (test your skills and knowledge of rules of the road). Prizes. Bring old bike gear to give away or swap (locks, reflectors, racks, panniers, etc). Hosted by Middlebury Energy Committee. For more info or to help, contact lasermily@yahoo.com.

MIDDLEBURY GREEN DRINKS
Friday, May 4, 5:30 p.m., 51 Main
Cycle over to 51 Main for Middlebury Green Drinks which has moved from third Wednesdays to first Fridays of the month at 51 Main with a simpler venue. Relax, network, imagine what can come next for a green and Bike Friendly Middlebury. Announce and display your initiatives. Bring a friend. See www.GreenDrinks.org <http://www.GreenDrinks.org>  for more on this global social networking movement.

GREEN UP DAY
Saturday, May 5
Thanks for walking and riding the roads to scoop up litter this day and other days.

WAY TO GO! COMMUTER CHALLENGE KICK OFF RIDE
Thursday, May 10, 4 p.m., Midd Town Gym
Join fellow cyclists in mass for a fun, safe 20-minute ride through downtown to show support for bike friendly Middlebury initiatives and announce the Way to Go! Commuter Challenge. Gather afterwards at 51 Main to learn more and exchange ideas.

WAY TO GO! COMMUTER CHALLENGE WEEK
May 14-18. Pledge @ waytogovt.com <http://waytogovt.com>
Look for activities planned throughout the week sponsored by ACTR and ACRPC including ribbon cutting ceremonies on Monday May 14 to celebrate the new ACTR shuttle bus route along Route 116 and new ACRPC electric car charging station. New electric cars are planned to be on display at ACRPC’s office that Monday.

NATIONAL BIKE TO WORK DAY/WAY TO GO! CELEBRATION RIDE
Friday, May 18, 4 p.m., Midd Town Gym
Join fellow cyclists in mass for another fun, safe 20 minute ride through downtown to show support for National Bike to Work Day, Bike Friendly Middlebury initiatives and conclusion of the Way to Go! Commuter Challenge. Gather afterwards at 51 Main to exchange stories and ideas.

Resources:
www.localmotion.org 
www.vtbikeped.org 
www.saferoutesvt.org 
www.vmba.org 
www.bikeclub.org
www.connectingcommuters.org
www.waytogovt.org
www. bikevermont.com

The event will take place on Sunday, April 29, beginning at 5 p.m. in the Kirk Alumni Center.

Space is limited, so an RSVP is required for this event. Please RSVP here: http://www.middlebury.edu/sustainability/tools/forms/CN_RSVP

Please contact Clare Crosby (ccrosby@middlebury.edu) with questions.

• Grants available to students, faculty, and staff
• $250 to $2,500 grants
• Apply here: http://www.middlebury.edu/sustainability/tools/forms/ECG_app
• Contact Clare Crosby (ccrosby@middlebury.edu) with questions

What do we fund?
EC grants are awarded for creative, innovative projects that:

- advance the College’s sustainability leadership in any of the following areas:

• energy efficiency or conservation
• renewable energy sources
• conservation of other resources such as water
• transportation alternatives (to move away from single occupancy vehicle travel)
• sustainable agriculture and local food procurement
• development and adoption of sustainability policies for the college
• engagement and outreach to the college community

-  transform an existing sustainability related project, program or initiative to a higher level of impact and effectiveness

-  bring a sustainability related focus to new or revised co-curricular or extra curricular programs

Are EC grants only for on-campus projects?
- EC grants can be awarded for off-campus projects provided that

• the project has a clear sustainability component
• applicants can show how the project will have a tangible benefit at the Middlebury College campus
• participants agree to present their experience once they return to campus in some way (for example as part of the ES colloquium series or an article in The Campus)

-  Grants for student travel (including transportation, lodging, and food) are for a maximum of $500 per student
-  The applicant must provide evidence that he or she has investigated and applied for other available travel funding. Visit the Center for Education in Action’s website for a list of funding sources.

Can EC grants be used for academic projects?
-  EC grants do not fund academic research or coursework. Possible funding sources for academic projects include Academic Outreach Engagement Grants and departmental funds.

-  EC grants do, however, fund implementation of ideas developed through coursework or academic research provided that the implementation phase of the project is beyond the academic requirements of the course or independent study and that the project supports the mission of advancing sustainability on campus.

-  Example: the idea of putting TerraCycle bins on campus came out of the MiddCORE class, but actual implementation of the plan was not part of the coursework and is eligible for funding through and Environmental Council Grant.

What do we not fund?
EC grants are not granted:
-  if proposals are incomplete. All components of the online application form—including evidence of support (in the form of a letter of support) from any partnering individual, department, or outside organizations—are essential for a grant application to be considered.

-  for food to be served at planning meetings. Grants may, however, fund food for public events.

Get your green on! Go after one of our biggest carbon hogs—home heating—with this hands-on training in fundamental techniques for improving your home’s efficiency.  Participants will learn the basics of building science, how to find and seal trouble heat loss spots and practice installing rigid foam insulation, door weather stripping, and spray foam gun sealing in the attic and basement. This will prepare you to participate in Efficiency Vermont’s Do-It-Yourself program that provides rebates for owner-installed weatherization improvements of up to $2,500.

Hosted by Middlebury Energy Committee in collaboration with CVCAC and Hannaford Career Center. The training costs $50 and includes a text, lunch, and Home Energy Improvement Trailer tour. The trailer can be toured for free on Friday afternoon from 3-5 p.m. and all day Saturday until 3 p.m. For more information or to register, check out http://www.weatherizationskillshop.com/  or contact 888-514-2151 or e-mail info@weatherizationskillshop.com.

Environmental Council Grants Guidelines

Who is eligible for Environmental Council (EC) grants?
Any student, faculty or staff member of the Middlebury College main campus and staff and faculty of Middlebury Schools Abroad.

What do we fund?
EC grants are awarded for creative, innovative projects that
- advance the College’s sustainability leadership in any of the following areas:

• energy efficiency or conservation
• renewable energy sources
• conservation of other resources such as water
• transportation alternatives (to move away from single occupancy vehicle travel)
• sustainable agriculture and local food procurement
• development and adoption of sustainability policies for the college
• engagement and outreach to the college community

-  transform an existing sustainability related project, program or initiative to a higher level of impact and effectiveness
-  bring a sustainability related focus to new or revised co-curricular or extra curricular programs

Are EC grants only for on-campus projects?
-  EC grants can be awarded for off-campus projects provided that

• the project has a clear sustainability component
• applicants can show how the project will have a tangible benefit at the Middlebury College campus
• participants agree to present their experience once they return to campus in some way (for example as part of the ES colloquium series or an article in The Campus)

-  Grants for student travel (including transportation, lodging, and food) are for a maximum of $500 per student
-  The applicant must provide evidence that he or she has investigated and applied for other available travel funding. Visit the Center for Education in Action’s website for a list of funding sources.

Can EC grants be used for academic projects?
-  EC grants do not fund academic research or coursework. Possible funding sources for academic projects include Academic Outreach Engagement Grants and departmental funds.
-  EC grants do, however, fund implementation of ideas developed through coursework or academic research provided that the implementation phase of the project is beyond the academic requirements of the course or independent study and that the project supports the mission of advancing sustainability on campus.
-  Example: the idea of putting TerraCycle bins on campus came out of the MiddCORE class, but actual implementation of the plan was not part of the coursework and is eligible for funding through and Environmental Council Grant.

What do we not fund?
EC grants are not granted
-  if proposals are incomplete. All components of the online application form—including evidence of support (in the form of a letter of support) from any partnering individual, department, or outside organizations—are essential for a grant application to be considered.
-  for food to be served at planning meetings. Grants may, however, fund food for public events.

How often does the EC request grant proposals?
Initial requests for proposals are made in mid to late September. A second round of requests is usually made around mid-January and, depending on availability of funding, a third request may be made in mid February.

When do projects need to be completed?
In most cases, projects must be completed by commencement in the academic year during which a grant was given.  However, the EC does fund projects that carry over into the next academic year if there is a compelling reason to do so.

Who: Anyone in the Middlebury College community can apply

What: Grants from $25 to $2,500 for any project that advances sustainability on campus

How: Fill out this form http://www.middlebury.edu/sustainability/tools/forms/ECG_app.

Deadline: October 25th

Past grants have funded a garden behind Public Safety, the “Be Bright Turn Out the Light” stickers that you see around campus, establishing the campus bike shop, and a wide array of other projects. For more information about past projects visit http://www.middlebury.edu/sustainability/fech/ec/grants

Please contact Clare Crosby (ccrosby@middlebury.edu) with questions.

A group of Middlebury students are chartering a bus to go to the Moving Planet event in Montpelier the afternoon of September 24 and invite faculty, staff, and anyone from the Middlebury community to join them. If you are interested in attending, please sign up here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&pli=1&formkey=dDZWdUtCckkyMFh4dlJOM1ZoV3g2YWc6MQ#gid=

For more information about the day and about the Montpelier event, please visit http://www.moving-planet.org/events/us/montpelier/232

Please contact ccrosby@middlebury.edu with questions. 

As part of our annual Green House Gas (GHG) Inventory, we conduct a survey of employees’ commuting habits. Please help us by taking less than 10 minutes to complete the survey found here http://middlebury.keysurvey2.com/survey/376201/fa46/. Your responses help us not only to account for our GHG emissions, but also to develop new ways to encourage alternative transportation and reduce our emissions, helping us toward our goal of carbon neutrality by 2016. Thank you for your time.

— Office of Sustainability Integration

Middlebury, Vermont…For nearly a decade, a growing number of Vermonters have pledged to try a new way of commuting during the week-long Way to Go! Commuter Challenge being held this year May 16 – 20. The Way to Go! Commuter Challenge is an annual statewide event promoting economical, environmentally friendly, safe alternatives to driving solo. Businesses and individuals can sign up now at the new and improved Way to Go! website, www.waytogovt.org.

Last year the campaign was recognized nationally by the Federal Highway Administration’s Exemplary Human Environment Initiatives (EHEI). The EHEI recognizes outstanding examples of transportation projects that either create or improve conditions for human activities while protecting the natural environment.  Way to Go! Commuter Challenge was 1 of 10 projects recognized.

For one week in 2010 more than 3,000 Vermonters pledged not to drive alone. Together those commuters eliminated more than 220,000 vehicle miles traveled, conserved 9,758 gallons of fuel, and saved nearly $30,000 in transportation-related expenses. Their efforts resulted in a net reduction of about 200,000 pounds (20 TONS!) of transportation-related pollutants.

Each year businesses and communities compete for awards based on the percentage of participation in Way to Go! Last year the National Bank of Middlebury took first place state-wide for medium-sized businesses and Middlebury College received an honorable mention.  Individual participants are eligible for end of event raffle prizes, such as iPods, a Neuton® battery powered mower, Burton snowboards, overnight stays, restaurant gift certificates, yoga passes, spa treatments, bike tune-ups, golf and ski passes and more.

“With gas prices sky-rocketing, trying out a new way to commute that saves money is really important.  To encourage people to try ACTR, fares on the buses will be 10 cents Monday through Thursday and we’ll have Fare-Free Friday.  All fares collected that week will be donated to United Way of Addison County,” Nadine Canter Barnicle, Community Relations Manager for ACTR, said.

“We hope more businesses will sign up to encourage their employees to save money by carpooling, walking, biking and/or riding with ACTR.  Last year our ridership jumped 16.5% during Way to Go! week.”  All ACTR buses are equipped with bike racks and the Middlebury Shuttle Bus is a fare-free route year-round.

Visit the website at www.waytogovt.org to sign up.  For ACTR bus schedules and information go to www.actr-vt.org or call 388-1946.