Green News

Falling leaves, shorter days and chilly nights. Summer in Vermont, sadly, has definitely come to a close. But in the Harris Farmhouse, things are still heating up for the Solar Decathlon as we plan out the coming year. That’s right: one more year (11 months, to be more exact), and the Middlebury team will be taking the National Mall by storm.

When I first got involved with the project at Middlebury last fall, it was a few students meeting at the Old Stone Mill talking about ideas, working on the proposal and calculating how low our chances really seemed at getting into the competition. I left to go abroad in December, kind of forgetting, to be honest, that the Solar Decathlon was a part of my life at all. Now, just nine months later, there are organized committees and sub-committees, detailed designs and the hope that we have a good chance at doing well next fall. Addison Godine ’11.5 and the rest of the team have taken the project from humble beginnings to an impressively professional design that continues to impress me.

So where does the Midd Solar Decathlon team go from here? What can it do to make this year as successful as the past one has been?

Now that the conceptual house design has been finalized, we’re looking ahead to what will help us bring that house from the drawing board to reality. As our team’s Solar Decathlon website says, “Middlebury is the first ever undergraduate college to enter the U.S. Solar Decathlon without partnering with another institution.” It’s our biggest achievement and our biggest challenge at the same time. Luckily, we have been fortunate enough to receive glowing and enthusiastic support from within the administration. Obviously, with Middlebury’s concentrated effort on creating a niche for itself in the “Green” world, the Solar Decathlon is the perfect opportunity to bring the Middlebury name to the environmental forefront. And far from the vague notices placed around dining halls last year telling us “not to drive to the gym” and the “Please Recycle” signs in strategic printing locations, this competition highlights the myriad skills of Middlebury students, combining them in a tangible, visible representation of what we can do for our school and for the environment as a whole. With the right motivation (side note: Addison Godine ’11.5 won Outstanding Encourager of Leadership in Others at last spring’s Student Leadership Awards Ceremony), different majors, interests and people have come together to bring their A game to DC.

In the coming weeks and months, fundraising will be key. The fundraising team has around $500,000 left to raise from alumni, corporations and local businesses. From grants to the smallest of donations, it’s of the utmost importance that we hit this number. The team has begun drafting letters and presentations, and all Middlebury alums have now received a letter not only explaining our mission, but asking for their help. We’re also looking to reach as a wide a network of people as possible. With a website and blog up and running and an open house over Parent’s Weekend, we hope that students will start to become more aware of what we’re doing and how amazing it will be for our school. Beyond money, it’s also great to just raise awareness. If word spreads, it will make a huge difference.

Look for more updates from us; I’ll be filling you in every other week in The Campus. And be sure to check us out on Facebook and Twitter at MiddSD.