December 16, 2021
Hello and welcome to the Environmental Center (EC) Digest! Every two weeks, this little gem of digital media arrives in your inbox full of all things environmental, sustainable, socially responsible, and just plain "green".

Scroll down to check out:
  • Environmental Center happenings and chances to get involved
  • Community and campus events, initiatives, and opportunities
  • Jobs, internships, workshops, and trainings

And of course, our thought-provoking opening thoughts from EC students and staff. Enjoy!
It's Not Goodbye, Just See Ya Later

I'm excited to report that last Tuesday, December 7, 2021 the Durango City Council signed on to even more ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets than what were previously in place. We are now part of the ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability 150 Cities Race to Zero campaign, committed to being net carbon neutral by 2050, with a 54% interim reduction by 2030! (The full resolution including the recommendation from City Manager, José Madrigal, and background on the ICLEI program can be found on page 87 and onward of the City Council Meeting Agenda).

I kept a close eye on the status of this resolution because I personally care about the direction our community is heading with our sustainability goals. But more than that, I now have a professional stake in these goals - I'll be the one working to achieve them! Yes, I have the bittersweet news to share that I am moving on from my position overseeing the Environmental Center at the end of this semester, and I will be the new City of Durango Sustainability Program Manager. I feel both proud and fortunate with this next chapter in my professional life. Proud of our community for its strong commitment to sustainability principles, and fortunate to be building off such amazing work from passionate community advocates and the previous person who held this position, Imogen Ainsworth.

As I wrap up my five and a half years at the EC and at FLC, of course one of the biggest things on my mind is what will I miss most. I'll miss the positive energy and wonderful sense of community here at FLC. I'll miss the friendly and caring colleagues. I'll miss the positive attitudes and support of environmental and sustainability efforts. But of course, most of all I know I'll miss working with our incredible students. As part of my send-off, Sadie, our EC Coordinator, sent a request to EC alumni and graduates to get in touch with me. The stories and well wishes I've received have been wonderful. It is so inspiring to hear where are students are now, the great work they're doing, and how much they attribute their current achievements to their time at the EC. Between reading those messages, and all the graduation announcements and thank you cards I'm packing away from my office, I'm filled with the reminder that the greatest impact of the EC is indeed our amazing students who go off and make the world a more environmentally and socially responsible place.

Marty Pool
Assistant Director, Fort Lewis College Environmental Center
Environmental Center Happenings
Events, programs, and ways to help make a difference!
THANK YOU!!!

Our most heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to the EC's 30th Birthday campaign as part of Giving Tuesday. We hit every single one of our goals to achieve one of our largest and most successful donation campaigns in EC history! Nearly 40 individual donors contributed a total of over $11,000 to help advance the important work we do.

And a very special thank you to our amazing challenge matching donors,
Gay & Richard Grossman, and Chris & Pat Roach.
Congrats EC Grads!

  • Sera Wacasey: Sera started with the EC as our Residence Hall Room-side Recycling program manager, but expanded her interests as we grew our lands and ecology work over the years! She was a San Juan Mountains ambassador; hosted a film screening of Public Trust, guided bird watching, and worked on campus landscape restoration.
  • Brenden Wedertz: Brenden was one of our compost managers extraordinaire, and ties the record for longest committed EC student, working with us for 4 straight years, 8 semesters total! His dedication and commitment to the work can't be understated!
  • Sarah Brophy: Sarah worked on our Local Food Security team and went on to do some great work growing food using sustainable practices with the Old Fort!

Brenden (right) and his fellow compost crew
Sera on her first day as Room-side Recycling manager
Sarah (second from left) enjoying a home cooked meal at an EC winter retreat
Community Events and Happenings
What's Going On at FLC and in Our Local Community
Conscious Gift-Giving This Holiday Season

Check out these excellent resources on how to be just a little more mindful about your holiday purchases and consumption.

Durango's Local First is an excellent resource for local shopping and gift giving. Check out their Shop Local for the Holidays guide.

The Colorado Public Interest Research Group is hosting a webinar to highlight their Buy Less, Give more holiday gift guide. It includes 10 ideas for reducing waste around the holidays that focus more on creating connections and memories.
Opportunities
Jobs, Scholarships, Internships, and more!
The Old Fort is Hiring for Positions at All Levels!

Love growing food? Interested in Ag? The Old Fort has opportunities for anyone interested in farming, with positions open for various levels of experience. Check out the links below for the following positions: Farmer-in-Training, FIT, Program (new farming training); Incubator Program (new farmer start-up program); Production Manager (staff position).





Real Food Generation is Hiring!

Real Food Generation is hiring for a Development Director. Our Development Director will ensure that the organization is equipped with the resources needed to make a transformational impact on our food system in our next phase. 
Please see the job description, and forward this announcement to folks who might be interested in supporting the powerful work of Uprooted & Rising and the Real Food Challenge!

Climate Adaptation Scientists of Tomorrow (CAST) Program
Undergraduate Research Experience

Recruiting the next generation of climate scientists!

Build your climate science skills in a cohort of 12 undergraduate students with common interests across the U.S., lead an undergraduate research project, build strong professional partnerships with a scientist-mentor, graduate students, and faculty scholars, and participate in trainings to prepare for a career in climate adaptation science!

Applications due December 20. Apply Here!

For questions, please contact: Olivia LeDee (oledee@usgs.gov)
Durango Airport part-time Environmental Analyst

A great introductory position for environmental and building engineers! the Environmental Assistant will assist with assuring regulatory compliance with federal and state environmental regulations as they pertain to water treatment, wastewater treatment, airport wildlife management, storm water pollution prevention, and fuel storage as well as providing technical support to all Airport departments. This position works 2-3 days per week, with at least two of those days occurring on the weekends. Schedule can be compatibility with classes and the opportunity to gain some hands-on experience in the science/utilities field by working with our water and wastewater team.

For more information and to apply, visit the City of Durango jobs website.
Be Sure to Share Opportunities with Us!

Hey there campus and community organizations! We pride the EC Digest in being an excellent resource for students and community members looking for jobs, internships, and other opportunities in this field. We believe in the power of strong social networks to share this important information.

Know of an opportunity? Be sure to email it to Sadie Magnifico, EC Coordinator, at srmagnifico@fortlewis.edu.
What We're Diggin'
News and Inspiration from Our Community and Beyond

Environmental Center | Fort Lewis College | 970-247-7676 | envcenter@fortlewis.edu