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(03/14/07 12:00am)
Author: Polly Johnson It was way back in 1784 when an ever-resourceful Benjamin Franklin, wanting to save on candles, first proposed the idea of Daylight Saving Time (DST). Yet DST was not even officially enacted until 1966, under the Uniform Time Act. Now, thanks to the passage of the more current Energy Policy Act of 2005, DST began last Sunday morning at 2 a.m. and will end at 2 a.m. on Nov. 4 - a full three weeks longer than last year.The initiative has a huge number of supporters who see the change as an easy way to conserve energy and cut greenhouse gas emissions. The hope is that the demand for electricity will fall during early evening peak hours, which will cut fuel consumption.But according to Campus Sustainability Coordinator Jack Byrne, the benefits go beyond energy savings, "From what I have read about studies that have been done where this has been tried before (particularly in Australia) the possible energy savings benefits are small - somewhere in the 0.5 to 1.0% range," said Byrne. However, there are other benefits, like lowering the rate of traffic accidents, more light to exercise after work and lowering the crime rate. So, it is worth doing, but not necessarily because it will make a significant difference in the consumption of energy."However, according to Sunday Night Group member Will Martin '07.5, while the policy may not create a huge environmental change, it will have a behavioral effect. "Regardless of any political commentary about the true motivation for such a change," Martin said, "the change does show hope for a more creative, pragmatic response to our energy situation. An effective response to climate change and energy dependency won't come from technology but from behavioral changes. This is one of them. We have the sun, let's use it."The initiative required the immediate changing of all College clock settings. Manager of Central Systems & Lab Support Rick James was in charge of making sure that the College's computer and technology systems transitioned smoothly. He alerted students via an all-student e-mail a couple of weeks ago, that "there would be extended downtime on Sunday, Feb. 18, from 7 a.m. to noon," during which the initial steps were taken to prepare for last Sunday morning. According to James, his team had to "patch every server, of which there are about 130, as well as the different operating systems - IBM, Linux, the different versions of Windows and Netware. We had to install patches and restart most servers." "Patching" refers to modifications of operating systems. The process, according to James, "took about seven or eight hours to get through," and included "four of us who worked that Sunday." Although it was a "tedious process," with the chance that something could go wrong, James and his team "got through it pretty well."So far, everything seems to have worked out okay. said James, "Everything seems to be going pretty well. A couple of issues here and there, but other than that, doors unlocked when they were supposed to, everyone seems to be getting to class on time and there have been no major issues."Although so far problem-free, James was quick to admit that he is "glad it's over!"
(03/14/07 12:00am)
Author: Ceara Danahar When asked about the best sugaring winter he's ever seen, Steve Fisher is quick to reply: 1980, hands down. That year, Fisher recalls, he boiled down enough sap to make 500 gallons of maple syrup. He accomplished that feat by using about 1,500 taps, one per tree. Now, a couple of decades later, the native Vermonter has decreased the number of taps he puts out and produces-on average, 150 to 200 gallons of syrup each year. Does he think the warmer winters Vermont has experienced in recent years have had an effect on syrup production? "They certainly have," Fisher replies without hesitation. Fellow sugarmaker and Professor of English John Elder echoes Fisher's sentiments. On sabbatical this year, Elder is studying food, conservation and climate change. He is writing "with a special emphasis on sugaring in Vermont.""Sugaring off"-as the pros call it-is often a family act. The Williams Farm of Middlebury, which sells its goods on Route 30, is a family-run business that began in 1976. Williams runs a slightly larger production than Fisher, who works as a stonemason full-time and calls syrup-making "mostly hobby, part business." However, the affable 50 year-old has been tapping maple trees since childhood and his family has been involved in the practice for nearly a century now. The sugar house that he operates out of was built during the late 1800s. His grandfather purchased it in 1945. It is located in nearby Grafton, where he lives with his wife Gail Ann. Fisher sells his products under the label "Wright Orchard Sugar House," and describes his setup as a "mid-size" production. He explains that "a lot of backyard makers put in 10 to 30 taps," while "some of the bigger outfits have 10,000 or more," or even up to 50,000. In the past few years, he has put out 600 to 800, while the Williams family has a few thousand taps.In the case of quantities of syrup that number in the hundreds of gallons and are obtained through thousands of taps, to create a single gallon of maple syrup, it is necessary to boil down approximately 40 gallons of sap. Fisher points out that "generally, if you can get a quart of syrup for ever tap you have, you've done good." In 1980, he and his family far exceeded that. Their remarkable outcome that winter prompted a televised tour of his sugar house on Good Morning America with Julia Child. The most ideal conditions for tapping trees depend on the levels of frost, snowfall, temperature and buds on the maple trees, which means that warmer winters have serious consequences for syrup producers. The goal, Fisher said, is to have deep frost coupled with temperatures around 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 20 degrees Fahrenheit at night. It is imperative that the trees do not bud during sugaring-once they begin to grow buds, the sap starts running freely and can freeze by nightfall. Winters with abnormally warm temperatures can cause this sort of unfavorable early budding. Deep frost is desirable in its ability to prevent this occurrence. Typically, Elder says, these conditions occur "in March and April, with many sugarmakers in Vermont traditionally tapping the day after Town Meeting." However, Elder points out that "the transitions from winter to spring become even more erratic and unpredictable than usual" as a result of global warming. The dilemma of early budding, Elder said, involves the germination of maple seeds, which occurs at 34 degrees Fahrenheit. In an early thaw, these seeds can sprout. They will subsequently freeze and die when cold temperatures return, "thus endangering the regeneration of the forest," Elder said.Again in 1980, "the best year we ever made syrup," Fisher described the winter as having been very cold, totally lacking snow and having frost that extended four feet into the ground. This created a prolonged season where "the sap ran so pure and so fast, we made syrup that looked like water." Besides early budding, another result of unnaturally warm winter weather is the possibility of disease entering the maple trees. Insects that are generally killed off by cold temperatures may survive. Some, like pear thrips, can eat away at a tree's buds, thereby affecting its foliage. Others can enter the tree through the holes left by the syrup taps. Fisher said that he has already noticed changes in the trees. He warned, "I think a lot of diseases would come into play the warmer it gets."Lucille Williams of the Williams Farm said she was most concerned with the present. Fisher offered hopeful predictions for this sugaring season, noting February's frigid temperatures and their resulting frost. When asked about her expectations, Williams cautioned, "You can't tell until the season's over."Williams asserted that her family's previous year of sugaring off "wasn't a great year. It was an average year." When asked about the future of her livelihood, she, however, responded with deference, "We just take it as it comes. Mother Nature determines what we do."It is with an uncertainty about the future of his craft that Fisher spoke of the challenges which face today's maple syrup industry. "I read some articles saying that in 50 years, the maple trees will be gone," he said. "It's kind of a sad thing to think. I see it already." Elder spoke with equal anxiety. "Some experts estimate that unless we reverse the current climate trends, maples could largely die out in Vermont by 2050," she said. "As a person for whom sugaring is an important way to be rooted in this region, I find such a prospect devastating."However, Elder was adamant about the potential for change. "Global climate change will not be reversed," said Elder. "But it can be significantly mitigated with concerted action on a national and international scale. We have inspiring leadership in our community from people like Bill McKibben, John Isham and members of the Sunday Night Group. It's time for sugarmakers, Middlebury students and others who love this landscape to be creative and determined activists, too."
(03/07/07 12:00am)
Author: Aylie Baker The Civil Rights movement of the 1960's dealt with issues of black and white. If you ask Van Jones, eco-visionary and human rights attorney, today that movement could be fought for green. "We all agree that we don't have any throwaway resources, species, energy sources," said Jones in his keynote address of last week's "Energy Symposium." But "we also don't have any throwaway neighborhoods or throwaway children. It's all precious.""Who are you going to take with you, who are you going to leave behind?" Jones asked of a full Dana Auditorium. "When the fires hit California this coming summer because of global warming, what's going to happen to the poor people living there? These are the questions we should be asking ourselves right now." Just over a week after his address, Jones' message continues to resonate on campus. Students from groups across campus are rallying in an effort to not only answer Jones' questions but also to see their own solutions put into action. "I am here because I am jealous, envious, bitter - the opportunity that you have, standing on the front end of this century, is unbelievable," opened Jones in his address, "The New Dream: Updating Martin Luther King's Vision to Meet Today's Ecological and Social Challenges." In his speech, Jones described how he looks to inject today's growing climate change movement with a necessary social dimension.If everything is precious, where does one begin a social movement? Jones described the inherent difficulties that arise in tackling social and environmental problems. "If you look at it as issue, issue, issue, you'll get confused," he insisted. "There's no issues. There's one solution. It's a Green economy, strong enough to lift people out of poverty."So what's a Green economy? Environmentalism is crossing into a new era. It's moved beyond conservationism and regulation. Today, we're investing in solutions."We're investing in the technology of the future," as Jones puts it.Leading the audience through his slides, Jones paused on a seemingly odd montage of pictures. "This is Cameron Diaz getting into a Prius. This is George Clooney getting into an electric car," he said, inviting laughter in the audience. "Big, big people are jumping on your bandwagon.""Your values are already winning," Jones insisted. "The green wave is not a marginal fringe, countercultural thing anymore, it is a huge massive intervention for the U.S. economy, growing on a vertical." Given current trends, he predicts that next year investments in Clean Technology will outstrip those of Internet Technology. This is where the social element comes into play. Given the exponential nature of investment in today's Clean Technology, thousands of new jobs will soon spring up. "Somebody's got to put up those solar panels," he explained, "they're on their way to being an electrical engineer - It's a green pathway out of poverty."Jones pointed to Oakland, California as an area in which the Green economy and its social applications are slowly being realized. In Oakland, he explained, "we're fighting for the Green economy because we're fighting for our lives." The city was the murder capital of the country last year. "We've got kids who've gone to more funerals than fair grounds in junior high school."Too often Jones said he has seen Oakland youth fall into drug dealing and crime. "We want you [kids] to be in the middle, not the fringe, not the afterthought, the center of an agenda that says we want you to be apart of saving the world." Oakland is on its way to achieving Jones' dream. It "became the first city in the country that said we are going to be independent of oil dependence by 2020."Here at Middlebury, a united force is already burgeoning. Members from African American Alliance, Women of Color, Distinguished Men of Color, Incarceration in Question, Roosevelt Institution, Sunday Night Group and Step it up 2007 have discussed group integration on a project as well as a series of initiatives drawing from Jones' ideas. Such inter-group integration is something that students and administration alike have been long been pushing for. "People talk about it," says Dolginow '09, leading organizer of the Energy Symposium. "But it has not yet been realized." A meeting to be scheduled this coming Tuesday will focus on how Middlebury, both the College and the larger community, "can incorporate Van's message of green collar jobs," according to Dolginow. Indeed, group collaboration will center around Jones' main premise of "uniting the country to fight global warming while lifting people out of poverty into our system of thinking and acting."Jones believes there is no doubt that the climate change movement is in full swing. It is whether we can fuse the climate movement with a greater social movement as exemplified through such group collaboration that remains in question. "It's up to us," says Jones. As the College positions itself at the forefront of environmental initiatives, Jones proposes Middlebury will be well rewarded, saying, "You're going to see presidential candidates mouthing your slogans, you're going to see the biggest, most powerful forces in this country, in the world marching, running to keep up with you."
(02/21/07 12:00am)
Author: Max Nardini My experiences last year as Sophomore Senator taught me that we, the Middlebury Community, do not have a common conception of what the Student Government Association (SGA) is, what it does or what it can do. Many define SGA as the voice of the student body. I agree. But what does "the voice of the student body" really mean? Allow me to share my thoughts concerning the function and purpose of student government. The structure of SGA is simple. There are two bodies: the Presidential Cabinet and the Senate. The Cabinet is composed of Committee heads, which are appointed by the President, while the Senate is made up of elected student representatives from the classes and commons. As part of its responsibilities, the Senate debates and votes on resolutions.Senate resolutions are best described as "resolutions of sentiment." They are meant to demonstrate student support of a particular plan or policy change to the administration. On certain issues, the administration and the SGA see eye to eye. SGA-sponsored buses to New York City and Boston for breaks serve as a fine example of such a resolution. In this case, student-representatives and administrators recognized a student need and worked together to implement the now very successful service. Other issues are more complicated. Middlebury administrators, like the managers of any good business, must perpetually balance college services with cost. Therefore, when a new initiative is proposed, the administration looks to see not simply if it has student support, but how high the initiative ranks on the list of student priorities. Take the Sunday Night Group Initiative "Middshift," aimed at making Middlebury carbon neutral, for example. Given the general scientific consensus on the pernicious effects of climate change, this initiative seems a worthwhile pursuit. However, the administration will want to judge student commitment to this plan. How high of a priority is campus-wide carbon neutrality for students? What about in relation to other college benefits such as funding for student clubs, the spring concert or financial aid? This is not to say that Middlebury could not have a carbon neutral campus, a spring concert and provide financial aid to students, but simply that the college does not have unlimited financial resources and must balance its expenditures.This is why ubiquitous and often irksome surveys are necessary. In and of themselves Senate resolutions, which are voted on by 17 total representatives, are usually not enough to demonstrate widespread student support. Surveys are the most comprehensive method for the SGA and the administration to weigh student opinion.So then, what is the value of Student Government? SGA is the potential bridge between the administration and the students. A position in SGA provides easier access to the administration, and thus the opportunity to voice student proposals and opinions, as revealed in surveys. However, members of the SGA must possess the conviction to meet with administrators - and to speak up. The best criteria by which to judge the senatorial candidates is whether you truly believe they are willing to put in substantial work outside the required weekly hour-long meeting, because that is what it takes to get anything done. As both a member of the Middlebury community and candidate for Wonnacott Senator, I am in favor of several initiatives. I am in favor of making our campus carbon neutral. I am in favor of continuing to raise awareness and support for the victims of genocide in the Sudan. I am in favor of installing a modest but effective number of "blue lights" with security call boxes around the campus. I am in favor of eliminating all harmful hydrogenated oil (transfats) from the dining halls. Finally, I am dedicated to facilitating open and informed debate on issues important to our community. Regardless of the outcome of the election, I will continue to work toward these goals because I genuinely believe that they are important. However, as last year's senatorial experience taught me, no one can honestly pledge to complete a laundry list of initiatives over the course of a year. Change takes time. Being elected Wonnacott Senator would make it easier to work toward realizing these goals. Still, win or lose, I cannot promise to achieve the above initiatives by the end of the academic year.What I can unequivocally promise is that I will fight to ensure that student opinion has a role in the policy making of Middlebury College. I promise to work to rally student support on important issues, and do my very best to ensure that the administration has a clear understanding of student priorities. Most importantly, I promise to always be open to the thoughts, comments and concerns of all members of our fine Community. Together we have the power to ensure that our short time at this incredible institution is one of which we can all truly be proud.Max Nardini is a Junior Political Science major from New York City. He is currently running for Wonacott commons Senator.
(01/24/07 12:00am)
Author: Tom Brant On Sunday afternoon, a peculiar chant echoed throughout McCardell Bicentennial Hall. "It's too hot in here! Carbon action, lets get some satisfaction!" The chant was the closing flourish of the Carbon Neutrality Summit, which ended Sunday, leaving its excited participants informed about the problems of global climate change. The three-day summit, which attracted 80 student representatives from nearly 15 schools across the Northeast, was sponsored and organized by students in the college's Sunday Night Group (SNG). Events included panel discussions with climate change experts, small group sessions and the first steps toward drafting a "Climate Neutrality Statement." "This was a historic event," said Jamie Henn '07, who helped organize the summit. "It shows that there's a growing movement on college campuses to do something about climate change, and I'm glad we were able to bring together so many people who are really wanting to make a difference."On Saturday morning, the summit participants met with Dan Worth, from the National Environmental Law Society, and Mark Orlowsky, from the Sustainable Endowments Institute in an informal panel discussion."The goal of the talks was to give people resources," Henn explained. "We didn't want to have [the speakers] lecture." The panel discussions with Worth, Orlowsky and other activists and experts gave participants advice on everything from reducing one's carbon footprint to investing in corporations that are socially and environmentally responsible.A second panel discussion included representatives from Native Energy, which invests in alternative energy sources, and Bright Planet. A Middlebury start-up, Bright Planet plans to introduce a bank rewards program that will work much the same way an airline credit card does - except instead of the user getting airline miles, the bank will invest a small amount of every purchase in clean-energy projects. On Saturday afternoon, students met in smaller groups to discuss specific efforts to combat carbon emissions and global warming. Andrew Karp, a first-year at Bates College, attended a group that discussed green building techniques, including the widely accepted Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system used by the United States Green Building council. "It's interesting how important the green building movement is," said Karp. "One example is the attention that these buildings get just because they have a plaque on them saying that they are built to LEED standards. I've heard stories of students visiting colleges who see the plaque on a building, and are impressed so much that they decide to apply." Hannah McHardy, a first-year student at tiny Sterling College in Craftsbury, Vt., attended a discussion on education."People from all walks of life are agreeing that [climate change] is a definitive issue," McHardy said. "In the education group, we talked about ways to implement climate issues into the classroom." The climate summit brought together students who were all united in their efforts to promote climate change awareness, but who came from different colleges with different levels of environmental activism. This collaborative effort was one of the most beneficial aspects of the summit, said SNG member Sierra Murdoch '09. To help students from colleges with less environmental activism, the summit included a one-hour session on Saturday evening that provided tips and advice on how to gain student support on college campuses. On Sunday, the group made the first steps toward larger goals. It discussed ways to make the carbon neutrality issue important not only to college students, but to society in general. It also drafted a rough statement taking a stance on the climate neutrality issue, which SNG hopes to use as a way to expand the movement. Asked what she considered the most beneficial part of the weekend, Gaia Oyarzun, a first-year at Smith College, said, "It made me see how we can actually come together and change things. There are honestly a lot of people who I met that are committed to raising awareness of the climate change problem."Begun by student activists in January 2005, SNG promotes the awareness of environmental issues both on campus and in the Middlebury community. This weekend's summit was part of the group's current effort to make the College carbon neutral - essentially reducing the total amount of harmful carbon emissions to zero.
(01/10/07 12:00am)
Author: Andrea Glaessner With spectacular views and miles of forest right in their backyard, residents of the quaint Ripton community seem to have little to grumble about. But in their peaceful mountain oasis, the 566 residents struggle to stay connected with the rest of the world. Sure, there are televisions and telephones, and the booming metropolis of Middlebury is just a short car ride away, but imagine living in a town where surfing the web is like wading through quicksand.Three years ago, Ripton residents seeking broadband services turned to large service providers like Verizon. Rick Klein, an interim board member of RBC, remembers contacting Verizon requesting broadband service, only to hear two months later that the company was "not able to provide service to Ripton yet." Eventually, Klein discovered that Verizon was uninterested in investing time and expense to providing broadband to such a small customer base in Ripton.Instead of sitting around complaining about Verizon, Ripton residents made the classic Vermont move: they took matters into their own hands and formed a co-op: the Ripton Broadband Co-op (RBC). A co-op has the benefit of making group decisions about how to keep the services serving the community equitably and efficiently. Klein said, "We set the prices so we're not subject to the winds of the large service providers [like Verizon]."According to Associate Professor of Political Science Matt Dickinson, who is a resident of Ripton, "The co-op only charges what's necessary to keep [the broadband services] up and running." But the best thing for Dickinson is saying goodbye to those days of thumb twiddling in front of the computer screen waiting for an hour-long download to wrap up. According to Dickinson, "I can't tell you how wonderful it is to download things now. I used to joke about Ripton with my students, but it's like we're in the 21st century now." He may have to find some new jokes about living in an isolated, rural Vermont town, but that is a small price to pay for Dickinson and his family to be able to use their individual computers simultaneously and navigate the web without waiting around. In fact, Dickinson is aware of families who either moved out of Ripton or decided against moving there simply because of the lack of broadband Internet availability.Not only is broadband convenient, it may change a few lives. According to Paonia N'Shaiha, Chief Technology Officer of North Branch Networks (NBN), 22 percent of Ripton residents are unemployed during the winter months. N'Shaiha hopes that the new broadband technology will empower people in terms of employment. Having broadband at home means some residents can work from home. In addition, Ripton's local schools now have RBC broadband Internet and plans are in the works for an open computer lab during certain evenings for community members to take advantage of fast Internet if they do not personally own a computer. N'Shaiha would love to make the Internet accessible to everyone who wants it. "Unfortunately," N'Shaiha said, "I have to live in the real world and this stuff is extremely expensive to put together without enormous financial support." In regards to financial support, the state government has been supportive of RBC. According to Klein, "It's been helpful to have an encouraging climate. The state has definitely been behind us on this project."Dickinson agrees that other institutions have been extremely instrumental in implementing RBC. According to Dickinson, "We would not have broadband service here without the cooperation of Middlebury College, which allowed the Ripton Cooperative to place a transmitting tower on their buildings. Second, a huge contributing factor was applying for and getting a grant from the Vermont broadband council, roughly $25,000 if I remember correctly, to purchase equipment, in addition to two loans."The victory of getting broadband in Ripton is even sweeter because of complicated logistics and manual labor involved in its implementation. The idea was conceived in 2003 and it has taken three years to get the system up and running. N'Shaiha, a computer buff who describes herself as someone who "doesn't deal with any unit of time other than a second," designed the network from the ground up.N'Shaiha's plan starts with a fiber-optic cable fed to downtown Middlebury that is then converted to a wireless signal. The signal is broadcast to an antenna on the top of Bicentennial Hall before being redirected to an antenna attached to a wind tower in Cornwall. After reaching the Cornwall wind tower, the signal is redirected again to another wind tower antenna in Ripton and finally is beamed out to Ripton customers. The complicated plan just scratches the surfaces of the tremendous effort put into carrying out the entire project. According to Dickinson, "one of the drawbacks of a co-op is that everyone has to pull their own weight, including you." The RBC planners linked up with a Ripton resident who wanted a wind tower to power his home. NBN was responsible for putting up the tower, provided they could attach an antenna for wireless service to the tower. But it was up to the local Riptonites to "get out there on some blustery day to put the tower up," said Dickinson. The wind tower was not only difficult and expensive to construct, but its creation was met with some opposition from town residents who feared that their mountain vista would be obstructed by a massive wind tower in plain sight. Eventually, after a trial balloon was placed on the site of the future wind tower, residents came to a consensus and agreed to build the wind tower.The problem of where to place antennas is a problem with which NBN will continue to deal as it takes the Ripton model and brings it to other communities interested in offering broadband in their own small towns. According to N'Shaiha, "We really don't want this to look like New Jersey with a cell phone tower every half mile. So we're trying to find ways to do this creatively and sustainably." One of N'Shaiha's current projects is figuring out how to attach antennas to trees without causing damage to the trees. N'Shaiha is also experimenting with attaching antennas to existing structures such as grain silos and houses in good locations that can sustain a substantial amount of bandwidth, which can then be redistributed to neighbors.In the future, RBC will continue to work on extending coverage to the entire community. NBN is looking to use Ripton as a model for other communities, inspiring them to form their own co-op, or to invest in a commercial package provided by NBN. Governor Jim Douglas also encourages the implementation of broadband access for the entire state. In his inaugural speech, Douglas said, "I propose that by 2010, Vermont be the nation's first true "e-state" - the first state to provide universal cellular and broadband coverage everywhere and anywhere within its borders. When you turn on your laptop, you're connected. When you hit the send button on your cell phone, the call goes through. There would be no more endless downloads, no more hopeless hellos, and no more 'can you hear me now'." With Ripton paving the way, the new e-Vermont is on the horizon. Now that residents have the option to replace their slow dial-up with broadband for as low as $27.99 per month, Riptonites can surf happy. Dickinson has been surfing broadband in his home for a month now and finds the service efficient and reliable. In the future, Klein said residents hope to see RBC expand to provide voice over internet protocol. According to Klein, "I'd like to use RBC for all my communication needs and bypass Verizon entirely." Having jumped the huge hurdle of broadband implementation in a town of less than 200 households, Ripton residents have shown the power of cooperation and the future of communication technology in rural towns is looking bright.
(01/10/07 12:00am)
Author: Joseph Bergan Today, a new tradition is born. Each week, The Campus will attempt to paint a more intimate picture of our student body by featuring a short interview with a student selected at random. In our inaugural edition, Will Drucker responds.childhood ambition... To visit every square inch of land on the earth, literally. I soon realized this would take the better part of multiple lifetimes, good shoes and a steady cash flow.greatest fear... The human population and climate change.inspiration... Ernest Shackleton.fondest memory...Getting my first guitar.retreat... Canoeing in Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada.soundtrack... Radiohead's "Amnesiac" followed closely by the Talking Heads' "Stop Making Sense."last purchase... A $30 couch for my room which fits so perfectly it's almost unsettlingindulgence... Coffee, hummus and climbing gearwildest dream... To be able to travel every square inch of the planet, still.≠
(01/10/07 12:00am)
Author: Ben Salkowe Former President Bill Clinton will deliver Middlebury's 2007 commencement address on May 27, marking the first address by a modern president to the College. The 42nd President of the United States will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at the commencement and address an expected crowd of more than 5,000."It is a great honor to have President Clinton as the Middlebury College commencement speaker," said President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz in an official statement released to The Campus. "His dedication to a career in public service and the philanthropic work he has done since leaving public office are an inspiration to college students seeking ways to change and improve both our country and our world."Clinton will be joined by six other honorary degree recipients - Robert De Cormier, Janet Tiebout Hanson, James Gustave Speth, Marc A. and Dana Lim vanderHeyden and Dr. Huda Y. Zoghbi. College officials are expected to formally announce Clinton's commitment, and the other honorary degree recipients, later this afternoon.The idea of bringing Clinton to campus was first proposed by the College's Board of Trustees, who secured the commitment with some assistance from a Middlebury alum who had worked for the former President.Since leaving the Oval Office, Clinton has worked for a range of major national and international causes through the William J. Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS initiatives and prominent collaborations with former President George H.W. Bush to raise funds for victims of the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Clinton has also remained in the media spotlight as the nation's potential first First Man, should his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), enter the 2008 presidential contest. Sen. Hillary Clinton has not committed to attending the commencement with her husband. Before first running for the presidency, Bill Clinton served as the governor of Arkansas, chairman of the National Governors' Association and had been an attorney general of Arkansas. Elected president in 1992, and again in 1996, Clinton was the first Democratic president in six decades to win a second term in office. His administrations' accomplishments included a significant economic expansion, major welfare reform, budget surpluses, lower levels of unemployment, poverty and crime and high home ownership and college enrollment rates. While political and personal scandals clouded his later presidency, Clinton largely regained popularity after leaving office. The William J. Clinton Foundation has reduced the cost of antiretroviral drugs for over 500,000 people and works in 25 countries to provide medical services and treatment to adults and children living with HIV/AIDS. In addition, the Foundation's initiatives focus on international development, climate change, the childhood obesity epidemic in America and economic empowerment. Clinton graduated from Georgetown University and in 1968 won a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University. He received a law degree from Yale University in 1973, and shortly thereafter entered politics in Arkansas. In addition to Clinton, six other individuals, all with ties to the College or local community, will be awarded honorary degrees.Robert De Cormier, founder and director of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus, will receive an honorary Doctor of Arts degree. De Cormier graduated from the Juilliard School of Music and was the former music director of the New York Choral Society. De Cormier has conducted and composed for engagements ranging from Broadway to opera to television. Janet Tiebout Hanson, founder and chairman of $2 billion Milestone Capital Management, and a managing director at Lehman Brothers, will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Hanson's Milestone Capital Management is the only women-owned institutional money market fund management company in the U.S. Hanson is also the founder of 85 Broads, an internet-based global network of former and current Goldman Sachs women professionals. Hanson's sister, Mary E. Tiebout, is a 1975 Middlebury graduate.James Gustave Speth, Dean and Sara Shallenberger Brown Professor in the Practice of Environmental Policy at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, will receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree. Speth was the administrator of the United Nations Development Program, the founder and president of World Resources Institute and a co-founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council. He is the father of Catherine McCullough, a member of the Middlebury College class of 1991.Marc A. vanderHeyden, the president of Saint Michael's College, and his wife, Dana Lim vanderHeyden, will receive an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. St. Michael's 15th president assumed the presidency in 1996 and announced last year that he would step down from the position in June of 2007. Dana vanderHeyden, who has served in various roles as a professor and academic administrator for almost three decades, is currently a member of the board of Vermont Public Radio, Burlington City Arts and the Region I Board of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Huda Y. Zoghbi, a professor in the Baylor College of Medicine Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular and Human Genetics, and Neurology and Neuroscience, and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Center, will receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree. In 1999, Zoghbi discovered the gene mutation that causes the rare, disabling neurodevelopmental disorder Rett syndrome. She is the mother of Roula Zoghbi, a member of the Middlebury College class of 2007.
(11/16/06 12:00am)
Author: Joseph Bergan Look around Middlebury's campus on a Friday night, and you will find a graveyard of old party locales. Fletcher House is quiet, only livened up from the little noise that spills over from the Mill. The mansion-like social houses of Ridgeline lie asleep like slumbering giants. Even on Rte. 30, Mumford and Meeker houses, filled with white paper, thumbtacks, ink cartridges and calendars, sleep in the chilly Vermont night.Middlebury was not always this way. There was once a time when the façades of Mumford and Meeker were adorned with Greek letters and their rooms were unfit for living. This was a time when fraternities ruled Middlebury. The Campus recently sat down with Dean of Advising Karl Lindholm '67 to try and understand what life was like in this now distant era."In 1967, we had 11 fraternities," he said, "and by responsible estimates I would say 90-95% of my graduating class was in a fraternity." Lindholm describes the frat scene at Middlebury during the 1960s as one of inclusion. "My roommate was not in the same frat, and we used to eat at each others' [fraternities]," he said. The pervasiveness of frat culture in the 1940s through the 1960s was quite different from the social scene today. Lindholm describes the frats as a simple way of life. "I went home after my sophomore year and told my father I had joined a fraternity. He asked me 'Why?' and I could not answer that question - it was just the culture," said Lindholm. About the sixties, he said,"All the freshmen lived in dorms and ate in Proctor," while all the members of the fraternities ate in their respective cafeterias. "There were very few constraints on underage drinking," he added. He describes the mood on the weekends where the houses on Rte. 30 would "roll back the furniture and have a party." Students would then hop from house to house looking for the best party. Some parties will forever live on in the College's memory. The annual demolition derby thrown by Sig Ep, (that was housed in present-day Meeker house) was one of these events. The demolition derby was not held in a vacant field but rather in a more central location - the Sig Ep property itself. "They would buy old cars, and then smash them up in their front yard," Lindholm recalls. Another wild adventure turned out to be the demise of SLUG, once housed at Fletcher House. In the early 1980s, the house members rented a bus and threw a party at Middlebury College's Breadloaf campus. In the aftermath, "the place was completely covered in cocaine powder," said Lindholm. The fraternity culture underwent many changes. "If you look at the yearbook in 1967, we're a bunch of straight-edge guys, and then you look at 1969 and everyone's got the long hair," said Lindholm. "It all had to do with Vietnam." An unpopular war, the women's movement and a lowered drinking age all caused students to migrate elsewhere for parties. By the time the 1980s rolled around, student participation in frat life had fallen to a mere 15 percent. The fraternity climate turned nasty. In one of the more colorful pranks in the school's history, two social houses on Rte. 30, displeased with the administration, created snow sculptures late one Saturday night. The sculptures were large and gave all church-going Vermonters a veritable sex-ed lesson. "I had to hire earthmovers to come in and knock those down," Lindholm said, "They were intricately constructed."In the early 1980s the Board of Trustees toured the remaining six fraternities on campus. An appraisal of damage found that four of the six houses required more money to repair them then they were worth. Fraternities did not hang on long after that and the College adopted the current co-ed social house structure which some would argue are now headed for the same fate as that of fraternities.
(11/16/06 12:00am)
Author: Kelly Janis The Social Life Task Force committee met last week to discuss a potential campus-wide survey intended to solicit ideas and input from students with reference to relevant social issues. The committee hopes to spark dialogue about pertinent issues regarding Middlebury's social climate."The committee is working to write a report which evaluates social life on campus and makes specific recommendations to the President and Board of Trustees," explained the Task Force's student head, Sam Temes '07. "As of now, we are planning on presenting our report to them in February. The committee's report is the first stage in a more comprehensive initiative to improve Middlebury's social life."The distribution of an all-campus survey, Temes said, is aimed at amassing "supportive evidence" for recommendations which the Task Force intends to make. "We have also discussed having a forum during the first part of Winter Term to share some of the work we have done and collect more feedback," Temes added. "Much of the work we have done thus far has been based on brainstorming that took place last spring with a group of students selected by the administration."Among the challenges that the Task Force faces are perceptions from the College community of its inefficiency. "The committee has made and continues to make substantive progress," Temes insisted. "While our work may not be immediately visible to the student body, our task has been to evaluate and suggest change in the form of a formal report to be delivered to the Board of Trustees." Temes said that it is not the Task Force's obligation to "implement change, 'solve' problems or make ongoing recommendations." Instead, the group strives to represent student interests and voice student concerns.In the course of meetings this fall, the committee has elected to focus on three chief areas. The first concerns the regulations governing registered and catered on-campus parties. "We have discussed suggesting the use of the bracelet system at more events as opposed to beer gardens to facilitate more mixing between over and under-aged students," Temes said.The utilization of assorted social spaces is also a matter of debate. According to Temes, the committee has entertained the prospect of "suggesting to the board the creation of a new social space, strictly for student social use."Finally, the task force has weighed the streamlining of social programming. Perhaps, Temes said, it would be prudent to craft "a student position, separate from the Student Government Association or Middlebury College Activities Board, to help manage a campus-wide social schedule and coordinate more co-sponsored and larger events."Student opinion on the distribution of such a survey and the potential implementation of such policies was divided. Will Surrette '10 said he was not convinced of the effectiveness of the avenues being pursued. "Any organization dedicated to somehow bettering, improving or altering the social lives of students is pointless and this College is wasting money on it," he said. Other students, however, were more optimistic. "It's refreshing that the College is receptive to students' needs," Jenn Giammattei '10 said. "I think it's a worthwhile effort."
(11/09/06 12:00am)
Author: Kacie Sherman On the green across from downtown Middlebury's Alpine Shop, the Addison Peace Coalition convenes every Saturday morning by the large stone fountain.For thirty minutes each week, the non-exclusive group joins together to silently demonstrate against the war in Iraq. Every Saturday since the start of the Iraq War, community members have met at the same time and place, to express their disapproval of the United States' military presence in Iraq. Their demonstration style is influenced by Quaker philosophy: the participants silently bear signs with slogans opposing the war, hoping that their silence will promote quiet reflection and conscientiousness amongst those who see them and those who choose to participate. Winslow Colwell, a Ripton resident, was the organizer of the silent protest. The group's size has ranged from six to thirty people, depending upon changes in the political climate and changes in the war's trajectory. Though the demonstrators do not vocally express their anti-war opinions, their Saturday morning gatherings are filled with opinionated discussions amongst those who attend, sharing news and opinions about the state of Vermont, the United States and the world. As Ann Hoover, a Middlebury resident, describes her fellow Coalition members, "we are people in the community who care about the direction of our country."Despite their formal name, the Addison Peace Coalition does not have any set bylaws or membership guidelines - much like the Quakers, also known as the Society of Friends. The Coalition is completely non-denominational, non-partisan and welcomes any interested individuals. Though their presence is minimally intrusive, the group does have a permit with the Town of Middlebury that grants them the right to the space they occupy every Saturday, enforcing their right to free speech even through silence. Hoover stresses that all area citizens and students are welcome, that everyone comes together with a sole purpose: "we want peace." Hoover's participation with antiwar activism is not limited to her Saturday witnessing. In January, 2003, Hoover marched with over 150,000 other anti-Iraq War demonstrators across the Mall in Washington, D.C. The march included speeches from various antiwar icons such as Ron Kovic and Liz McAlister. Hoover notes that, regrettably, little tangible change came from the march, but that it was meant "for oneself, more than persuading others." Hoover unabashedly admits her desires for this month's midterm elections, saying "I hope that Democrats take over everything - it is the only way to get out of the mess that we are in."The Coalition never actively seeks out recruits or publicity, but their conspicuous location and powerful signs have attracted attention from individuals and media outlets alike. With a style that is as peaceful and nonviolent as the message they wish to send, the Coalition's demonstrators serve as a thought-provoking reminder for reflection, no matter what one's political beliefs. The New York Religious Society of Friends sees meditation as a "means to develop cooperation and community," a means to counteract the effects of the war - and violence of all kinds - that degrades love, destroys lives and "tears the fabric of society." Whether antiwar or pro-Iraq, a passerby who noticing the silent witnessing on Middlebury's common will feel compelled to spend time in quiet introspection, and for those who share the same viewpoint of the protestors, to express their opinions more vocally or in a different style. The demonstrators' dedicated presence through sleet and snow in the upcoming months will serve as an inspiration to act for what one believes, and to hope that if nothing else, one's small-scale action will inspire the end of another's political inertia. Other Peace Vigils in the Area:VERGENNES: Saturdays, 10-11am at the Vergennes City GreenBURLINGTON: Monday-Friday, 5-5:30pm at Unitarian Church (top of Church St)RUTLAND:Fridays, 12-1 at Main Street Park at corner of Rt. 4 & Rt. 7.
(11/02/06 12:00am)
Author: Margaret McFadden There is no doubt about it, Middlebury College cultivates a culture of community concern. Some students volunteer with AIDS education programs in Africa, "give up" Feb break to build houses with Habitat or put off a pressing assignment to spend time with a Community Friend. A few years ago students involved with Project Biobus made the headlines of CNN as they drove a vegetable-powered bus across the US, one of many campus-wide efforts to raise awareness about climate change. These public expressions of altruism and activism come at a time when faith is relegated to the private sphere. In a culture where religious initiatives are stigmatized by contemporary politics, groups are quick to claim many motivations for service, except the five-letter word, faith, that carries a slew of unwanted associations.In an upcoming symposium, "Challenging Complacency: Do Christians Care About Social Justice?" members of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship want to challenge the notion that social activists must not claim Christianity and that Christians need not engage socially. Students in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship believe that faith provides something unique to the demand for a more just world. Jesus made radical claims about the poor, and while the institutional church has often failed to realize these ideals, they provide powerful motivation in the human struggle to advocate justice. Christianity has represented a drastic range of contradiction. There has been war and peace, oppression and liberation, bigotry and compassion…all in the name of Christ. In the midst of these inconsistencies, InterVarsity students have assembled a diverse group of intellectuals and activists to interpret the struggles of the past and provide hope for the future. The symposium events will represent the synthesis of intellectual inquiry and experiential service that lies at the heart of the religion. The students hope to explore the intersection of Christian belief, politics, history and most particularly, social justice. There are no trite answers, but they hope to learn together how to advance the human struggle to end injustice. The College has provided funding to bring a range of nationally renowned scholars and advocates to campus on Nov. 9-11. On Thursday, Nov. 9 the symposium will kick off with an address by the keynote speaker, Shane Claiborne, founder of "The Simple Way," a radical faith community that serves the homeless in Philadelphia. He will incorporate his life experience and personal conviction in a talk titled "Living the Revolution of Love: Christianity as a Way of Life." Dr. Sylvia Keesmaat, University of Toronto professor and resident of a solar-powered organic farm, will use biblical text to challenge current patterns of consumerism in her talk entitled "Christianity, Consumer Culture and Empire: The Biblical Story as Witness Against Social and Environmental Injustice." Author of the well-known book Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, Dr. Ron Sider will speak about poverty in his talk "Christian Faith and Global Poverty: And What Christians are Actually Doing." Lamont Hiebert, a musician who created the organization Justice for Children International, will give a concert on Saturday, Nov. 11. Justice for Children International seeks to prevent child sex trafficking and provides assistance for young victims of sex trafficking. A week of service projects will follow weekend events, allowing students to respond to the call to social concern through outreach to the local community. Service projects sites include the Rutland Jail and the John Graham Emergency Shelter in Vergennes. Other symposium events are a Celtic Mass for Peace and a silent retreat at Weston Priory in Weston, Vermont, where students will be encouraged to meditate on the voiceless and oppressed. For more details please visit the website: http://community.middlebury.edu/~cf/symposium.htm.MARGARET McFADDEN '07AN ENGLISH MAJORFrom Adams, N.Y.
(11/02/06 12:00am)
Author: Dean Atyia Commons-sponsored events kick-off Halloween festivitiesAtwater and Wonnacott Commons hosted Halloween events this past weekend, seeing a mixed result of student attendance. A Wonnacott-sponsored dance party, held in Prescott House, "never had more than 30 people at one time," said Lindsay Oliver '07, a Wonnacott Commons co-chair. The event was part of an initiative to promote more commons-based activity. While the turnout was slightly disappointing, Oliver said, "It helped people branch away from their class and dorm." Despite Cameron Kowall's '09 musical prowess and the inviting setting, the party lacked that which students avidly seek. "I think providing alcohol might bolster attendance," said Oliver. The Atwater-hosted Halloween event in the Freeman International Center, however, merged with VACA's party efforts to create a club-like scene that attracted a large crowd. The party was scheduled to last until 2 a.m. but the unexpected turnout coupled with the presence of alcohol at the event resulted in an early ending. Matt Boucher '08, an Atwater Commons co-chair, felt that it was disrespectful of students to so blatantly disobey the rules in bringing alcohol to the party. "While we were glad that people had such a fun time, the party would have been a much greater success had students respected the Catering staff allowing us to run it until the 2 a.m. end-time we had planned on," Boucher said.Despite putting six and a half hours of preparation into a party that ended early, Jennifer Brenes '09, co-chair of Atwater Commons, said, "It was my first event and I had a great time. I was shocked at how many people showed up from all over campus."Snow Bowl goes carbon neutral as ski season nearsMiddlebury College has purchased $7,138 worth of carbon offsets to support an environmentally-friendly Snow Bowl in the 2006-2007 ski season, according to a press release earlier this week. "The Middlebury College Snow Bowl may well be the first ski area to take carbon neutrality to this level by offsetting electric, gas, propane, diesel and biodiesel usage, as well as skier transportation to and from the ski area," said Tom Corbin, assistant treasurer and Director of Business Affairs, in the release.Students in Associate Professor of Economics Jon Isham's class on environmental economics first suggested the initiative in the Spring of 2006. "Working with NativeEnergy to make the College Snow Bowl and our ski teams carbon neutral reinforces the College's longstanding commitment to the environment both academically and in terms of institutional operations," said President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz in the release. "The fact that the project was initiated by a diligent group of students in an academic class further underlines the importance of fostering and empowering the ideas of the next generation."Many involved in the effort believe that the Snow Bowl is the perfect forum for initial efforts aimed at environmental protection because of the threats posed by global warming to the ski industry's reliance on natural snowfall and consistent cold weather for survival, according to NativeEnergy President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Boucher in the release. Curwood preaches hope over global climate crisisSteve Curwood, host of the weekly environmental news program, "Living on Earth," spoke Monday in McCardell Bicentennial Hall. The Robert W. van de Velde Jr. '75 Memorial Lecture sponsored his address, entitled "Media and the Environmental Crisis." Established in 1981, the van de Velde Memorial Lecture hosts annual talks on the convergence of public affairs and journalism. In the context of broadcast journalism, Curwood spoke of the two-pronged danger facing mankind and our environment, addressing both the current chemical crisis and climate change. Because of toxic waste practices in the past and the overabundance of chemicals in now outdated consumer products, he contended, most of our water sources have become dangerously contaminated. Curwood warned of chemical side-effects ranging from influence on sexual preference to socially deviant behavior. In discussing the global warming crisis, Curwood approached the topic in an unconventional way. Assuming familiarity with the problem, Curwood focused his argument instead on that challenge - and the opportunity - that he feels climate change produces. Sierra Murdoch '09 said, "After attending so many environmental lectures, it was really inspiring and interesting to hear someone with so much hope for the future."
(10/12/06 12:00am)
Author: Derek Schlickeisen Democratic House candidate Peter Welch headlined a climate change rally at the College last Friday, taking the opportunity to tie his opponent to Republican inaction on the issue.With the race still close just over four weeks before Election Day, Welch argued that Martha Rainville's election would support her party leadership's stance against significant limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Welch, now president of Vermont's state Senate, said in his speech that Democrats need control of the House to enact meaningful global warming legislation."This election is about whether or not we're going to have a Congress that will tackle this issue," Welch told the roughly 70 students and town activists gathered in the Twilight Auditorium. "As long as Republicans chair the Committee on Energy and Commerce, there will be no consideration of global warming legislation."In an election that could leave either party with a razor-thin majority in the House, the outcome of Vermont's race could potentially play an outsized role in setting the course of national politics for the next two years. With recent surveys giving Welch a lead just outside the margin of error for political polling, analysts predict that Rainville could yet pull an upset in a state that has trended leftward in recent years."I would say at this point that the most probable outcome is a narrow Welch win," said Professor of Political Science Eric Davis, a respected observer of Vermont politics, "but I'd put about a 30 percent probability on a narrow Rainville win."Davis explained that Rainville has remained competitive in the race by charting a moderate course on issues like global warming as a means of distinguishing herself from President Bush, who remains far less popular in Vermont than in the nation as a whole. In her latest television ad, Rainville promises to "join the fight against global warming" and calls for a reduction in the United States' use of foreign oil."Welch is going to hammer her on the Iraq war, so what she needs to do is find issues where she can distinguish herself from the administration and the Republican majority in Congress," said Davis.Such distinctions don't matter, say Welch and his supporters, because Rainville's election as a Republican would simply keep a party that has done little on global warming in power. "Martha Rainville will vote for Dennis Hastert as speaker," Welch told The Campus. "My opponent is about two more years of the Bush agenda."To help make his argument for change, Welch brought with him Oregon Democrat Earl Blumenauer, a long-time House proponent of environmental protections. Blumenauer, whose whirlwind tour with Welch also included campaign stops at American Flatbread and Happy Valley Orchards, called his friend the clear choice for young people who want to make their voices heard in national politics."Vermont is going to have an opportunity to send a signal that might make a difference in the direction of the House of Representatives," said Blumenauer in an interview. "He will be a breath of fresh air and a vote for change."At the College, however, Welch and Blumenauer may have been preaching to the proverbial choir: many students who attended Friday's rally went directly from the auditorium to a launch event outside for the Carbon Neutrality Initiative, a plan by which the College can achieve carbon-neutral greenhouse gas emissions by 2016. With leadership from the climate change-oriented Sunday Night Group and other student organizations, the plan will be presented to the Board of Trustees this February."The College has always been a leader in sustainability," said Sunday Night Group member Sierra Murdoch '09, "so I think that it's really important for the College to be at the forefront of this issue by reducing its carbon emissions."In introducing Welch at the rally, Bill McKibben, the College's scholar in residence in Environmental Studies, echoed Murdoch's praise of the College for its involvement with the global warming issue."I think that Middlebury has emerged as one of the most important places in the state - and indeed in the country - in thinking about climate change," he said. "There's more spirit and energy and intellectual power around this question here at Middlebury College than just about anywhere else."After McKibben's introduction and warm applause from the audience, Welch turned to the College's leadership in addressing climate change."I want to clap for you," said Welch. "We want Congress to pass a global warming bill that will pass the Middlebury-McKibben test."Many at the rally seemed supportive of Welch on the climate change issue. Surrounded by students sporting "Welch for Congress" stickers, McKibben cast the outcome this November in stark terms."We're running out of elections to waste," he said. "There's a possibility, especially if control of one or both of the houses of Congress changes hands, that we'll see some legislation finally. It's beyond belief that the United States hasn't passed a single real law to begin to deal with this problem."Antoinette Rangel, president of the Middlebury College Democrats, said that the Welch-Rainville race offered a unique opportunity to those students at the College who are interested in the challenge posed by global warming."The Welch campaign opens up a lot of great opportunities for Middlebury students because Vermont politics is so grassroots," said Rangel. Referring to Welch staffers like Andrew Savage '03.5, who serves as the campaign's communications director, she said that the state's politics proved especially accessible to recent graduates."It's a great chance to get your feet wet in the political realm coming right out of college."
(10/12/06 12:00am)
Author: Himali Singh Soin Himali Singh Soin '08 travelled this past summer to the Bhutan region. This travelogue is the final installment in a series of unique summer stories by students.Nestled between the mountains of Tibet and India is Bhutan, a tiny, Buddhist kingdom where spiritual happiness is valued above all material development and prosperity. The idea of traveling to this unique land was conceived while looking out upon a high altitude lake in Ladakh, India, where I was immersed in a landscape that incessantly spoke of its people and religion. My interest in Buddhism and its manifestation in the people's performing arts drew me there. As I landed in the tiny airport, the stunning red, green and gold patterns found in the architecture foreshadowed the brilliance of the rest of the country. It was the beginning of a journey into the Land of the Thunder Dragon, Druk yul, where men and mountains lived in harmony, and the wind chanted "Om mani padme hum" as if in prayer for its people. The next day, after about a two-hour walk uphill, we reached the "viewpoint" of the trail. From there I could see our destination - the stark, shaded, jagged rock face and perched above it, a beautiful, gold-roofed, ornate monastery. Along our path, the lush green of the land was juxtaposed with the red, blue and yellow of Buddhist Dzongs. The architecture of the country is in harmony with nature and blended with the landscape to enhance its own Buddhist identity. A largely agrarian country, Bhutan's economy thrives on steppe farming, and the architecture reflects this culture. Monastery roofs, for example, are broad at the first level, and make their way upwards in layers. There is always music, for singing is a communal activity, and it often takes the form of praying to the Buddha for successful harvests. Amidst the darkening skies and the heavy clouds, the fast wind and the passer bys, amidst the transience of nature's beings, the monastery Taktsang stood still, with a majesty that invited sheer awe. Setting foot on the monastery was a magical feeling - the wind was cooler here, the monks quiet and serene. There was something churning inside me. Taktsang means Tiger's Nest; it was the monastery originally built for the Guru Padmasambhav, who came from Tibet on his spiritual consort, the tigress, to crush the evil spirits that pervaded Bhutan.Inside the monastery, there was a little room that houses this cave, and it can only be seen through a tiny hole in the door. The resident monk explained the paintings on the wall to us - they were all the Buddhist manifestations of man and nature coexisting in symbiosis for the harmony of the universe.I stayed there for some time, and revelled in my surroundings. As I walked down and neared the viewpoint to look back once again, I realized the power of Taktsang. It was not simply a monastery on a hill that took a long time to get to; rather, this monastery symbolized the eternal harmony and cause of the universe. There was fresh air, abundant sunshine and a nearby waterfall. They had everything they needed - removed from the hustle and bustle of city life - a place where each monk, each plant, each animal and every bug had all they needed, and could coexist peacefully.The Royal Government of Bhutan has made a national commitment to uphold its obligations to future generations by charting a path of development called the Middle Path, which upholds both environmental and cultural preservation as an integral part of the development process. Traditional and local beliefs sustain the conservation ethic, for according to the ancient Bon religion and the concept of animism, the mountains, the river and the forests are the abodes of the gods, goddesses, protective deities and underworld spirits. Disturbing these sites would lead to death, disease or famine. Bhutan believes that a healthy environment is essential for material and spiritual happiness. In the words of his majesty the king of Bhutan, "Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product."The Buddhists in Bhutan believe that all of nature is a sentient being and has a right to live. This philosophy has manifested itself keenly in the streets of Thimpu and Paro where there is little garbage and a strong sense of responsibility for the surroundings. Environmental sustainability is one of the main pillars of Gross National Happiness. They understand climate change and environmental degradation as some of the pressing problems of today, and though seemingly isolated from the world, they are active in changing their ways, including shifting to alternative power possibilities. Bhutan has banned plastic bags and tobacco for they make the country 'less happy.' There is very little advertising to discourage consumerism and television was only introduced in 1999.The next day, we saw the beginnings of the rhododendron forests that were soon going to leave us speechless. We stopped for lunch in a meadow that housed a long Buddhist Chorten; these were the indications of eastern thought in the landscape. Amidst the meadows and cliffs of Bhutan were the brightly coloured prayer flags, stupas unflinching in the high mountain winds and tiny versions of chortens with piles of flat gray stone stacked high in the middle of lakes. Our guide said it was a need to mark their territory and identity in a vast landscape, that the nomads indicated their presence through their religion.Walking in the mountains was a mystical, fairy tale adventure. Mist covered the forests as we began from the trailhead, and followed us right into our tents that evening. Each plant was veiled in glittering dewdrops - it seemed that many a pixie and goblin inhabited this fertile ground; simply waiting for the onlookers to pass so they could re-emerge from beneath the moss and the mushrooms and cause their usual ruckus. As we gradually gained height day after day, the rhododendrons began to appear. The little spots of white and purple that simply seemed like those retinal spots that the eye creates when seeing into a distance magically became fields of brightly coloured azaleas. The clearing clouds allowed us to see, for the first time, the grand jagged views of the great Himalayan ranges of Bhutan.Bhutan's eco-system harbors some of the most exotic, endemic species of the eastern Himalayas. It has an estimated 770 species of birds and over 50 species of Rhododendron. The mountains brim with other exotic species like blue poppy and different medicinal herbs. Animals like takins, snow leopards, golden langur, tigers and elephants roam its forests.After several days in the mountains, we returned to visit the cultural aspects of the country, where the song and dance very much reflected what we had seen of the Buddhist landscape. The performers danced in circles and the music came back to the same words it began with; this seemed to mimic how the nomads would leave their belongings in the winter, go down to the valleys and then return again in the summer. As I caught my flight back to India, we steered through narrow valleys and empty gorges, across the beautiful Nepalese mountains. So though I left Bhutan that day, I seemed to be in inertia, for the chants of 'Om mani padme hum' still reverberated within me, and the warmth and splendour of the natural and the cultural landscape continues to live on.Since the journey, I have been able to capture a certain mindfulness, for in Bhutan one stops craving, and for a moment or two one is rid of desires, and can finally see what is, and it is then that one is completely present - truly experiencing one of life's rare moments of being.
(10/12/06 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] Carbon Neutrality InitiativeTo the Editor:I was pleased to hear of support by the Board Of Trustees and President Liebowitz for a low-emissions power plant and reducing the college's impact on climate change. Below is my letter to President Liebowitz, in support of the proposed Carbon Neutrality Initiative to make the college carbon-neutral by 2017.Dear Ron, I'm proud of many things that Middlebury College does. And I'm most proud of the college's support for environmental improvement. I have been very encouraged by recent college decisions and your remarks on the Middlebury Green during the global warming walk over Labor Day weekend led by Bill McKibben. As an aside, my wife and I hosted many of the walkers - including several of the college's students - overnight at our place on the first night of the walk. I'm writing you now to express my support for the newly proposed Carbon Neutrality Initiative. While I recognize this will require a considerable investment of the college's resources, initiatives of this kind are essential if we are to avoid the drastic consequences of unabated global warming and climate change. Moreover, the Carbon Neutrality Initiative will continue the college's outstanding environmental leadership, and it will further distinguish the institution we all love as one that is fearless in pushing for programs that benefit its students and the larger community.Sincerely,Gregory Dennis '74Middlebury, Vt.New Pub NightTo the Editor:In the Sept. 28th issue of The Middlebury Campus, the "Notes from the Desk" questions MCAB's decision to charge a small fee, rather than offer free beer, at Grille Pub Nights. I am a member of the MCAB executive board, but I'm also a student who enjoys Pub Night. Pub Night began last year as an experiment and became wildly popular among students above the legal drinking age. It's great that Pub Night was a success among older students, but MCAB's responsibility is to provide programming for the entire student body. Any event with free beer sounds like an event targeted at seniors and a few juniors, but Pub Night is about all classes socializing and enjoying free live music on a Thursday night. MCAB is operating on a limited budget and wants to be able to offer other great programs throughout the year, and any money that comes in will help make that possible. Besides, a dollar is a pretty good deal for an Otter Creek Copper Ale.Sincerely,David Schoenholtz '07Bethesda, Md.
(10/05/06 12:00am)
Author: Lisa Zaval and Derek Schlickeisen Adragna '10 snags single contested Senate seatWinning the position of Ross Commons' Senator, Anthony Adragna '10 secured the only contested position in the 2006 Student Government Association (SGA) Senate elections. The SGA announced the results of the elections Friday. After struggling to recruit candidates to fill the ballot, which included only 16 candidates for the 15 open seats in the Senate, a total of 782 individuals logged in on Friday to cast their votes online, with 44.7 percent of Ross voting for Adragna. "I'm really quite thrilled about my victory and that the residents of Ross thought me worthy of being their representative," said Adragna. Adragna is currently working on his agenda for his new role as Ross Commons Senator. He would like to improve communications between students and the SGA and hopes to serve as a resource to students. He would also like to make some minor improvements to the appearance of Ross and hopes to work with different commons in order to build a sense of pride for students regarding their home commons. "That may come from 'capture the flag,' 'tug of war' or something like that."On running in the only contested Senate race Adragna remarked, "That was kind of a surprise to me. However, it makes the win all the sweeter. I'm thrilled."Nobel laureate to lecture on financial futureNobel Prize-winning economist William F. Sharpe will deliver the Carpenter and Alan R. Holmes Lecture in the Robert A. Jones '59 House Conference Room on Friday, Oct. 6, at 4:30 p.m. The title of his lecture is "Financing Retirement: Saving, Investing, Spending and Insuring." The event is free and open to the public.Sharpe is a professor of Finance, Emeritus at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business who, in 1970, joined the Stanford faculty, having previously taught at the University of Washington and the University of California. In 1996, he co-founded Financial Engines, a firm that provides online investment advice and management, and currently serves on its board. Sharpe is past president of the American Finance Association. In 1990, he received the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Sharpe was one of the originators of the Capital Asset Pricing model, and created the Sharpe ratio for risk-adjusted investment performance analysis. He has published articles in a number of financial and academic journals, and is also the author or coauthor of six books, including "Portfolio Theory and Capital Markets," "Asset Allocation Tools" and "Fundamentals of Investments."The Carpenter and Alan R. Holmes Lecture is sponsored by the Middlebury College Economics department.Democrats push House action on climate changeVermont Congressional candidate Peter Welch (D) and U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) will join Bill McKibben, the College's scholar in residence in Environmental Studies, today in the Twilight Auditorium to discuss global warming in the context of the 2006 elections. The event is sponsored by the Middlebury College Democrats.During the event, Blumenauer will outline his work on the issue of climate change, focusing on "global warming in today's political environment."Blumenauer, a fifth-term member of Congress, recently called for hearings in the House Committee on International Relations on the effects of climate change.Welch has also made Congressional action on global warming a central focus of his campaign. In a Sept. 26 debate in Mead Chapel, Welch criticized what he called an unwillingness by the Republican leadership to address the issue."We have no excuse for inaction," said Welch. Literature on his campaign site calls for complete U.S. energy independence by 2020.The discussion will take place from 4 to 5 p.m.
(09/21/06 12:00am)
Author: Andrea Glaessner Autumn is just around the corner, and this year, Americans may be witnessing more than the usual turning of the leaves on Capitol Hill. With Bush's approval ratings dipping to a 31 percent in May, things seem promising for Democratic candidates across the country. Though the White House will not receive new tenants until the next presidential election, still two years away, the other house in Washington, The House of Representatives, is likely to see some new faces, creating a new composition of leadership in the country's legislative body, and possibly paving the way for big changes in the current political situation.For the Democrats, who are hoping to reclaim a majority in the House, every seat counts this year, especially the open ones in which an incumbent is not seeking re-election. With Rep. Bernie Sanders (D) stepping out of the race in order to compete with Rich Tarrant (R) for the empty seat Sen. Jim Jeffords (I) left behind in the Senate, the one area code state of Vermont now has one empty seat in Congress. As such, the Green Mountain State is set to play a leading role in this year's congressional election drama. Vermont is sure to give a thrilling performance. The drama will unfold for Middlebury residents to watch on Tuesday, Sept. 26, when the four candidates including Burlington restaurateur Dennis Morriseau (I), Liberty Union candidate Jane Newton, former Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard Martha Rainville (R) and Vermont State Senate President Pro Tem Peter Welch (D), will hash out their differences in a debate hosted by Chris Graff, host of Vermont Public Television's "Vermont This Week," former Vermont bureau chief for the Associated Press, and a 1975 Middlebury College graduate and sponsored by the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs at Middlebury College and the Vermont Council on World Affairs.Of the four candidates, Welch and Rainville currently lead the race in a neck and neck battle for the coveted open seat. The long-time Democratic Vermont State Senator is holding off his Republican opponent by a mere 3 percentage points. Looking at the facts, the narrow gap between the candidates seem inexplicable. Welch has both political experience and the large Democratic presence in Vermont on his side. But Rainville has her savvy campaign style that sidesteps controversial issues and identifies herself as the always popular "moderate" Republican to deliver her success thus far.And who can argue with that? According to Associate Professor of Political Science Matt Dickinson, "The population in Vermont has been shifting toward Democratic in recent years. So if you run as a Republican, you have to run as a 'Vermont Republican,' which is somewhat more moderate. Rainville is making it quite clear that she will be an independent voice, or the Jim Jeffords sort of Republican." It has been Rainville's moderate Republican stances, however, that have made it difficult for her to articulate clear stances on some of the most important policy issues this election year. Instead, Rainville has focused her message on reforming the political climate in Washington, offering solutions such as "The Clean Campaign Pledge" - a promise to discourage negative campaign practices such as excessive spending and slandering opponents because, according to Rainville's campaign website, "changing the tone in Washington begins with clean campaigns at home. This pledge, along with other promises to reform congress and its proceedings form Rainville's most definitive and articulate policies. Rainville campaign communications director Brenden McKenna explained, "Changing the way business is done in Washington so people of both parties can sit down and make real progress on difficult issues that face country. Especially with an ethics reform bill which provides a foundation for tackling the other very important issues like national security and energy stability, including getting away from fossil fuels entirely to reduce pollution and global warming."In contrast to Rainville's conciliatory and hopeful plan to reform Congress, Welch's "The Six Pillars for Change" plan is comprehensive and, more importantly, offers direct solutions to real problems that threaten Americans. The Six Pillars are, according to Welch's campaign website, "to increase economic security, to establish a plan in Iraq that will bring our troops home, to improve our national security, to commit ourselves to the goals of energy independence and combating global warming, to fight for Vermont jobs and to restore fiscal responsiblity in Washington." In a phone interview, Welch's communication director, Andrew Savage '03.5, summed up these points, saying "The number one issue is new leadership [which means] changing the balance of power in congress. We need to end the failed policies. Also, aggressively addressing global warming, health care, and getting troops out of Iraq are important." Savage also mentioned that Welch planned to work towards replenishing the government's student aid fund that the Bush administration earlier cut by a historic $11 billion in order to give America's wealthiest citizens another large tax cut. Welch's stances on policy issues have been cultivated by a long career in electoral politics that began in 1980 when he was the second Democrat elected to represent Windsor County in the Vermont State Senate, according to his campaign website. Welch served the Senate from 1981 to 1988, and during that time "he spearheaded legislative reforms in environment, tax, and education policy. Among his top accomplishments was his major role in the establishment of the Housing and Land Conservation Trust Fund, which has financed the construction of hundreds of units of affordable housing and the conservation of thousands of acres of Vermont farm and forest land," as explained on his campaign website.Rainville, by contrast, comes to the race from a military background. According to her website, "She was elected Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard on February 20, 1997, becoming the first woman in the 370-year history of the country's National Guard to serve as a state Adjutant General. As Adjutant General, she commanded the 3,800 members of the Vermont Army and Air National Guard, as well as served as the Commissioner of the Military Department, State of Vermont. She oversaw a combined federal and state budget in excess of $120 million with a full-time work force of some 900 state and federal employees." Rainville has received awards and attention for her leadership role in the National Guard. According to McKenna, "After 9/11, when National Guard troops were ordered to the border, the Vermont National Guard sent troops to Canada. Initially the soldiers weren't allowed to be armed, and Rainville thought this was a bad decision. She had already gained the respect of her colleagues and was able to change the policy so they were armed." Many Vermonters, who saw more of their own National Guardsmen deployed to confront the war on terror than any other state, are especially familiar with Rainville's leadership skills.Despite her moderate leanings, many Republicans still support Rainville. In fact, Rainville is so moderate that she is said to have vacillated between the Republican and Democratic parties before jumping on with the Republicans before the race began. After joining, Rainville has had no qualms accepting enormous funds from the Republican party - even from conservative members. According to public records, the National Republican Campaign Committee has spent now nearly $170,000 on her campaign. Among the Republicans who have publicly voiced support for Rainville are First Lady Laura Bush and Sen. John McCain. At a fundraising dinner for Rainville in Burlington last week, McKenna heard McCain point out, "Republicans who worked in the military have a stronger credibility among fellow members," in reference to her experience as a
djutant general for the Vermont National Guard.Welch, on the other hand, has earned his credibility over the many years he has been involved in Vermont politics and policy making. Welch has even had the experience of running for and losing an election. Welch may have lost 1988 primary for the U.S. House, but the event never hindered his aspirations. In regards to Welch losing an election almost two decades ago, Savage remarked, "He has a ton of experience and enormous respect from the legislature. He's in a different position this time."Both candidates claim Vermont and America are ready for change, and both seek to provide that change. Welch believes a change in leadership is essential, saying, "The question facing Vermonters in this race for Congress is clear - do they want to give one more vote to George W. Bush and the Bush Congress, or do they want to vote for a change of leadership and new direction." Rainville was confident that her leadership skills will carry her to victory in reforming congress and all its shortcomings, saying "Serving in Congress is about public service. We need to take steps to keep Congress focused on the needs of the people and not on partisan agendas or the goals of special interest groups. The steps I have presented throughout this campaign - clean campaigns, ethics and budget reform, and term limits - work to establish a process that will help restore voters' faith in their elected officials."
(05/11/06 12:00am)
Author: JASON MCDONALD '06 Honorable Trustees, President Liebowitz, and Middlebury College:As energy prices soar, tuition costs rise, and the climate crisis looms, we students are determined to realize a monumental and unprecedented goal: a carbon neutral Middlebury College. This means that the College will reduce its net emissions of greenhouse gases to zero. Carbon neutrality will be achieved by improving energy efficiency, switching to sustainable energy sources, and purchasing carbon offsets. As the leading institution in environmental education, Middlebury College is well poised to accomplish this milestone.With the creation of the Environmental Studies major in 1965, Middlebury established itself as a national leader in environmental education. The achievement of carbon neutrality will reaffirm Middlebury's role as an environmental leader and strengthen its proud tradition. It is time that Middlebury begins to translate its emphasis on environmental education into significant environmental action.The College has already taken steps toward greenhouse gas reduction. The 2-degrees campaign and the ICICLE contest have saved energy and money while educating the campus on efficient energy use. The College is considering replacing oil furnaces with bio-fuel. The installation of the wind turbine symbolizes the direction that Middlebury can and must pursue. However, merely reducing our carbon emissions is not enough. It is time to eliminate the College's carbon footprint entirely.Carbon neutrality is not only a pragmatic, cost-effective, and environmentally-sound solution, but would also be a manifestation of the core values of our institution. The College's commitment to environmentally-sound policy and its dedication to transform these values into action shows that Middlebury is an ideal place for this campaign to succeed. Carbon neutrality is not only a responsible and realistically achievable goal, but also represents a landmark in the global fight against climate change.As the 2005-2006 academic year draws to an end, it is time to reflect upon past accomplishments and consider the future of our institution and of our world. In the coming academic year, the Sunday Night Group will make carbon-neutrality a focal point of our efforts. Climate change is the challenge of our generation, and it is imperative that we make a stand.
(05/11/06 12:00am)
Author: ROBERT LEVINE '08 Over the last few weeks, the issue of climate change has been attracting lots of attention on campus. Andrew Revkin, a reporter for The New York Times who spoke this past Thursday, was just the most recent of the many authors and experts who have come to Middlebury to discuss this issue that will undoubtedly be the most important of our generation. However, talking about climate change and actually doing something about it are often separate activities, and for many, they are mutually exclusive. This can be the product of unawareness, apathy or some combination of the two, but I frequently meet well-intentioned individuals who simply do not know the little things about how to reduce their ecological footprint. Living responsibly encompasses a multitude of activities, and I want to let you all in on some tricks of the trade. Planning on driving home? That's a shame - first try to find public transportation. No bus or train to where you need to be? Carpool. And while you're at it, keep some of the following in mind. Every 100 pounds of extra weight reduces your gas mileage by up to two percent, so think about storing more and taking home less. Like to drive fast? Remember that your gas mileage tank is above 60 mph, and you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an extra $0.20 per gallon for gas. In addition to slowing down, make sure your tires are properly inflated (every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires causes a 0.4 percent reduction in gas mileage) and avoid aggressive driving (i.e. don't floor it to impress your friends). Plus, if your car is going to sit idly for more than 10 seconds, turn it off - it takes more gas to idle for 10 seconds than it does to restart your car. Finally, if you are on the highway and need to use the AC, do it. Opening your windows creates more drag and reduces your gas mileage. But if you're in the city, AC usage can increase fuel consumption by more than 20 percent, so cruise with the vents open or the windows down.Once you're home, there's plenty to be done. First, offset the carbon emissions of your trip home. See www.terrapass.com to calculate your car's carbon emissions, or if you're flying, go to www.carbonneutral.com. Then, take out the compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) that you received during the ICICLE competition and show your family, friends and neighbors. If every bulb in your house isn't a CFL, you should consider adding a trip to the hardware store to your list of things to do. The bulbs are cheap, last ten times longer than a regular incandescent light bulb, and use 66 percent less electricity. Does Mom still do your laundry? Tell her you want to hang it outside to dry, or go get a drying rack for under $15 (in your summer mailing from the College, you will be able to purchase a drying rack that will be waiting for you in your dorm room next year!). Does Mom still do the food shopping? Tell her to look into buying local organics. Some foods will be much more expensive, and therefore a bit more difficult to justify buying, but many foods, like organic bananas, are quite reasonably priced in comparison to their conventional, pesticide-covered, petroleum-fertilizer-produced brethren. Wondering why Mom is doing all the hard work? Do it yourself! Educate your family about how to live more responsibly. It's fun, highly rewarding, and in the case of organic food, delicious. Not living at home this summer? You get to do it all! No matter your plans, take a few minutes to strategize about how to be more environmentally friendly. Find a job that's in walking or biking distance of your residence. Take public transportation. Buy energy efficient appliances. Look for products made of recycled materials. Don't buy a newspaper - read it online. And compost - everybody loves compost. The bottom line is that change only comes with action. It is easy not to care enough to change your light bulbs or hang your laundry; in fact, it requires almost no effort at all. Instead we must be proactive and educate those around us. My family didn't know what a CFL was until I brought one home last year; my mom doesn't buy organic bananas; and my dad drives a car that gets 15 miles per gallon. I'll be home for the summer, and I plan on shaking things up a bit. I encourage you to do the same.
