The EC’s Climate Action team is working on making Fort Lewis a cool campus through research and education. On January 31, 2008, we joined over 1,000 high schools and colleges around the country to host Focus the Nation, a national teach-in on the climate crisis. The day included 22 speakers, presentations, and films, including a special EC theatrical presentation of "Sir Clive the Climate Crusader and the Quest for the Grail of Green Power" in honor of Ye Olde Snowdown (Durango's winter festival).
Projects for 2010-11 include
Completing a greenhouse gas inventory - In the fall of 2007, students from the Climate Action team used the Clean Air-Cool Planet campus calculator to complete Fort Lewis College's first-ever greenhouse gas inventory. The inventory showed that during the 2006-07 school year, FLC contributed 15,329 equivalent metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. The climate action team will update the inventory for the 2010-11 school year.
Green Building – Fort Lewis is in the midst of a building boom. Animas Hall recently received a LEED-Gold certification. The new biology wing in Berndt Hall will achieve LEED certification and the Student Union is on track for LEED-Gold status. Our Climate Action Team will build on the success of Student Life Center, one of the region's first green buildings, and work to ensure these new buildings are as climate-friendly as possible.
Renewable Energy – In 2007-08, the Environmental Center worked with the Governor's Energy Office and Colorado State University to collect data on wind speed and power at the Old Fort Lewis campus to see if we’re windy enough to generate our own power. Preliminary analysis suggests that a small wind turbine to power the agriculture station on the campus would have an 10 to 12 year payback period. The new student union will have photovoltaic panels and a solar hot water system.
Energy Conservation Campaign - Students will be working with Residential Life and academic departments to promote energy conservation and reduce the College's greenhouse gas emissions. Have the climate team visit your residence hall to learn what you can do to help!
Energy Audit - Students on the Climate Action Team can help you (and your landlord) save money on your utility bills. Call us to find out more about our simple home energy audit that will give you simple things you can do to help the planet and your pocketbook.
Sustainable Transit - Want to get people on bikes? How about riding a gondola? The Climate Action Team is looking for ways to get people to and from campus without using a car. In 2007, 15% of campus population filled out the "How Do You Roll?" commuter survey that gave us our first data on transportation habits for campus.