Spring ’20 Wrap Up

Reading 1: The Death of Environmentalism M. Shellenberger & T. Nordhaus

The definition of what is environmental needs expansion. CAFE reminds me of the Volkswagen scandal. I’ve never heard of the New Apollo Project, so it probably wasn’t super successful, but since it’s mentioned in the reading, there are at least take-aways to get from it. Coalition building is cool.

Reading 2: Sustainability Thwink.org

Definitions of sustainability in a comparative sense. I hadn’t thought of it in a pillared manner before, but I’m down for the environmental, economic, and social.

Reading 3: OWU Sustainability Plan (2017)

Goals Reached:More grassroots work! More collaboration!

Goals not Reached: Not as many quantifiable goals. Future edits have more potentially.

Reading 4: Sustainability: A Comprehensive Foundation

Sustainability really means to uphold. This definition and analysis is a foundation for ensuring human existence in the near and distant future.

Reading 5: “‘Scrappy’ Sustainability at Ohio Wesleyan University,” 

Wow #theoryintopractice am I right? It is a great look at how to further sustainability with a lack of funding but sense of scrappiness in making it happen. I knew Emily just a little bit, so it was cool to read this.

Reading 6: Geography 360 Environmental Geography Projects

Ah geography 360. It was good to read what projects are in motion, which ones have been achieved and which ones flopped. I hope we have a lot more successful ones in the future!

Reading 7: Special Report: OWU Sustainability.

An interesting read on how sustainability has changed in recent years. Cool interviews and familiar faces in the professors and administrators.

Reading 8:Recommendations of the President’s Task Force on Sustainability– Spring, 2009 & Supplemental Web Material 

Just how many wordpress blogs have you made? Glad to see that there has been consistent interest in promoting sustainability on campus.

Reading 9: Sustainability Region NSF Grant Proposal and Map/Poster.

I’ve seen these maps in the classroom, and now I know where they came from! Hopefully these individual pieces can still come together, even if they are funded or achieved in different manners.

Reading 10: The Psychology of Sustainable Behavior

A bit of a longer reading, but a great how-to on sustainable behaviors and continued interest for the self and for others.

Reading 11: “Against Environmental Panic.”

Bruckner is a little harsh, but man his prose is beautiful. It can be very entertaining/infuriating to get a view like this on environmentalism.

Reading 12: “How the Rich Plan to Rule a Burning Planet

This is something I feel like isn’t talked about enough. Climate change and pollution affects economic classes differently, especially in the midst of crises.

Reading 13: Scrappy Sustainability — Fall 2019

Wow look at OWU go! Would a sustainability coordinator even help us out that much? Seems like we’ve made a lot of progress without one

Earth Day 2020 sign

Pre-pandemic work

Post-Pandemic Work

Virtual Earth Day in carbon footprint calculator and work on student symposium

Solar Array Project Status as of 03/25/2020

Research:

-A solar variablility study may still be needed in order to establish how much energy can be produced on any given day. 

-Assess the feasibility of a larger solar array somewhere on campus (7-8 Acres =1 Megawatt)

-Implementing Educational Purposes: Dr. Rowley’s GEOG 235 (energy Resources), GEOG 245 (Weather and Climate)

Which company should be utilized: The Solar Network- group that works with Universities to implement solar (midWest Renewable Energy Association) Nonprofit coalition- Alden

Working with Alden Shepherd at Invenergy- Has an Excel sheet of others’ completed projects. Noted these places- Tennesee Knoxville larger parking lot use. Eaton (has charger ports- only an electric lot)

Funding:Looking into different grants outside of OWU, such as EPA, OWU resources are TPG, alumni (through Advancement’s fundraising and in encouraging Board of Trustees)

Parking lot between Beeghly and Corns

Other Projects researched

Toledo Museum of Art 

  • Partial parking lot canopy with plug-in availability for electric vehicles
  • With canopy and array- were able to go completely off of the city’s energy grid within a year.
  • State and federal grants from the Ohio Department of Development’s Office of Energy Efficiency and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
  • Company: Solscient Energy 

Denison Garden/Solar Hybrid

  • Pollinator-friendly project (1st of its’ kind- presents research questions)
  • Sustainability Coordinator (Carbon neutral campus by 2030)
  • Dashboard to see energy production
  • Difficulties- neighbors sued because of zoning
  • Company: Third Sun Solar

Potential ways to Implement

  •  Advancement may be able to have electric shuttles or what have you for assisting. Prefers residential side of campus.
  • A smaller, feasible project that Advancement can ‘sell’ as a package to donors, such as a solar panel picnic table.

Other Notes

Potential space for an array in parking lot between Beeghly and Corns is approximately 1,510 sqft, according to an analysis done utilizing the Delaware County Auditor’s GIS website