EARTHLUST

Get Ready…

What is the Renewable Fund for Resource Conservation?

Formerly known as the Green Revolving Fund, the RFRC consists of a $43,000 surplus from Student Council that the student body voted to make into a self-renewing fund for green projects on campus that will pay back over time. The fund has been passed into the custody of the Sustainability Committee (a committee of administrators, staff, faculty, and students who make recommendations for improving environmental sustainability on campus). The RFRC initiatives were voted on and passed unanimously.

What is going on with the Renewable Fund for Resource Conservation?!?

• Priority 1:  $5500 for Organic Lawn Care for the 5 acres of lawn between Mertz and McGill Walk.  Estimated payback time: 8 years but with vendor participation and help from student groups, may be shorter.  Funding would provide $3000 for soil testing and planning with a consultant, and $2500 for the marginal increase in costs over the first 2 years.
• Priority 2:  $10,000 toward replacement of 6-watt decorative lamps in the “Wagon Wheel” architectural fixtures in Sharples Dining Hall with 1.9-watt LED lamps.  Estimated payback time 5.5 years based on electricity saved, bulb replacement costs, and labor. 
• Priority 3:  $10,000 toward replacement of T-12, 40-watt fluorescent lamps with 28-watt T-8 bulbs in fixtures all over campus.  Estimated payback time:  less than 2 years based on electricity savings.
• Priority 4:  $3,000 toward installation of light-sensing switches in hallways/foyer areas with large window openings.  The hall lights would turn on when natural light fell below a set threshold.  Payback time is estimated at several years, but would depend on location.  This allocation should fund approximately 12 such installations, which performance can be tracked as an experiment.
• Priority 5:  $5,000 toward installation of occupancy sensors/switches in bathrooms.  Bathrooms that either have no light switch or have lights that are often left on will be first to be retrofitted with occupancy sensors. Estimated payback time:  3 years

Interested in what the Sustainability Committee is up to? There is an open meeting on Wednesday, January 10, 8:30-9:30 AM in Sharples.

Two Reminders:

• There is a $0.10 discount if you use your own cup for coffee at a coffee bar
• Remember to bring your own water bottles for your bag lunches!

Earthlust meetings have resumed for spring semester 2010! We still meet on Mondays in Kohlberg 115, but our meeting time has changed to 9:30 pm. New members are always welcome! We’re currently working to finalize goals for this semester. Come to meetings with ideas, and be on the look out for the opportunity to participate in events such as GreenMarch!

At the end of last semester we raised $300 in donated meals during our rolling Climate Justice Fast! A full van load of nonperishable food was delivered to City Team Ministry in Chester, where it was gratefully received. In addition to the educational and symbolic value of our fast, these boxes full of food were evidence of an immediate, tangible, positive effect our action had. Many thanks to Linda McDougall for all her help.

Zein drops off food donated during the Climate Justice Fast to City Team Ministry in Chester, PA.

Starting this semester, disposable water bottles will no longer be provided with bag lunches. Instead, jugs of water are available to fill reusable bottles. We currently give out approximately 11,000 water bottles each year just with bag lunches. Providing jug water instead is an environmentally-motivated decision, which will both reduce the burning of fossil fuels during the production and shipping of the bottle and reduce the amount of waste that the college generates. It is estimated that 84% of disposable water bottles are not recycled, ending up in landfills or being incinerated in Chester. What’s more, it takes 3 liters of water to produce 1 liter of bottled water, an unnecessary strain on our finite world water supply. This change is in conjunction with the efforts of the Sustainability Committee and your Green Advisors to make Swarthmore a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly campus. Feel free to contact either group with questions or concerns.

Please visit the “Climate Justice Fast: About” page to learn more about how the campaign works and why we are participating.  The “Climate Justice Fast:People” page has a schedule of who is fasting each day.

Interested in participating? E-mail swatearthlust@gmail.com and we can add you to the schedule!

In solidarity with 350.org’s international day of climate action, Earthlust hosted a week of events intended to inform the Swarthmore community about the international environmental movement, and to encourage individuals to take measures to reduce the carbon footprint of our campus.

Photo by Kat Clark

Swarthmore students attend a variety show to support 350 Week.

Drop It ‘Cause It’s Hot

Video showcasing ways to reduce your carbon footprint!

Video by Kat Clark, starring Cariad Chester and Eddie Zhang, special thanks to Taryn Colonnese

We have a week full of events lined up…come join us to learn about sustainability and climate change at Swarthmore and in the world!

350.org activities begin at Swarthmore!

Earthlust members recently raised awareness for 350.org by chalking around campus and hanging a banner in the dining hall. A week of events at Swarthmore will lead up to the October 24 day of action…check back soon for the full schedule of activities!

Chalking in front of Parrish

Banner in Sharples

It’s time! The first EARTHLUST meeting for the 2009-2010 school year is happening:

Monday, September 7

9:00 pm

Kohlberg 115

If you are interested in sustainability and environmental activism please join us! We will be discussing plans for the upcoming semester and we look forward to fresh ideas from new members!

It’s a beautiful hot and sunny day  in Swarthmore, PA (FINALLY!)

350
Earthlust is going to be having a table with some info about Bill McKibben’s 350 campaign and, of course, MUSIC and SUNSHINE and FOOD on Parrish Beach this afternoon after 4pm.

Come celebrate the end of Earth Week, the beginning of the weekend and, if you’ve got one, wear a tie-dye T-shirt!
(We have fabric markers for further decoration, if you so chose)

See you there!

EARTH WEEK EVENTS

Monday, 4/20
Jobs in the Green Economy – a lecture by Jack D. Hidary, 4:15pm, the Scheuer Room

Tuesday, 4/21
- “The Earth’s greenhouse: human impacts on atmospheric carbon dioxide”
Climate Lecture by Dr. Jorge L. Sarmiento, Director of Princeton University’s Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences Program
- Alumni Environmental Career Panel, 5:00 PM, Scheuer Room

Wednesday, 4/22 – EARTH DAY
- Film Screening – “How Cuba Survived Peak Oil,” 7:30 PM, LPAC Cinema
- Tie-Dye! Earth Day Paces Café Takeover, 9:30 PM, Paces Café

Thursday, 4/23
- “Dismantling Monoculture” – The Beehive Design Collective, 4:30 PM, Kohlberg Coffee Bar
- Lecture and Book Signing: “Walking with Wolf: Reflections on a Life Spent Protecting the Costa Rican Rain Forest” by Kay Chornook, 7:00 PM, Trotter 301

Friday, 4/24
- Parrish Beach Party – 12:00 PM, Parrish Beach
Give out and stencil t-shirts from tie-dye, local food, music, campaign updates, climate legislation rally, 350 event
- Green Advisors Parlor Party, 9:00 PM, Parrish Parlors

Here’s something to look over while you decide whether or not to show up to any of the Earth Week events…

ACT NOW!

via Climate Progress