The Green Poodle

middlebury's environmental online resource

October 23, 2012
by Gillian Lui
0 comments

Campus Sustainability Day

Wednesday, October 24th is the 10th annual Campus Sustainability Day! Help Middlebury celebrate this nation-wide event by enjoying delicious food sourced from local Vermont farms during candlelit dinner at both Proctor and Ross.

Menu items will include butternut squash soup with squash, apples, and maple syrup from McKinley and Cook Farms in Waltham, VT; whole wheat dinner roles made with ingredients from Gleason Grains in Bridport VT; corn pudding made with ingredients from Nitty Gritty Corn Meal in Charlotte, VT; local pulled pork with homemade BBQ sauce from Vermont Heritage Grazers in Bridport, VT; roasted root vegetables from Lewis Creek Farm in Starksboro, VT; and ice cream from Wilcox, VT.

October 22, 2012
by Jake Nonweiler
0 comments

Do The Math Events

It’s simple math: we can burn 565 more gigatons of carbon and stay below 2°C of warming — anything more than that risks catastrophe for life on earth. The only problem? Fossil fuel corporations now have 2,795 gigatons in their reserves, five times the safe amount. And they’re planning to burn it all — unless we rise up to stop them.

This November, Bill McKibben and 350.org are hitting the road to build the movement that will change the terrifying math of the climate crisis.

(caption and image from 350.org)

For more information as well as the times and locations of future events, go to math.350.org.

October 22, 2012
by Jake Nonweiler
0 comments

Reel Rock Film Tour

The Reel Rock Film Tour features short films made by some of the world’s best adventure filmmakers about the world’s best climbers. The trailer (http://reelrocktour.com/) speaks for itself but it features everything from mountaineering to sport climbing to free soloing. Tickets are $10 if you pre-register or $12 at the door.  MMC will provide transportation!  Van will leave leave from Adirondack Circle at 5:30 and get back around 9:30. Email Zach to sign up (zperzan@middlebury.edu).

October 22, 2012
by Jake Nonweiler
0 comments

Friday day-hike to Abbey Pond w/ MMC

Join us for a stroll up to Abbey Pond–it’s supposed to be 68 degrees and we’re goin’ swimmin!!! A moderate hike up a slope to a well deserved dip in an alpine pond is all you could ever want after a long week! We’ll have some yummy snacks for the top and be back well in time for dinner.  Did I mention it would be warm?  MMC Calendar pics anyone?  Email jpeisch@middlebury.edu to sign up!

October 19, 2012
by Avery McNiff
0 comments

Farm Service Day at Evening Song Farm

JOIN IN ON A FARM SERVICE DAY!

WHERE: Evening Song Farm south of Rutland. The owners lost the entire farm last year due to Irene and are still working to rebuild their infrastructure on a new location. As winter approaches, there is a lot of work to be done and extra hands are needed. During this particular weekend, the farm needs help spreading mulch over a quarter acre of garlic and harvesting winter root crops.
Read more about the farm here: http://www.eveningsongcsa.com/

WHEN: Saturday, October 27th. We’ll meet at ADK circle at noon, arrive at the farm by 1pm and work until we’re worn out (not past sun set).

WHO: Anyone and everyone. Invite your friends!

Please email Avery at amcniff@middlebury.edu if you are interested in helping out by Wednesday, October 24th so we can arrange transportation.

Hope to see you there.

October 8, 2012
by Avery McNiff
0 comments

Apply for an Environmental Council Grant!

Have an idea for a project related to sustainability?
Apply for an Environmental Council Grant!

Receive $25-$2,500 in funding to support initiatives on or off campus.
Grants available to faculty, staff, and students.
To apply and for more info: go/ec
Applications due Monday, October 29th
Contact Avery McNiff (amcniff@middlebury.edu) with questions.

 

October 8, 2012
by Jake Nonweiler
0 comments

MMC embroiders flannel!

Bring a flannel with $$$ in a bag to the MMC meeting this week 6pm LaForce 121 to give to Caroline to get embroidered.  Prices are as follows: Board members: 15$. Guides: 20$. Other: 25$.  If you can’t make the meeting, there will be a drop box (only prior to the meeting, not afterwards) in the lobby of Brooker House for flannels and money.  Note: the embroidery is WHITE, so we suggest a dark flannel for maximum sweetness.

October 3, 2012
by Gillian Lui
0 comments

Let’s Get TRASHY

Confused about how to properly dispose of your waste? Interested in learning more about how you can produce less? If so, Tuesday, October 9th is your lucky day! Bring your trash from the week to Proctor Road anytime between 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Middlebury’s Campus Sustainability Coordinators will work with you to teach you what’s recyclable, where you should be sending your used batteries and empty ink cartridges, where your waste goes after it leaves your trash bin, and more. Don’t be shy about the amount of waste you bring because the CSCs are hoping to get trashy!

For more information, check out Trash Tuesday! on Facebook.

September 30, 2012
by Gillian Lui
0 comments

Sign Up For Project Green Challenge

You still have time to sign up for Project Green Challenge 2012, a competition hosted by Teens Turning Green to inspire young people to take action on green issues and green living. Here’s how it works:

1. Sign up for the challenge HERE. Although the competition already began on October 1, you can still sign up at any point in the month.

2. Every day during the month of October, you’ll receive an email containing a new challenge related to a specific green theme (ex. food, water, advocacy, renewable energy…). You’ll have 24 hours to complete this challenge and document it.

You’ll be eligible to win a new prize for every daily challenge you complete. Also, those who complete the 30-day challenge will be invited to apply for the challenge finals, and up to 12 finalists from this finals group will be selected to attend a three-day eco summit in San Francisco, CA, with the chance to win awesome swag bags and prize packages.

Middlebury’s CSCs are taking on the 2012 Project Green Challenge. Are you?

September 20, 2012
by Jake Nonweiler
0 comments

Apply to Environmental Council!

The Environmental Council (EC) is looking for new student members for its 2012-2013 session!

This year the EC will focus in the following areas:

Food and dining
What is the feasibility of growing food for Middlebury’s dining halls in greenhouses between November and April? If a broadly defined economic analysis is applied, how can the greenhouse idea be designed to contribute to the goal of basing the College’s dining services on locally grown food?

Carbon neutrality
What is the current status of the effort to be carbon neutral by 2016? What formula should be used to calculate the net carbon impact from the College’s use of biomass as a fuel source? What could be done to offset any carbon emissions that are considered to be non-neutral?

Greening Athletics
Over the past few years, Middlebury’s athletics have implemented various green initiatives. How can we further engage athletes, coaches and spectators to incorporate sustainable practices into their athletic activities, facilities, and beyond?

Grants
The EC has approximately $25,000 available to support student, staff and faculty projects that will advance or leverage the College’s leadership in demonstrating what sustainability thinking, design and action looks like at its best. The EC  uses its grant program to stimulate such projects.

EC members will meet once a month for an hour and half as a full group. Members will also serve on one committee and committees will meet at least once a month and more as needed.

 

E-MAIL AMCNIFF at MIDDLEBURY.EDU WITH YOUR NAME, CLASS, MAJOR, AND A PARAGRAPH DESCRIBING YOUR MOTIVATIONS FOR WANTING TO BE ON THE COUNCIL BY 5PM SEPTEMBER 26TH.