EC Digest
Spring 2014: Issue 5
The Environmental Center Climate Action Team at the FLC Sustainability Summit

Coordinator's Note:

By Rachel Landis

 

"Silos became lighthouses..."

 

I pulled this quote from this Thursday's Durango Herald article featuring the first ever FLC Campus Sustainability Summit, organized and hosted by the Environmental Center's Climate Action Team. The phrase highlights one of the major goals of the Summit, which was to create a hub for communicating about and fostering facilitation between the myriad sustainability initiatives taking place on campus. And, it also touches on something that we have been observing within our student staff as our semester moves towards its culmination---their transition from students who harbor environmental sentiment & concern to a group of dedicated, skilled, and effective advocates and activists. From designing a green office audit program to shifting the entirety of our on-campus food landscape to giving back to our community through a river cleanup, these students are working for change...and they are seeing success.

 

Much of that success can be contributed to the support, mentorship, and collaboration potential provided by you, our campus and Durango community. We would love to both thank you for this and show off the student work that it has fostered. 

 

Please join us this upcoming Thursday, April 17th from 5-7p.m. at the Lost Dog Bar & Grill for the our Community Appreciation Night! Our students will be on hand and have their projects on display. Beer, appetizers, and the opportunity to interact with a few environmental superheros...should be fun! Hope to see you there.

 

For more on the Environmental Center in the press:

 

Durango Herald: What is Your Environmental Cause (4/10/14)  

 

Edible San Juan: Fort Lewis College Students Want Real Food (Spring Edition, 2014): 
In This Issue
Events
 

Community Solar is coming to La Plata County!

Tues, Apr 15th:  1pm

@ Durango Public Library

 

4CORE is hosting a free community workshop that will cover what community solar gardens are, why they are important, pros/cons, and what they will look like here in town. 4CORE works directly with LPEA, so this should be a fairly informative session and presenters would likely be able to field any specific questions that you might have.

 

Wed, Apr 16th, 11 - 3pm
@ San Juan Dining, FLC Student Union

FLC's monthly meal in San Juan Dining showcasing foods that have been sourced locally, are produced using ecologically-sound methods such as organics or perma-culture, food that is fair to the workforce producing it, as well as, food that is sourced from humanely-treated animals
 

 

League of Women Voter's Panel Discussion: "Current and Future Issues for Local Agriculture"

Wed, Apr 16th 7-8:30pm

@ Durango Public Library

 

Join The League of Women Voters of La Plata County and Durango Public Library for a panel of local ranchers and farmers, an irrigation water specialist and our CSU extension agent. They will speak and answer audience questions about their current concerns and what agriculture here is going to look like in the future with a drying and warming local climate. 

 

 

Local Food Spring Series: Marissa Kleinsmith presents  "Local Nutrition: Staying Fit, Healthy, and Happy to enjoy our region and life!""

Thur, Apr 17th: 5:30pm 

@ Linda's Local Food Caf�

 

RSVP now for our next Local Food Spring Series discussion.  There will be a carpool available for those who need a ride to and from campus.

 

Cost - $5 local burritos and $3 beers/beverages

 

Please contact Environmental Center Local Food Team member, Rachel Giersch (RGGIERSCH@fortlewis.edu) to reserve your spot no less than two days prior to the event. Space is LIMITED.

 

 

Environmental Center Community Appreciation Night

Thurs, Apr 17th: 5pm - 7pm

@ The Lost Dog, 1150 Main Avenue

 

It's Earth Month and the Fort Lewis College Environmental Center would like to thank the Durango community for supporting 22 years of environmental initiatives on campus and in our region, as well as, promoting the development of our student environmental leaders. Please join us at the Lost Dog on Thursday, April 17th from 5-7p.m. We will provide free appetizers . Our current cadre of inspired and hard-working students will be on hand showcasing the various projects that they are currently working on to bolster Durango's environmental efforts, as well as, strengthen our community.

 

 

Animas River Cleanup

Sat, Apr 19th, 10am (Rain or Shine)

@ Rotary Park, Durango  

 

Come help cleanup the Animas River in time for the start of boating season. Last year we collected 1,200lbs of trash! Please bring sturdy shoes, gloves (we will provide them if need be), a water bottle, and a friend! Contact the Environmental Center with any questions. 
Announcements:

Help the Garden Project Win a Seeds of Change Grant.  
They need your help to raise $10,000 or  $20,000 for a Seed-to-Table garden education program at Needham Elementary! To vote, follow these steps:

2. Type the name of the Garden: Needham
3. Click on: Needham Elementary School Garden to vote
4. Vote 1x per day until April 21st.  
5. Share on your Facebook and Twitter and invite your friends to participate.  
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