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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.
]]>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:)
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
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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
]]>is sure making a big impact.
Check it out:
[ a full schedule can be found at: www.montana.edu/greenasmsu/niw.html ]
basically what the poster says is this:
October 3rd – 6th there will be screenings of the movie that started it all: No Impact Man
screenings are at 6:30pm in Gaines 101.
October 8th students will begin their “trash-a-thon”
aka they will carry every item of trash they use for one week with them.
it sounds like a blast, we should all try it.
October 10th, or better known as 10/10/10!
1,000 New Gardens will be doing a lasagna gardening project
there will also be a bike maintenance are repair workshop.
October 11th there will be a lecture on Technology and Environmental Ethics.
Professor Gordon Brittan will be the presenter.
October 12th Food Inc. will be showing in Gaines 101.
go check out a moving movie about food.
7pm.
October 13th, so much happening Wednesday!
the ASMSU Sustainability Center along with NECO
will be hosting a Sustainability Luncheon about
MSU’s Climate Action Plan.
the lunch will be in the Procrastinator Theatre at noon.
then there will be a trash-a-thon discussion in that very same room.
Procrastinator @ 3:10
to end the day, the American Indian Sustainable Housing Initiative
Gaines 143 @ 7:00 pm
October 14th – Free Store! This will be in the SUB, go check it out.
October 15th, the last day of NIW.
there will be a Take Back the Tap Water Taste Test!
SUB foyer (near ask us) 11:30am – 2:30pm
If you have ideas or projects you would like to work on, email Beth Schmiesing at president@bozoneco.com or come to a meeting. Tuesdays at 6pm in the NW lounge of the SUB (next to the bank).
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NECO is the Network of Environmentally Conscious Organizations. We are Students driven to make a difference. We are a grassroots group. And we get stuff done.
It is the beginning of the school year, and I am pleased to see you checked out our site. We will be doing many great things this year and I hope that you will join.
For more information, check out our meetings. Tuesdays (yes, each Tuesday) at 6 pm in the NW Lounge of the SUB. Our first meeting for the Fall 2010 Semester will be September 7th.
See you soon!
]]>National Train Day
and BORN is putting on a rally to celebrate.
. . .its themed.
So come, Saturday, dressed in your best 70’s pants.
lets promote trains.
with good music.
and friends.
↓
Saturday, May 8th
12:00 – 2:00
Near the old depot
[Aspen and Wallace]
I’m excited for us to “Roll the Hiawatha” together, see you Saturday!
p.s. you can join the facebook event at:
http://tinyurl.com/traindayrally
feel free to email ?’s
]]>Watch the video, see for yourself, a banana danced!! Check the link: http://www.ktvm.com/pages/4056577.php?channelIndex=0&mediaIndex=2
]]>[April 18-24th]
Tuesday: Composting demonstrations on the mall!
And Slackline Day! Behind the MSU Library near the duck pond! Come, celebrate the earth and hug some trees!
Wednesday: Transportation! Streamline will be on the mall! Join us, bring your bike. Check it out.
Thursday: Curriculum development and Energy! Again join us on the mall!
David Orr Lecture 7:30 SUB Ballrooms! [This guy is amazing, come join us, want a reserved seat? let me know]
Thursday + Friday = Glass Recycling on the mall!
Saturday: Clean up day + Sustainability Fair at Bogert Park + More glass recycling!!! And another Slackline Day [All at Bogert Park]
This is going to be an awesome week, join in on all the fun!
Cheers,
Beth Schmiesing
President, NECO
president@bozoneco.com