For Next Week:

We are going to take a little more time with the Trash Cans so that they are very clearly labeled and so we make sure we make the recycling and trashcans different from each other. Why don’t we meet on Monday at Java Corner at 7:15 and we can quickly discuss what was said at the sustainability meeting on Friday, and then count/ re arrange the recycling and trashcans.

Brief Notes for last meeting:

Shorter-term goals: Work with Baltimore Sweep Action to…
*Count, map out and label trash and recycling cans in all buildings so that each trashcan is next to a recycling can.
*Advertise and promote the coffee at Java Corner to get Starbucks off campus
*Advertise and promote sustainability on campus
*Get blue boxes in all rooms
*Research the possibility of a community garden
* Baltimore Sweep Action project
*Make Energy audits easily accessible to students
* Working with JHU

Longer Term Goals:
*Pushing for composting on campus
*Pushing for supplementary power from wind and solar: solar panels on the gateway, etc.

Also Gov. O’Malley has the opportunity to sponsor the Global Warming Solutions act of 2008. Currently there is a letter writing campaign underway to get him to pass the bill that, according to the Chesapeake Climate action network, does three things:

Limits: It establishes limits on greenhouse gas emissions based on what is scientifically necessary. Maryland would need to reduce its emissions by 25 percent below 2006 levels by 2020 and 90 percent by 2050. The first limit is achievable with current technology, while the 2050 limit would require technological breakthroughs. 

Timelines: It creates timelines for state agencies to design cost-effective programs to meet the emission limits. Regulations for policies that are close to the rulemaking stage already would get finalized by September 2009. Policies that need more work to develop would be done by June 2010. Complicated policies for which we want to use regulations developed by other states would have a June 2011 deadline. 


Cap-and-Trade: It creates a cap-and-trade system so that companies can continue to search for the cheapest ways to comply.

For more info: http://www.chesapeakeclimate.org/pages/page.cfm?page_id=173

It would be great if we could get a lot of student signatures, because if this bill passes, then MICA would be forced to cut down on waist, and force President Lazarus to consider conservation methods that he currently conceders too costly.

Also: Feb. 22nd is the student involvement fair. At Friday’s sustainability meeting we discusses selling compact florescence to the student body if they bring in their old light bulbs. We will also, hopefully be selling our Trash Talk Calendar and trying to rally student support for the Global Warming Solutions act of 2008, composting on campus, alternative energy on campus and Starbucks off campus. If you could help out by sitting at the Trash Talk table, let me know.


- Lilah