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	Milbank and Kirkland Hold Leads in Dorm Energy Battle Seven of Hamilton's residence halls have been competing in a Dorm Energy Battle since November 1. The competition, which ends November 15, matches similarly sized residence halls together to see which can reduce its energy consumption the most. Milbank leads the large residence hall battle, and Kirkland leads the smaller residence hall matchup after 10 days. More ... Zipcars Are Ready to Roll! Hamilton's new Zipcars. Members of the Hamilton community who don't have a car on campus will be wheel-less no more, thanks to the arrival of Zipcar on the Hill. Zipcar, the world's largest provider of cars on demand by the hour or day, will begin its service at Hamilton this week, as an environmentally friendly alternative to the costs and hassles of keeping a car on campus. The partnership continues Hamilton's commitment to invest in sustainable solutions on campus and marks Zipcar's entry into Clinton, bringing its operations to more than 50 cities, including London, England, and 28 North American states and provinces. More ... Building Dashboard Shows College's Energy Use in Real Time Hamilton College students and employees have a new tool to reduce their carbon footprint. The College has teamed with Lucid Design Group of Oakland, Calif., to develop an interactive Web site that displays energy usage for buildings in real-time. The system also stores data so that, over time, energy-use comparisons can be made to previous days, months and years. More ... HEAG Celebrates Annual Green Week With Campus Activities Hamilton's Environmental Action Group (HEAG) is sponsoring a number of activities to celebrate Green Week, Sept 29-Oct. 3. To start things off on Monday, Sept. 29, HEAG is hosting a lecture, "Colony Collapse Disorder in Honey Bees: The Tip of the Iceberg," by Dr. John P. Burand, associate professor of entomology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. More ... Leach and Bellona Address New York State Dormitory Authority Summit Meeting Vice President of Administration and Finance Karen L. Leach and Steven J. Bellona, associate vice president of facilities and planning, spoke at a Private Higher Education CFO Summit Meeting for the New York State Dormitory Authority in New York City on Sept. 25. More ... Hamilton Faculty Speak on Environmental Justice and Sustainability A group of Hamilton faculty from a variety of disciplines spoke in the newly renovated Kirner-Johnson Auditorium about "Environmental Justice and Sustainability" on Sept. 9. The event, sponsored by the Diversity and Social Justice Project and the Levitt Center, provided few answers to pressing questions of sustainability but helped clarify the challenges that face humanity in preparing for the future. More ... Cram & Scram Furniture Sale and Plant Sale Are August 26 and 27 Items Were Collected at End of Semester by Recycling Task Force Students browse through electronic items in the Cram & Scram tent Those who were on campus last semester will most likely remember the end-of-year "Ham's Cram & Scram," where students from the Recycling Task Force collected recyclable/reusable items from residence halls. Now the fruits of the volunteers' labor will be for sale at the Cram & Scram tent sale on Aug. 26 and 27. More ... Class of 2008 Gift Exceeds $50K Participation Above 90 Percent for 15th Year Class of 2008 Gift Logo This year's class gift has reached record levels, exceeding $50,000 in contributions from seniors, parents and trustees. Senior participation in the class gift is nearing 93 percent, making this the 15th year that the senior class gift has exceeded 90 percent participation. More ... Hamilton Celebrates Arbor Day Members of HEAG and Hamilton's grounds crew planted a white pine tree on Arbor Day. Two groups at Hamilton helped the College celebrate Arbor Day on April 25. The Hamilton Environmental Action Group (HEAG) and Hamilton College Arboretum planted a white pine tree between Kirkland Residence Hall and Minor Theater. Earlier in the day the Arboretum Society participated in a tree planting dedication at Clinton Elementary School. Todd Homer from the Hamilton grounds staff helped the students plant the tree at the school. Clinton students designed posters around the theme "Why Trees Are Important Everywhere" and those who participated received a tree seedling from the Hamilton Arboretum Society to plant at home. More ... Hamilton Hustles to Recycle Unopened food collected through Cram-and-Scram will be donated to Clark Mills Food Pantry. Hamilton College is conducting its first "Ham's Cram & Scram" from May 14-24. The project is designed to reduce the College's end-of-year waste by recycling and reusing items that would typically be thrown out at the end of the academic year. More ... Spring Work Begins on Community Garden Andrew Pape '10 clears rocks from the garden. Work on Hamilton's community farm garden got underway on April 18, as volunteers turned out to remove rocks from the ground. The Hamilton Farm Garden, located east of the Ferguson House parking lot, hopes to offer a place for all community members to garden. For more information, details on donations, or to get involved please contact: garden@hamilton.edu Bon Appétit Declares April 22 Low Carbon Diet Day In celebration of Earth Day, Hamilton College food service provider Bon Appétit is declaring April 22 Low Carbon Diet Day for lunch. Commons and McEwen, the college's dining halls, will serve lunch foods that help illustrate key principles of how food production and consumption can help reduce climate change. Bon Appétit general manager Pat Raynard explained, "it's more about removing foods from the menu and making substitutions than using certain foods. Our challenge is to make students understand what we're doing for one meal on this day and how our food choices can have a great impact on the environment." More ... Reuseable Mugs Distributed in Recyclemania Campaign Martin Connor '09, Dan Cymbal '08 & Lesley Ryder '11 enjoy their new mugs. Photo: Melissa Balding Hamilton's Environmental Action Group (HEAG) and Recycling Task Force distributed free mugs to members of the community who signed a pledge to sort and minimize waste. The reuseable mugs, distributed as part of Hamilton's Recyclemania campaign, will be used instead of disposable paper cups in Commons. Hamilton is one of 400 colleges across the country participating in Recyclemania. This contest, sponsored by the EPA, encourages waste reduction and waste minimization with a friendly challenge to improve campus recycling. Green Democracy Roundtable Examines Climate Change Issues The Green Democracy Roundtable, hosted by the Hamilton Environmental Action Group and the Hamilton College chapter of Democracy Matters on Jan. 31, brought together a distinguished panel of students, staff, alumni and politicians to discuss potential solutions to the problems of climate change. The event, concluding Hamilton's participation in the Focus the Nation global warming teach-in that took place at more than 1,000 schools that day, was notable for the depth of the speakers' knowledge and for their universal commitment to address climate change. More ... Hamilton's Skenandoa House Mentioned in National Wildlife Federation Report Skenandoa House Hamilton College was named in a new report released by the Campus Ecology program of the National Wildlife Federation earlier this month. The report, "Higher Education in a Warming World: The Business Case for Climate Leadership on Campus," illustrates the ways in which more than 100 colleges and universities are making significant cuts in CO₂ emissions while reaping financial, educational and other benefits. More ... HEAG Activities Celebrate Green Week Green Week Farmer's Market. Hamilton's Environmental Action Group (HEAG) is hosting several events to celebrate Green Week, April 28 – May 2. On Monday, community members can participate in a Glen Cleanup at 4 p.m. On April 29 HEAG will present a screening of "Everything's Cool," a film about global warming, at 8 p.m. in the Science Center Auditorium. The Community Garden Project will meet on Wednesday, April 30, at 4 p.m. at the garden, east of the Ferguson House parking lot. More ... Camille Jones to Discuss "The Hydrogen Economy" in Faculty Lecture Series Camille Jones Assistant Professor of Chemistry Camille Jones will present "The Hydrogen Economy" as part of the Faculty Lecture Series on Friday, Feb. 1, at 4:10 p.m. in Dwight Lounge in the Bristol Center. Jones' presentation will include a discussion on the recent major research efforts to develop hydrogen as an alternative source of energy for the transportation industry. More ... Green Democracy Roundtable to Discuss Global Climate Change A Green Democracy Roundtable will take place at Hamilton on Thursday, Jan. 31, at 7:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Hosted by the Hamilton Environmental Action Group (HEAG) and Democracy Matters, the roundtable intends to address such issues as awareness, activism and solutions to global warming. The discussion is part of Focus the Nation, a nationwide teach-in to raise awareness of global warming, and is open to the public. Kevin Rowe, president of Democracy Matters, noted "We're trying to emphasize that the event is not a panel, but rather an interactive discussion among policymakers, students, faculty, local citizens and activists and the college administration." More ... HEAG Celebrates Green Week With Campus Activities Hamilton's Environmental Action Group (HEAG) is sponsoring a number of activities to celebrate Green Week, Sept. 24-30. More ... Community Farm Garden Gets Started on Campus Local farmer Ed Crane used his equipment to turn over the garden's ground. Hamilton students spend a large part of their year on Hamilton's campus, but some feel they have no real connection to the land on which the College sits. Students live in rented rooms, eat prepared food from dining halls and learn largely through discussions and activities inside classrooms and labs. In an attempt to bring members of the Hamilton community closer to the land they occupy, students and faculty have teamed up to create a community farm garden on campus. More ... Campus Safety Hybrid SUV Is Easier on the Environment Campus Safety's new Ford Escape hybrid. Hamilton is continuing its efforts to go green with the purchase of a Ford Escape Hybrid SUV for the Campus Safety department. It is believed to be the first such vehicle used for full-time patrol by a college's campus safety or police department in Central New York. Hybrids typically offer better fuel economy and a lower impact on the environment. Concern for the environment as well as the rising cost of gasoline led Hamilton to purchase the vehicle. More ... Environmental Politics Class to Host Mock Senate Hearing on Climate Change Legislation Students in Government 285: Introduction to Environmental Politics, led by Visiting Assistant Professor of Government Peter Cannavo, will hold a mock Senate hearing on climate change legislation on Wednesday, Dec. 5, from 4 – 7:30 p.m. in the Red Pit in the Kirner-Johnson Building. Cannavo says that attendees to this event should "expect informative expert testimony, spirited debate, self-serving political grandstanding and fascinating presentations covering everything climate-related, from distributive justice to alternative fuels to White House policy to oil reserves to international relations." This event is free and open to the public. More ... Hamilton Community Breaks Ground at New Farm Garden Community members, including President Joan Stewart, right, plant bulbs at the Farm Garden. Cold weather and snow flurries didn't keep gardening enthusiasts away as the inaugural fall planting of the Community Farm Garden took place on Nov. 17. Approximately 25 gardeners, including students, faculty and President Joan Hinde Stewart, braved temperatures in the 30s and a fresh snow to plant a great variety of flower bulbs and a number of beds of garlic. More ... Domack's Antarctic Peninsula Research Cited in New IPCC Climate Report Jonathan Overpeck '79 is Coordinating Lead Author for Palaeoclimate Chapter Eugene Domack The published work of Eugene Domack, the Joel W. Johnson Family Professor of Geosciences, was cited in the recently released IPCC Climate Report, The Physical Science Basis, (Chapter 6 Palaeoclimate). The IPCC is the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that issues state of the earth's climate reports based upon the recent scientific findings, greenhouse gas emissions and predictions for the future of the earth's climate. The final report of the organization was issued on November 17. Jonathan Overpeck '79 is a coordinating lead author for the Palaeoclimate chapter. A scientist at the University of Arizona, he was one of the international body of climate scientists who authored the first IPCC report. More ... Sustainability Panel Urges Think Globally, Act Locally Hamilton hosted a panel discussion titled "Global Problems, Regional Actions: Sustainability in the Mohawk Valley" on Nov. 13. Panelists included Utica Mayor Tim Julian; Utica attorney Peter Rayhill; John Furman, president of Utica/Central New York Citizens in Action; Hamilton Director of Environmental Protection, Safety and Sustainability Brian Hansen; Patrick Raynard, general manager of Bon Appétit; Elaine Hills, a Ph.D. candidate at SUNY Albany; and Hamilton senior Jenney Stringer. Visiting Assistant Professor of Government Peter Cannavo was moderator. Each panelist suggested ways in which citizens can become involved in local sustainability efforts and highlighted methods of addressing large-scale environmental problems. More ... Hamilton to Host Panel Discussion on Sustainability in the Mohawk Valley Hamilton College will host a panel discussion on local sustainability efforts titled "Global Problems, Regional Actions: Sustainability in the Mohawk Valley" on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the KJ Red-Pit (Room 109). The event is free and open to the public. More ... Senior Gift Committee Announces Class of 2008 Environmental Endowment Fund Ned Gilliss '08 and Blythe Winchester '08 The Class of 2008 Senior Gift Committee, meeting on Thursday, Sept. 27, revealed the winning idea for the senior gift campaign. The gift option that won by an impressive number of votes was the Class of 2008 environmental endowment fund. Presented by senior co-chairs Ned Gilliss and Blythe Winchester, the gift will be a yearly grant awarded to a Hamilton student or campus organization in order to fund a green project on campus or environmental research. The fund also will be accompanied by a planted tree and plaque to commemorate the '08 gift. Gilliss expressed confidence in the campaign's successful start, citing the high number of class participants in the gift survey and the strong support for the winning idea. More ... Jenn Holderied-Webb '98 to Advise Hospitality Industry on Sustainability Best Practices Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort Jenn Holderied-Webb '98 has been appointed to the board of advisors of EcoRooms & EcoSuites, an online directory of environmentally responsible hotels, motels, inns and B&Bs. An article in Hotel & Motel Management (10/05/07) noted Holderied-Webb's appointment, referenced her "outstanding qualifications" and praised her role in managing the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, located in Lake Placid, N.Y. More ... Williams' Op-ed on Global Warming Effects Appears in Observer-Dispatch Ernest Williams In an opinion piece that appeared on Saturday, Sept. 22, in Utica's Observer-Dispatch titled "Warmer world could mean shorter winters for region," Professor of Biology Ernest Williams explained what the economic effects of global warming might mean for central New York. More ... Eat Local Challenge is September 25 All Food Served at Lunch Will Be From Within a 150-Mile Radius Bon Appetit employees and local farmers get ready for the Eat Local Challenge on campus. Food service provider Bon Appétit and local farmers are hosting the "Eat Local Challenge" on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at Hamilton, where all the food served at a campus-wide picnic will come from local producers. The picnic will take place on Dunham Quad from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reuben Haag, head chef at Hamilton, says he spends time finding farmers within a 150-mile radius of campus, and deals regularly with about a dozen farmers from upstate New York. More ... New Furniture Made From Recyclable Materials Installed in McEwen New environmentally- friendly furniture in McEwen is made from recycled materials. The food isn't all that's environmentally friendly at The Green Café in Hamilton's McEwen Dining Hall. During the summer McEwen's furniture was replaced with new tables, chairs and carpet that are made from recyclable materials. More ... Hamilton Students Join Mayor Julian for U.S. Climate Agreement Signing Mayor Julian and Hamilton Students A few days after the celebration of Earth Day and on the eve of former Vice President Gore's visit to campus, seven Hamilton College students and a Hamilton professor joined Utica Mayor Timothy Julian at a signing of the U.S. Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement (PDF). The event took place on Thursday, April 26, at 11 a.m. at the Utica City Hall. The agreement was sent by students and faculty to Mayor Julian along with their commitment to assist in addressing environmental issues. More ... A Glance at Al Gore From a Student's Perspective Al Gore with students from the Global Warming Sophomore Seminar. Molly Kane '09 is a member of the Sophomore Seminar class "Global Warming: Is the Day After Tomorrow Sooner Than We Think?" with Professor of Geosciences Gene Domack and Associate Professor of Chemistry Ian Rosenstein. That class, as well as Domack's Antarctica and Global Change class, had the opportunity to participate in a question and answer session with former Vice President Al Gore, who came to Hamilton on April 26 to present his multimedia "An Inconvenient Truth" lecture. Kane here offers her impressions of the classroom session with Mr. Gore. More ... President Stewart Signs American Colleges Climate Commitment In confirmation of Hamilton College's commitment to maintaining and developing policies that are environmentally sound, President Joan Hinde Stewart signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment on Thursday, April 26, prior to former Vice President Al Gore's arrival on campus. Gore is the Sacerdote Great Names Series speaker at the college's Margaret Bundy Scott Field House on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. More ... Skenandoa LEED Plaque Unveiled Hamilton Celebrates the Rebirth of a Building Skenandoa LEED Plaque Unveiling One day after the official celebration of Earth Day, Hamilton College unveiled a Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy Conservation) plaque certifying that Skenandoa House has met the conservation qualifications set by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Last year only two buildings in New York met the USGBC requirements for certification. Skenandoa House, an 84-year-old residence hall, is the oldest building in New York to be so designated. More ... Hamilton's "Greening Efforts" Featured on Hudson Valley College Consortium Web Site Greening of a Historic Campus: Hamilton College's "Green Team" Approach Skenandoa House received the first LEED designation in New York State for a historic building. Hamilton's efforts to establish more "green initatives" on campus have been recognized by the Hudson Valley College Consortium, an intercollegiate association established to more fully engage its member institutions in the region's environment. An article on the association's Web site, "Greening of a Historic Campus: Hamilton College's 'Green Team Approach,'" details Hamilton's greening efforts as described by Steve Bellona, associate vice president for facilities and planning, when he spoke at the Environmental Consortium's 4th annual conference. The article highlight's Hamilton's new Science Center and its many green features. Bellona is quoted as saying that using the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards as a guide for new construction and renovation at Hamilton, "provides the rigor that creates the momentum for the project to succeed." More ... October 16-21 is HEAG Green Week Visit Trash Mountain on Martin's Way Trash Mountain, on Martin's Way The Hamilton Environmental Action Group (HEAG) is sponsoring Green Week from October 16-21. The week's activities will include a Farmer's Market and a film, "The Future of Food." Trash Mountain, on Martin's Way, is a tangible reminder of the enormity of student waste. HEAG estimates that since January, Hamilton has generated more than 630 tons of waste, costing more than $50,000. More ... Green Café Opening Featured in My Dish Bon Appetit Pushes for 'Commitment to Sustainability' My Dish, a monthly publication by Hamilton food service provider Bon Appetit's parent company, The Compass Group, featured an article titled "Bon Appetit Opens Green Café at Hamilton College" in its February issue. The Green Café combines Hamilton's new environmental efforts along with its existing local purchasing of agriculture and fisheries to create and offer a unique experience. General manager Patrick Raynard said the "new café is an embodiment of our food philosophy and commitment to sustainability." Some of the café's initiatives include "Green Goals" and "Farm to Fork" which include the purchasing of more than 50 percent of produce from Wagner Farms in Rome, N.Y., and a new vegan and vegetarian station. Their use of biodegradable paper and environmentally friendly cleaning products also add to Bon Appetit's goal to be socially responsible. Skenandoa House Goes Green Receives Silver LEED Certification from U.S. Green Building Council Skenandoa House A strong interest in integrating green design into its 200-year-old campus has led Hamilton College to incorporate environmental sensitivity and sustainable design in its renovation projects. As Earth Day approaches, Hamilton announces that Skenandoa House, an 84-year-old residence hall renovated in 2004, has been awarded a Silver LEED® (Leadership in Energy Conservation) Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. This certification makes Skenandoa House the oldest building in New York State to be so designated. More ... Hamilton College Arrests Skyrocketing Energy Costs with Geothermal Systems 250 Percent Decrease in Energy Consumption in Skenandoa House Hamilton College has been able to decrease its energy consumption in one of its buildings by 250 percent this year with renovations focused on employing conservation technology. Even before heating costs skyrocketed, the College was building utility systems that conserve energy and have a reduced impact on the environment. A number of projects have been completed in the past few years, and others are currently underway. More ... Hamilton Dedicates New Science Center Congressman Sherwood Boehlert Gives Keynote The long awaited dedication ceremony for Hamilton's new Science Center was held on Friday, Sept. 30, in the building's atrium. President Joan Hinde Stewart gave the opening remarks and introduced the keynote speaker, Congressman Sherwood L. Boehlert, chairman of the House Committee on Science. More ... Skenandoa House Receives Architectural Award Skenandoa House The Cleveland Chapter of the American Institute of Architects has recognized the renovation of Skenandoa House with a merit award. EwingCole, the architectural firm responsible for the work, received the award for excellence in architectural design on Nov. 16. More ...
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