Georgia College Green Initiative

GC meets the Georgia Energy Challenge

Congratulations to the GC Community for helping meet the Georgia Energy Challenge! The Georgia Energy Challenge was an initiative started by former Governor Nathan Deal in 2008 when all state agencies committed to reducing their energy usage by 15% by 2020. GC was one of 17 Georgia campuses recognized this past Friday, October 11, 2013, as having met this challenge. For more information on the Georgia Energy Challenge, visit http://www.georgiaenergychallenge.org/AboutUs.aspx.

Thanks to everyone!

Lori Strawder

Atkinson to join the Heating/Cooling System!

On Friday, October 10^th, 2013, a contractor will be onsite working at Atkinson Hall near the cupola. The contractor will be removing the decommissioned chiller located inside the 1^st floor mechanical room. Along with the chiller demolition, the cooling tower and its brick enclosure located outside Atkinson will be removed. The demolition work will run through the weekend and is scheduled to be completed by October 15^th.

This work is required in order to prepare the area for the installation of a heat exchanger for Atkinson Hall. The new heat exchanger will allow for the removal of the antiquated gas fired heating boiler located inside the Atkinson mechanical room. Once removed, the new heat exchanger will be installed. This new heat exchanger will take advantage of the steam being produced from the central steam plant and convert the steam into hot water for heating of Atkinson. New underground steam lines will be installed from the corner of Arts & Sciences to the Atkinson mechanical room near the cupola. The steam line and heat exchanger installation will take place during the December winter break period.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact the Facilities Operations Office at 445-4467. As always, thank you for your cooperation.

John E. Webb

10 Billion Lives

Sorry for all the posting, but here’s another idea…. Wednesday, Oct. 2 is World Farmed Animals Day and my Ethics and What We Eat classes will be tabling out around the Fountain area that day with information. This relates to sustainability because animal agriculture contributes more to global warming than the entire transportation sector. There is a possibility I could bring a mobile display called 10 Billion Lives (www.10billionlives.com) to campus. 10 billion is the number of land animals (so it does not include fish) that we slaughter for food every year in this country. This is a traveling video display (a van with a large video screen) that pays people to watch a short video about factory farming and take some literature. In the interest of full disclosure this is vegan advocacy. Is this something the Sustainability Council could support–I don’t think it would cost us anything?

Mark Causey

Food Day speaker

Internationally known speaker, Dr. Melanie Joy, author of Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows, will be speaking in Kilpatrick Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 7:00PM. This is a University and community wide event so please help me spread the word. Invite students, friends, families, or even random strangers…. You can find out more about Dr. Joy and her Carnism Awareness & Action Network (CAAN) here: http://www.carnism.org/, I have heard her presentation and I think students will really respond to it.

Mark Causey

P.S. I also have a copy of the documentary “Peaceable Kingdom” on order which would be a great film to show during Food Week as well. The film is “A riveting story of transformation and healing, PEACEABLE KINGDOM: THE JOURNEY HOME explores the awakening conscience of several people who grew up in traditional farming culture and who have now come to question the basic assumptions of their way of life. Presented through a woven tapestry of memories, music, and breathtaking accounts of life-altering moments, the film provides insight into the farmers’ sometimes amazing connections with the animals under their care, while also making clear the complex web of social, psychological and economic forces that have led them to their present dilemma.” Sound good? That would at least give us 2 special events to commemorate Food Day with.

GC hosts Georgia Campus Sustainability Network annual conference!

Georgia College will be hosting the annual conference for the Georgia Campus Sustainability Network, at the Macon Center on Friday, 20 September 2013. Registration is recommended for students, staff, and faculty who want to learn more about best practices and ideas for teaching, research, and

Georgia Campus Sustainability Network- 2013 Annual Conference

facilities. It’s a great opportunity to meet other sustainability leaders from across the state!

Green Technology Suggestions

There are many things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint from technology. Most electronic devices continue to use power even when they are in the “sleep” mode. Power adapters for phone charging, computer peripherals, and accessories continue to draw anytime they are plugged in! These “phantom loads” add up to hundreds of wasted kilowatts over the weeks, months, & years!

Check out these simple recommendations from Georgia College Information Technology to help you reduce your carbon impact:

http://www.gcsu.edu/green

Shades of Green makes NWF Best Practices in Sustainability

The multi-faceted Shades of Green symposium has been selected by the National Wildlife Federation as a best practice in campus sustainability. Dr. Dee Sams and others are to be congratulated for putting together an outstanding educational program, and for receiving such a high honor from one of the country’s leading environmental organizations!

You can see the complete database of campus sustainability best practices at: https://www.nwf.org/Campus-Ecology/Campus-Search.aspx

and find our recognition at: http://www.nwf.org/Campus-Ecology/Campus-Search/Georgia-College/Case-Studies/GA-College-SU-EEO-2012.aspx

Portable Energy Meter

The GC Sustainability Council now has a portable energy meter, which can be used to record energy usage for anything that can be plugged into a 120v socket. This graphic shows watts and monthly cost for a standard desktop computer (about 100 watts), which drops to 6 watts when the computer was shut down. Those six watts kept running (from the power adapters for peripherals) until the power strip was shut off.

We’ll be using this data logger to get better information on where our power is being used on campus. Contact us at green@gcsu.edu with ideas for implementation!

EarthWeek ’13 Schedule

EarthWeek ’13 / Student Green Fee Symposium / Shades of Green

Tue 9 Apr
Geography Club Movie Night
“Farmageddon”
http://farmageddonmovie.com/
7-9pm, A&S 364

Wed 10 Apr
Philosophy & Liberal Studies Program Movie Night
“Green Fire”
http://www.greenfiremovie.com/
7-9pm, A&S 364

Thu 11 Apr
Environmental Science Program Movie Night
“Water Life: Water’s Pulse”
http://www.questarhomevideo.com/shopexd.asp?id=1025
7-9pm, A&S 364

Mon 15 Apr
Plant Operations Office of Sustainability
Georgia Power Light Bulb Give-Away
9am-4pm, A&S Fountain

Environmental Science Club
Acoustic Potluck Picnic on Front Campus
7-9pm, Front Campus

Tue 16 Apr
Georgia Power Light Bulb Give-Away
9am-4pm, A&S Fountain
Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society Movie Night
“Flow”
http://www.flowthefilm.com
7-9pm, A&S Auditorium

Wed 17 Apr
Georgia Power Light Bulb Give-Away
9am-4pm, A&S Fountain

Environmental Science Club
Times Talk
12-1pm, 2^nd floor Library

Thu 18 Apr
Student Green Fee Symposium at Magnolia
Poster Display and Reception
http://www.facebook.com/GcsuStudentGreenFee

Keynote Speaker Maude Barlow
“Our Blue Future: Protecting Water for People and the Planet Forever”
http://www.facebook.com/MaudeBarlow/
5:30-9pm, Magnolia Ballroom

Fri 19 Apr
G.I.V.E. Center Earth Action Team
Rivers Alive Cleanup
http://www.facebook.com/groups/414767521934860/
2-5pm, Fishing Creek at S. Wilkinson St. (Southtown Piggly Wiggly)

Sat 20 Apr
EarthFest Community Youth Bike Ride
9:30-10:30am, Liberty & Greene St. (Century Bank Parking Lot)

EarthFest
Vendors, Information, Activities, Music, Games
10am-10pm, Front Campus

Sun 21 Apr
GC Outdoor Center
Spring on the River Float Trip
10am-3pm, Oconee River Greenway
** Reserve your spot for this event by emailing liz.havey@gcsu.edu

Mon 22 Apr
Shades of Green
http://www.gcsu.edu/shadesofgreen/index.htm
(W. E. T. = Water Energy Transportation)

Eco-Art Display
General Motor’s Eco-Friendly Vehicles on Front Campus (free & open to GC and community)
Dialog with General Motors Representatives
Test Drive General Motors Vehicles – Bell Hall Parking Lot (GC faculty, staff & students with ID and valid driver’s license – requires signing a waiver)

Power Ride (Env Sci Club)

Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Eco-Art Display
Sustainability & Survival: The Role of Water
The Power of Leadership Legislation, and Ethics in Sustainability Decision Making Panel Discussion

Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Eco-Art Display
Energy & Technology: The Greening of America – GC Macon Center Event (Invitation only)

GC Wellness Center
Climbing Over Climate Change
8-10pm, Wellness Center Climbing Wall

Thursday, April 25, 2013
Enemy of the People – Play Campus Blackbox Theatre (free & open to GC and community)

FY13 Student Green Fee Request for Proposals

The Student Green Fee committee will begin reviewing grant proposals on Friday, April 5th. You still have time to get your idea for sustainability funded! Please take a look at our resource page: http://www.gcsu.edu/green/greenfee.htm for more information.