Vermont Campus Sustainability Network

VCSN is a campus resource promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability at Vermont institutions of higher education. The Bulletin is a platform for stimulating an inclusive dialogue on sustainability efforts within the state. VCSN is hosted by the UVM Office of Sustainability, with support from Efficiency Vermont.

Interested in submitting an article highlighting the work being done on your campus?  Please send it to Tatiana.Abatemarco@uvm.edu.

Vermont Campus Sustainability Network Bi-Annual Meeting- August 26

On August 26, 2009, Green Mountain College hosted the Vermont Campus Sustainability Network bi-annual meeting.  Green Mountain College was able to highlight some of the work they have been doing to green their campus including the Poultney Weatherization Initiative, a new green dorm opening this fall, an organic on-campus farm, and plans for a biomass heating plant.    

Also attending the meeting were several representatives from Efficiency Vermont, which would like to partner with VCSN in overcoming barriers to energy efficiency on Vermont campuses.

The group of Vermont institutions discussed strategies for increasing weatherization and energy efficiency on campuses and in surrounding communities. The Weatherization committee discussed the possibility of creating a weatherization workshop instructing in basic energy loss principles and applied hands‐on work. This would create a community outreach project as well as empowering students to weatherize campus buildings.

Gioia Thompson, of the UVM Office of Sustainability, discussed the Northeast Campus Sustainability Consortium or NECSC, a group of affiliated schools supporting sustainability work in Northeast institutions.  The upcoming NECSC conference on Oct 26^th and 27^th will be an important opportunity to gather representatives from Northeastern institutions of higher education to share their stories and discus future actions.  One highlight of the conference is the Presidents Panel, where College presidents from Vermont institutions will answer questions posed by campus sustainability experts.   

To read the agenda and meeting minutes of the VCSN meeting, please click here.

World Learning Improves Energy Efficiency on Brattleboro Campus

World Learning is a global non-profit organization based in Brattleboro, Vermont engaged in international education and development work in more than 70 countries. In 2008, the organization's facilities staff completed an energy efficiency retrofit of over 1,200 existing fluorescent fixtures on their Brattleboro campus.  The project has been a great success and has reduced World Learning's electrical consumption by nearly 10%.  

World Learning worked with Efficiency Vermont and with their suppliers, Grainger and GE, to identify the energy efficiency project opportunity and determine the energy saving potential and associated costs.  With technical assistance and a rebate incentive from Efficiency Vermont, the organization was able to complete this project and reduce operating expenses and maintenance costs.  The primary components to the project were high performance T8 ballasts and lamps that are 30-50% more efficient than previous generation fluorescent fixtures.  World Learning also utilized new 28 Watt lamps in place of standard 32 Watt lamps and was able to provide equal or better light while significantly improving energy efficiency.

The energy efficiency initiative was one of a suite of efforts undertaken to "green" the organizations' facilities and operations in Vermont. These efforts, which garnered World Learning the 2009 Brattleboro Sustainable Business Award included:

• Designing and installing a wood pellet boiler that heats two buildings, saving 1,241 gallons of heating oil annually;
• Cutting solid waste production by two-thirds by composting food waste and cardboard;
• Returning compost for use in a newly established SIT Farm that grows vegetables for students, staff, townspeople, and the local food bank;
• Replacing paper towel dispensers in dormitories with hand towels, saving $3,000 annually and avoiding 2 1/2 tons of waste;
• Installing low-flush toilets that are saving approximately 510,000 gallons of water annually;
• Switching to environmentally-friendly cleaning products to improve the overall health of staff and students;
• Signing in 2008 the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, a national effort to make campuses more sustainable and address global warming.

"As an organization engaged across the world in efforts to promote sustainable development and environmental stewardship, we take very seriously our own footprint right here in Vermont," said World Learning President and CEO Adam Weinberg. "students, staff, and community members who came together around this work share the fundamental belief that all change begins locally."

350.org- October 24^th Day of Change

350.org is an international campaign dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis. Their main mission is to lower our current atmospheric CO2 down to 350 parts per million. In order to unite the public, media, and political leaders behind the 350 goal, this grassroots organization, has called for a day of planetary action on October 24, 2009. They are calling on people around the world to organize on this day, incorporating 350 at an iconic place in their community and upload a photo of their event to 350.org.

There are over 30 events going on in and around Vermont including 350 climate action festivals in Burlington, Manchester, Middlebury, Montpelier, Stowe, Strafford, Vergennes, and Waitsfield. There are also hikes and bike rides around the state as well as many other community gatherings in order to raise awareness about climate change. To check out events in your local area go to http://www.350.org/map. 

7th Annual P3 Awards: Student Design Contest for Sustainability

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of the P3 Award Program, is seeking applications proposing to research, develop, and design solutions to real world challenges involving the overall sustainability of human society. The P3 competition highlights the use of scientific principles in creating innovative projects focused on sustainability. The P3 Awards program was developed to foster progress toward sustainability by achieving the mutual goals of economic prosperity, protection of the planet, and improved quality of life for its people. The EPA offers the P3 competition in order to respond to the technical needs of the world while moving towards the goal of sustainability. The deadline to apply is January 5, 2010.

Green Mountain College seeks Assistant Farm Manager

 The Farm and Food Project at Green MountainCollege (http://www.greenmtn.edu/farm_food.aspx) is seeking to hire an assistant farm manager to work with the student farm crew to manage Cerridwen Farm at Green Mountain College. Cerridwen Farm is a human-, animal-, and solar-powered farm on the campus of Green Mountain College which features an extensive curriculum in sustainable agriculture. GMC students manage two milk cows, laying and meat chickens, a flock of sheep, a team of oxen, and 2 acres of intensive vegetable production.  This is a full-time, salaried position. Please send résumé and cover
letter to Janie Evans in the Human Resource Department:
evansmj@greenmtn.edu
Fax: 802-287-8096
Green Mountain College
1 Brennan Circle
Poultney, VT 05764

Review of applications will begin November 9th with an anticipated start date of December 1st. For more information including qualifications and expectations, please go to http://www.greenmtn.edu/administration/hr/jobs.aspxor contact Farm Manager Kenneth Mulder(802-287-2941, mulderk@greenmtn.edu).

Kenneth Mulder, Ph.D.
Farm Manager and Research Associate
Green Mountain College
mulderk@greenmtn.edu
802-287-2941