Hey one and all!  First meeting. . .

Filed under: Uncategorized on September 5th, 2011 | Comments Off

Over the past month our Administration has taken major steps away from environmental sustainability at Montana State University. We need your immediate action to demonstrate to our administration that students support steps towards environmental sustainability through financially responsible energy efficiency programs and visionary leadership and planning. We will meet this Friday Morning (tomorrow) at 9AM in SUB 232 to provide some background on the situation and how you can help, coffee and doughnuts will be provided.

Background:

In 2007, MSU President Geoff Gamble committed the university to a trajectory of progressive steps towards carbon neutrality when he signed the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment. This was a significant step forward in a movement that is often epitomized by the cliche: “One step forward, two steps back.”

In the years since, MSU has made significant strides towards achieving these goals including the formation of a Campus Sustainability Advisory Council (CSAC) which created a Climate Action Plan (CAP). The CAP is a roadmap to environmental sustainability for MSU as it details strategic energy cost-savings goals and the technical means for reaching them.

Backward Steps:

The first decision from MSU administration that represents a step-backwards came in the selection of one of two options for implementation, outlined by the CAP. MSU could assume Option 1, which would be an aggressive and courageous step towards climate neutrality in the long-term. Option 1 would require long-term investment, but would create long-term pay-off. Or select Option 2, which does little to address long-term environmental impacts, it requires no substantial timeline for action and doesn’t reflect the Climate Change’s visionary commitment. MSU Administration chose Option 2.

Just this week, MSU Administration chose to end their partnership with McKinstry, which is an energy efficiency consulting firm that is currently finishing a comprehensive energy audit of campus. McKinstry is a full-service contractor that has been working with MSU students, faculty and staff over the past year to set out a plan of financially responsible and energy saving projects for MSU to approve and undergo. According to MSU News Service, McKinstry would have be the firm to carry out this plan, but this week MSU stepped away from this relationship. Here are links to the MSU News Service Article announcing the program with McKinstry and anExponent Article on the recent decision. It is unclear how MSU will carry out its commitment to environmental sustainability without McKinstry.

How You Can Help:

NECO (The Network of Environmentally Conscious Organizations) will be organizing a letter campaign to President Cruzado and MSU Administration this week. We want to show that students support steps towards environmental sustainability through financially responsible energy efficiency programs and visionary leadership and planning. Anyone who wants to be involved is welcome. We will be meeting at 9AM on Friday in SUB 232 to organize students to get out on the Mall and gather signatures from their peers in support of environmental progress. You can be as involved as much as you like, commit as much time as you want or as little as you can.

Thank you for your support and please, pass this message on.

NECO
president@bozoneco.com

Filed under: Uncategorized on April 29th, 2011 | Comments Off

Hello Bozeman Friends!

Earthweek 2011 is here to rock your socks off.  Be sure to attend our fantastic events!!

Monday is: Farm Day!

we will be bringing a goat onto campus to promote the Sustained Dialogue Farm event.  The goat will be on campus from 10-2.

Tuesday is: Sustained Dialogue Ag event!

SD will be putting on a meeting that is going to discuss the future of Ag in Montana and its effects on the environment.

Wednesday is: BIKE DAY!

There will be a bike parade and free tune ups around campus, the person with the best bike decor will win a prize, there will be donated water bottles from REI.  Also there will be a streamline bus on campus to show how to put bikes on the bus for transportation, and to promote the many transportation options in Bozeman

Allison Cook, from The Story of Stuff will also be giving a mulitmedia presentation in the SUB Ballroom at 7:30!  Go find out where all your stuff comes from!

Thursday: Book drive!

Table by the Cat Card Office, books donated will go to populate the new Jail Library!

Friday: Hike day/Galligator Clean-up:

Picnic and hike on Pete’s hill with a possible horticulturalist telling the plant species that are located on Pete’s hill!

All Week: Renegade Art!

You’ll figure it out when you see it:)

Filed under: Uncategorized on April 14th, 2011 | Comments Off

2010-2011 has been a great year,

and we are so stoked to kick it over to some of the best people around.

Beth, Shelby & James have had a good run.  But now it is time to transition!

NECO is pleased to announce the new leadership!

President: Kiah Abbey

Vice President’s:  Cheyenne Stevens & Lucas Thompson

Secretary: Brit Smutek

Treasurer: Dan Keslin

Filed under: NECO on April 14th, 2011 | Comments Off

Helping the earth isn’t a competition, but this is.

RecycleMania is an 8 week long recycling competition between
universities across the nation!

MSU and UM are competiting!  Recycle and help the Bobcats Win!!

To support RecycleMania, NECO
has several great events coming up.  
Keep your eyes pealed, and check the events page!


Check back later for stats on MSU's waste diversion!  And how we are standing up to the GRIZ!

If you would like to be involved in any of the events, please contact earthweek@bozoneco.com

Filed under: events on February 10th, 2011 | No Comments »