Meeting Minutes 02-01-10

What is EON?

EON is a network of environmentally focused people on campus

~We have a lot of different groups that do environmental projects, and EON connects all of them

~These groups can use EON's resources

~Everyone on the listserv gets an email about the once a month meeting, but subgroups meet more frequently, which should be published in the Green Scene

Run-Down of Current Leadership Roles and Campaigns

~2 coordinators, secretary and webmaster, social coordinators, and treasurer

~Coordinators: Anne Rosenthal (acrosenthal@wesleyan.edu) & Josh Levine (jslevine@wesleyan.edu)

~Hannah Monk (hmonk@wesleyan.edu) is the secretary and Melody Chang (mchang@wesleyan.edu) is the webmaster; they work on the Green Scene

~Sophie and Adam are in the process of planning parties and events, if you have ideas, email either one of them (sackoff@wesleyan.edu) and (arashkoff@wesleyan.edu)

~If you are planning events, talk to Meggie and she can help you get funding from the SBC, and is even willing to go with you! (mmcguire@wesleyan.edu)

Green Scene

~Hannah Monk (hmonk@wesleyan.edu) & Melody Chang (mchang@wesleyan.edu)

~Our environmental newsletter

~If you have anything to contribute, email weseon@gmail.com by Monday afternoons!

350

~Dan Fischer (dlfischer@wesleyan.edu)

~Broad perspective tackling climate change in general

~Working on passing legislation, especially with CT's Senator Liberman

~They have had protests outside Liberman's office in Hartford

~They want to do a lot of lobbying and high-profile organizing, and working with Green Peace and WesDems

Green Peace

~Nick Boskovich (nboskovich@wesleyan.edu)

~Polluter Watch- who on campus has eco-shady things to hide

-Finding these people and using our leverage as students to put them on the spot

~Direct action responding such as flyering and mass-call days

~Wants to put pressure on the administration

Dining

~Anne Rosenthal (acrosenthal@wesleyan.edu)

~Traylessness continued beautifully

~Low carbon Fridays- no red meat on Fridays in Usdan

~Looking at ways to reduce bottled water on campus

~Eco-to-go has been a huge success and has expanded

~If you have any dining concerns, environmentally related or not, ask Anne

Bike Co-op

~Joe O'Donnell (jodonnell@wesleyan.edu)

~Well-maintained fleet of bikes that students can rent per semester at an affordable rate, either in groups or individually

~94% of 400 respondents in the last WSA poll showed support for this idea

~They have a lot of work cut out, because it needs to cooperate with Physical Plant, LEGIT, Public Safety, WSA, and interested students

~There are three subgroups of this campaign: communications, research, and finance and budgeting

Compost

~Emilie Knight (emknight@wesleyan.edu)

~Compost needs to be institutionalized!

~It's time that the university takes over our waste management, including compost

~They are in the process of drafting a proposal to do so, so if you're interested in helping get this written and worked out, contact her

WesRUM

~Alex Provo (aprovo@wesleyan.edu)

~They want to use materials that they accumulate in our lives to use for interesting things

~They did several neat crafty projects last semester, like t-shirt scarves

~Now they are interested in helping out with WasteNot and free markets

~They are also working on getting a free store up and running

Green Fees

~Julia Jonas-Day and Julia Michaels (jjonasday@wesleyan.edu) & (jmichaels@wesleyan.edu)

~Optional fee tacked on to tuition to use for sustainable initiatives on campus

~Passed in WSA election last semester

~This semester they are working on writing the by-laws and getting them approved by the board of trustees

SAGES

~Sarice Greenstein (em.greenstein@gmail.com)

~Body of staff, faculty, & students meet once a month, although each committee meets every two weeks

~Committees: Energy, green-building, procurement, waste, etc...

~It's a great way to interact directly with staff

Farmers Market

~Melody Chang (mchang@wesleyan.edu)

~Completely student-run; lots of flexibility to take it in different directions

~Started a couple years ago as a final project for a student forum

~Meetings every Monday at 5:30pm in PAC104

~Meets before the market to coordinate logistics and volunteers

~Part of the group helps perpetuate the market and the other part has projects going on, such as getting it EDP approved to increase accessibility to the Middletown community

~Wants to reach out to elementary and pre-schools

~Wants to increase publicity on campus, find new vendors, building a market atmosphere, etc.

~Market this Wednesday from 11am-2pm in Beckham Hall

Long Lane

~Alex Ketchum (aketchum@wesleyan.edu)

~Wants to have a more visible interest on campus

~Wants to create a more inclusive relationship with Middletown, such as with a local high school

~Most of the stuff will happen in the spring, but they are getting their seed catalogs soon, so that should be exciting

~May Day is also coming up, which needs to be planned

~They want to have some bonfires and parties out at the farm

~Meetings, every Tuesday @ 8pm in 190 High

X-Prize

~Ben Firke (bfirke@wesleyan.edu)

~Competition to lower our waste and resources

~If you can find a way for the environment to save money and be more sustainable, submit a proposal and you can win money! ($600 for 1st place and $200 for 2nd and 3rd)

~Top 25 ideas go straight to President Roth's desk

~Deadline is March 1st

Food Truth

~Conversation on Food Politics

~Melody Chang (mchang@wesleyan.edu), Sophie Ackoff (sackoff@wesleyan.edu) & Becca Schofield (rschofield@wesleyan.edu)

~Talks about food politics, local food, what you eat and where it comes from

~It's really exciting

~They are making dinner this Wednesday at 7pm: Email them if you're interested in taking part

WesCFPA

~Annie DeBoer (adeboer@wesleyan.edu)

~Hiking and trail-going

~Email her if you're interested in learning more about what they do

Fund-raising bike ride across Tanzania

~Becca Schofield (rschofield@wesleyan.edu)

~Raising money for scholarships to send kids to school

~If you're interested in riding or helping, email her

Films and such

~Alex Provo (aprovo@wesleyan.edu)

~If you're interested in having environmental film screenings, email Alex

Pre-orientation trips

~If you want to come up with some kind of trip, email Josh (jslevine@wesleyan.edu)

Announcements

~Anne's been pushing getting rid of bottled water, and now Michael Strumpf is on board

-She needs opinions

-Aqua Health: a program where students can pay 75 cents to fill up containers with filtered water

-Addresses the filtration factor, but not the convenience factor

~Social Justice Leadership Conference in February

-Few people are going to give a presentation on the environment

-If you are interested in giving this or helping plan it, talk to Josh (jslevine@wesleyan.edu)

~This Earth Day is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day!

-We should get a planning committee, if you're interested, email Josh (jslevine@wesleyan.edu)

~If you have any complaints related to sustainability and want them brought up with the WSA, send them to Ben (bfirke@wesleyan.edu) or Josh (jslevine@wesleyan.edu)

~Josh is leading a discussion/Q&A session on his experience in Copenhagen after this meeting

There were a lot of new faces, and an excellent turn-out! And lots of yummy snacks!