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Environmental Studies Department
Olin Rice 249
1600 Grand Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
651-696-6274
Comments & questions to:
esson@macalester.edu

Campus Environmental Issues Committee

September 13, 2005
Olin Rice 250, 4:30 p.m.

Attendance

Dan Murphy-Cairns, Brett Smith(Co-chair), Mark Dickinson, (Co-chair), Claire Briguglio (ES student worker) Maggi Hughes, Timothy DenHerder-Thomas, Badger Johnson (Macalester Wolves), Cassie Warren (ES), Sarah Stephens (MPIRG/ES), Samantha Petty, Talia Kahn-Kravis (Mac Fair Trade), Claudia Leung (CEIC & others), Miki Palchick (MULCH), Erin Foster West (CSO), Richard Graves (MacCARES), Kristin Pollock (MacCARES), Hannah Wydeven (ES), Lori Hartzell (Bon Appetit), Roopali Phadke (ES), Chris Wells (ES), Terri Fishel (library), Nikki Strong (Geology), Kathy Johnson (Purchasing), Sara Buck (ES/GBC/CEIC), Janet Aubin (MULCH/CSO), Karl McPhee (MacCARES/E-funk), Gretchen Solomon (MacCARES/E-funk/MPIRG/CSO), Ruth Janisch Lake (CSO), Andrew Meeker (Wolves)

1.  What is the CEIC?

Introduction on CEIC by Brett Smith:  Macalester College signed the Talloires Declaration five years ago as a commitment to sustainability involving education, community, and being green.

As a mission, the CEIC will focus on personal and institutional, local practices and projects.

Membership will be fairly open and assume attendance by representatives of the various collaborating groups.  Details regarding the Talloires Declaration and the mission statement of the CEIC can be found on the Environmental Studies web site at www.macalester.edu/environmentalstudies/ceic/envissues.htm.

2.  Issues/ Groups/ Reports

Bon Appetit - Lori Hartzell, Bon Appétit manager, explained Bon Appétit's mission: food service for a sustainable future.  To promote this, several events will occur this year:

• First, on September 29 - Eat Local Challenge.  Nationwide, food will be served that is grown within 150 miles of serving location.  This relates to Bon Appétit's involvement with MULCH and commitment to serving MULCH produce within 48 hours of purchase.
• The second event, on October 4, will promote knowledge of acceptable seafood.  Bon Appétit works with Monterey Bay Sea Aquarium Seafood Watch to only purchase seafood that is registered as acceptable for serving.
• The third event is the Clean Plate Club.  This event was held last year to promote knowledge of food waste but did not succeed very well.  Laurie is looking for volunteers to help hold the event again this year in hopes for better success.

MULCH - MULCH’s garden is a representation of support for community and sustainability; MULCH will be planning several fall trips.

College Purchasing - Claudia Leung is the student worker assisting the purchasing department in finding environmentally friendly purchasing options.  Last year she worked on several projects including paper reduction and composting, and she would like to revisit these projects this year.  Kathy Johnson is in charge of Macalester’s purchasing department.  She hopes to train people who do purchasing  to change from a process of looking at cost first and sustainability second, to a process that incorporates cost and sustainability into a single, integrated approach.

Mark Dickinson (CEIC Co-chair) - Mark commented on green buildings and the communication and involvement with architects as buildings are being designed.

Macalester has engaged Intep in the redesign and sustainability of the athletic and recreation facilities.

In the context of Mark’s comments, Professor Strong announced that on November 16, 2006, David Orr, the Director of Environmental Studies at Oberlin, will be speaking about green buildings.

MacCARES - This year, MacCARES will be working on a biodiesel project; converting waste from the cafeteria in useable biodiesal fuel as well as other projects.

MacBike - Promoting biking as an alternate means of transportation.

Community Service Organization - Ruth Janisch-Lake is able to provide work opportunities off campus in an environmental area for Macalester students.  Ruth also promotes volunteer work in environmental settings around the twin cities.

Some suggestions for new initiatives this year:

• Campus Climate Challenge:  reduce emission by 2% per year.
• Wolves: new group based on primitive living skills and sustainability.

Meetings

Meetings will be generally be held every other Tuesday, from noon to 12:50. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 27, 2005, in Campus Center Room 206.

Macalester College · 1600 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105  USA · 651-696-6000
Comments and questions to esson@macalester.edu