Green Initiatives

INTG-402 Citizenship: Green Initiatives
Instructor: Kenneth Cramer

This course will focus on defining and proposing a solution to a specific, local campus or community environmental problem. The end product of the course will be a concrete, detailed proposal for action submitted to appropriate authorities that is based on research and discussion with all stakeholders. The majority of our work will be collaborative and intensive; every member of the course will be expected to produce and contribute significantly to the final product which will ultimately be a catalyst of for measurable progress in solving an environmental problem. The reading list for the course may be found here.

During last year's session of this course, the students put together a paper addressing the prospects of wind-based energy on Monmouth College's campus. The full text of this paper can be downloaded here. A paper about the success and implementation of recycling programs on campus completed in the Fall '08 semester can also be downloaded here. Some of the other possible projects for this course include:

1) Analysis of waste generated vs. recycled in a pilot program in one dorm and compared non-recycling dorm with economic analysis.

2) Methane generation project; using methane from Farmland waste treatment plant to heat the campus and/or community. This project is being undertaken during the Fall '08 semester.

3) Local food movement and cafeteria nutrition with Aramark (with Bruce Cvancara)

4) Increasing energy efficiency, especially lighting, in campus buildings (with Earl Wilfong, Don Gladfelter) A full text summary of this project may be downloaded here.

5) Proposal for LEEDS "gold" or "platinum" certification in new Academic Complex with cost estimates. The full text of this proposal can be downloaded here.

6) Community education, participation in recycling

7) Community education and energy conservation in low-income homes (e.g. light bulb replacement, energy audits, insulation, programs to help fund, etc.)

8) Community participation in backyard wildlife habitat program (www.nwf.org/backyard)

9) Campus ecology program from NWF, apply for grants.

10) Feasibility study of artificial wetland to treat municipal waste from MC and city.

11) Inventory the plants and animals of LeSuer Nature Preserve and produce a high quality educational brochure for the public. The results of this project can be seen here.

In the fall of 2008, this class will meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 1:00 p.m.

Green Town/Gown Studen Projects, fall, 08:
1) Locate any brownfields in Warren County and study the environmental clean up
needed to re-use the land (I don’t think there are many here but this could be
interesting and could help us turn property that is unused back to viable real
estate)

2) Study local indoor air quality in Monmouth – Radon, smoke other pollutants

3) Study how much material is going into landfills in Monmouth and determine how
much of that could be recycled. Study impact of current recycling efforts –
amount of materials/energy saved and postulate how much could be recycled
potentially. Create materials to educate the public on this.

4) Work with Recycling Center to determine the feasibility of expanding the range
of recyclables currently accepted (for example plastics other than 1 and 2).

5) Study local attitudes toward recycling – differences between income ranges,
ethnicity, male/female, ages etc.

6) Promote the use of Warren county freecycle (on-line list serve where people can
offer things they have that they would like to get rid of (that are still usable) or
ask for things they need/want. Everything is given for free.

7) Promote expansion of area thrift store to include office supplies and other often
discarded “new” items

8) End of the year yard sale or yard give-away – have receptacles at each dorm
where students can drop off gently used clothes, school supplies, and furniture,
etc. Items could then be given away or sold as a fundraiser for a local charity
(green solutions?)

9) Create in house environmental columns for the MC paper, segments for the
Campus TV or radio.

10)Organize a regular environmental page/article in area papers – work with the
paper to get the agreement/requirements and then recruit local/regional experts
write and submit articles.

11) Study life of average students. How much waste does the average student
produce? Are they recycling anything now? and how cognizant are they of issues
like product packaging/ recyclable items etc.?

12) Survey area businesses about recycling and what they are or are not aware of as
far as recycling availability and what resources they are currently taking
advantage of.

Integrated Studies Courses

ILA Homepage

Global Perspectives Homepage

Reflections Homepage

College Resources

Mellinger Center Homepage

CAC Homepage

MC Homepage

Contact: Professor Craig Watson: E-mail

External Links