<< Back to Report Card
With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: David Mitchell
Position (in student organization):
Date survey submitted:
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: St. Olaf Environmental Coalition
Number of active members: about 30
Website: www.stolaf.edu/orgs/ec (partly out-of-date)
Date of last meeting: May 11th
Frequency of meetings: Once weekly
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: BASC - student committee that works with Bon Appetit, the food service at St Olaf (Contact : Zephyr Mohr-Felsen CERF - Clean Energy Revolving Fund, a revolving fund for sustainable energy projects. (Contact : Kate Horvat, Naturalist group - student groups that organizes naturalist activities (Contact : David Mitchell,) Earth Week Fair - activities and celebrations during the week of Earth Day
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008: BASC continued communication between students and food service about
sustainability in the meal plan and dining facilities, including
awareness of food waste in the cafeteria and food with a lower carbon
footprint.
CERF (Clean Energy Revolving Fund) gave out its first grant towards a student sustainability project, a conversion to low water-use toilets on campus. Also looking into replacing some light bulbs on campus with more efficient bulbs.
Naturalist group organized frequent hikes and interpretive walks in the campus natural lands.
The Earth Week Fair brought together the campus and local community for tree planting and an outdoor fair. Also, the cafeteria featured a day of low-carbon food.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition: N/MCEC (National/Minnesota Campus Energy Challenge)
Year initiated: 2006
Frequency of competition: Yearly competition.
Participants: College campuses in Minnesota or nationwide, depending on the year
Incentive: reduced energy use by students while on campus, using competition between schools to encourage participation
Goal- reduce campus energy usage from previous year
Lasting effects of competition - students learn energy-conserving lifestyles that they continue after the competition. Increases awareness of nonsustainable energy and alternatives, teaches easy ways to cut down on energy use in daily life.
Website - www.climatechallenge.org/ncec
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please describe Environmental Senator
Description of the position:
Evaluate capital proposals by the student government for their environmental impact; attend meetings of campus environmental organizations and CERF board meetings, and link these groups to Student Senate; act as a member of the Sustainable Task Force (which includes students, faculty, and staff); work on any environmental proposals by student government
Contact 2009-10 : Geoff Carlisle,
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
The EC has organized collection of unwanted internet cables to be
resold the following school year rather than being thrown away.
EC members are working with the administration to address problems
with the recycling system on campus.
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible:
Department of Environmental Studies - An academic department, major, and concentration at St Olaf. Classes increase environmental awareness at St Olaf, notably the class Campus Ecology. Members of this class study the ecology of St Olaf and create projects about the campus environment. www.stolaf.edu/depts/environmental-studies/ Contact : Prof. Paul Jackson, department chair
Environmental Education Programs- Environmental education programs for area elementary and middle school students, held on the St Olaf Natural Lands, organized by faculty and students with St OIaf student volunteers. Brings area youth to campus and teaches about ecology through games, wildlife observation, and other activities. Contact: (Northfield 4th and 5th Graders) Prof. Diane Angell, (Bridgewater Elementary Students) Prof. Kathy Shea,
Green Bikes Program - provides community bicycles. Contact: Daniel Novak,
STOGROW - Student-run organic garden on campus, provides organic food to dining hall and farming experience for students. www.stolaf.edu/orgs/stowgrow/ Contact: Rob Smith,
Wendell Berry House - Sustainable food-themed honor house, connected with STOWGROW
Student Naturalists - A student job with the Dept of Biology, organize naturalist events for students and promote awareness of naturalist-related activities on campus. Contact: Prof. Kathy Shea, sheak@stolaf.edu
Natural Lands Workers - remove weed species from the wetlands, prairies, and forests around St Olaf. Contact: Prof. Kathy Shea, sheak@stolaf.edu
Greenhouse (08-09) and Seedpod (09-10)- Sustainability-themed honor houses with environmental projects (composting, energy-saving renovations). Contact: Emily Rose Pfaltzgraff, pfaltzgr@stolaf.edu
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition):
We have been in contact and/or worked with Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, Minnesota PIRG, and the Will Steger Foundation.
<< Back to Report Card