Last semester, MCSG passed a resolution urging the Macalester Administration to better incorporate environmental sustainability into both its curriculum and extra-curricular programs. The reply was that our suggestions were either not feasible or needed more thought.

We, who voted to pass this resolution, were not satisfied by the response. Here's why:

1) The resolution urged the administration to appoint an Environmental Director who would implement student initiatives that endeavor to incorporate sustainability into the "Macalester Experience". We were told that because of the looming budget deficit Macalester faces, the college simply does not have the money. Yet the Enviornmental Studies Department and other students have raised this issue in the past, when Macalester had plenty. At one point, the Department even suggested applying for a grant that would fund the said position for five years, if Macalester agreed to fund it after this time. The Provost's Office denied this request. We are aware that Macalester is considering widening the responsibilities of an existing post to include the job-description of an Environmental Director. While this is a start, Macalester's responsibility should not end there, particularly since the Environmental Studies students complain that the department is already under-funded.

Allocation of College funds is an issue of priority. Whether we're facing a deficit or not, there will always be other things Macalester can spend on. By signing the Taillories declaration, we have bound ourselves to making Environmental Programming a priority. Our resolution urged that the appointment of this position be given such a priority in the future if not the present. Macalester has a prioritized list of potential positions that will be established once we have the funds in the future. We ask President McPherson and Provost Hornbach to give high placement on this list to an Environmental Directors position.

2) Our resolution asked Macalester to provide financial support for the installation of a windmill on campus. Excel Energy has offered to donate the windmill as long as Macalester puts up $15,000 towards its installation expenses. Several students felt that the administration was not showing any enthusiasm towards this venture, all except David Bergstrom, former Assistant Director of the Physical Plant. Indeed according to a Mac Weekly article, the administration felt that "there were numerous factors that had not been considered" with regards to the installation of the windmill. Yet Macalester made full use of the publicity we received from simply considering this option: the Pioneer Press published a positive report on the issue, which was featured on Macalester's home page for several weeks. The article clearly predicted that there were no major issues with the city council, which was likely to permit Macalester to install the windmill. We ask that the senior staff at Macalester give public support to the venture, which will help to expedite this process.

3) A third suggestion that was cited as unfeasible by the administration was that of replacing the Grille's Styrofoam cups with paper ones. According to Dean Hamre, such paper cups would have to be waxed if Bon Appetit were to use them to serve coffee. Waxed paper cups are only marginally more environmentally friendly than styrofoam ones, she rightly stated. However, we assert that it is not necessary for paper cups to be waxed. Unwaxed paper cups used with thick paper holders (such as those used in Coffee News) can be used to serve coffee. We therefore ask that the Campus Center Management, along with Bon Appetit to consider this option and discuss its feasibility with MCSG. We take issue with the administration's assertion that it has taken substantial steps to implement the Taillories Declaration. Thus far we have seen no systematic plan that seeks to incorporate issues of sustainability into Macalester's programs. Our resolution (it says more than these three suggestions) provides some means through which Macalester can fulfill its promises. If we as a community do not value Environmentalism as much as other goals, and therefore find it unfeasible to implement any such programs, then we ask that Macalester strike its name off the list of Taillories Declaration signatories. By doing so, at least we will align out actions with our words. Indeed, as a college, let us either put our money where our mouth is, or remove our mouth altogether.


Haris Aqeel '04

Beth Azuma '03

andré carrington '03

Lauren Flanagan '04

James Hamilton '03

Andy Haug '06

Ninya Loeppky '06

Tyler Samples '06

Fa'utu Talapusi '04