College introduces first-year tours

That the College is an environmentally conscious institution is hardly news. Perhaps you’ve caught wind of our president’s recent accolades; maybe you’ve heard those Jokers poke fun at our endearing need to “go green on the side.” If you’ve set your small footprint on campus, you know that a penchant for sustainability is an indispensable aspect of Middlebury’s culture.

However, many students go from college visits to commencement without truly learning about the specific initiatives that give the college its reputation. The remedy as proposed by the Student Government Association: show them where the magic happens.

This year, the Environmental Affairs Committee created an informative addendum to the typical introduction to Middlebury: the Sustainability Tour. The tour takes students to the biomass plant, the Franklin Environmental Center at Hillcrest, the recycling center and the organic garden, educating participants about what goes on at each of these key locations.

“Midd has such a progressive, green campus, but a lot of people graduate without even knowing where the recycling center is,” said Kate Lupo ’10, director of the committee of eight and originator of the idea.

The first tour was held during training for first-year counselors (FYC) before first-year orientation. About 25 ResLife staff members visited the sites and learned about the developments taking place. Topics discussed included how the biomass plant actually works, Hillcrest’s LEED-certified platinum design (the highest-level environmental certification), how to reduce waste, and Weybridge’s use of organic garden plants.

Lupo, Coordinator Katie Scott, Director of Sustainability Interigation Jack Byrne, Head of Waste Management Missy Beckwith, Assistant Director of Custodial Services Linda Ross and Manager of the Organic Garden Jay Leshinsky all contributed to the tour. The second tour took place during orientation for the Class of 2013.5; about 10 students participated.

Hannah Judge ’12.5 of the Environmental Affairs Committee helped to lead the second time around.

Laura Williams ’11, an FYC on the first tour, enjoyed being a “guinea pig” for the project and getting a closer look at the school. She especially appreciated learning about the workings of the biomass plant, with impressive features such as the “vast pits” of wood chips and the screens used to constantly monitor the combustion. “It was kind of like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” she said with a laugh. While she might have appreciated a more in-depth visit, she was glad to have the knowledge when it came time to introduce Middlebury to the first-year on her hall.

Eric Wilson ’13 acknowledged that although he knows of these facilities — “Midd students tend to find their way into the green places” — he has not learned much about the school’s environmental endeavors in the seven months since he began his Middlebury career. Citing the tabletop signs in the dining halls, the “pretty much pervasive” Carbon Neutral by 2016 message, and the central location of the biomass plant, he admitted that the ideas are out there, but when it comes to understanding the actual project, “My education is severely lacking.”

The Environmental Affairs Committee hopes to incorporate the tour as a standard component of first-year orientation in September and February as well as the spring preview days for accepted students. Other projects include the recent “Be Bright, Turn Out the Light” stickers in the dorms (funded by the Environmental Council), highlighting student initiatives such as the Solar Decathlon, the aforementioned “Environmentality” tips displayed on dining tables, and the week leading up to Earth Day, during which the committee plans to project the Discovery Channel’s series “Planet Earth” on dining hall walls.

Lupo encourages students to check out the committee’s Facebook page, and for those seeking a bit more involvement, the group meets every other Monday at 8 p.m. in the Spanish house. According to Lupo, the committee wants to be “a creative think tank for student initiatives in the environmental sphere. As a student organization, “we hope to invigorate, educate and inspire the student body.”

With a bit of communication, every graduate will not only be able to take pride in Middlebury’s sustainability, but to know just how their fellow students make it happen.