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!
|
|
Taking Time to Take Some Time
Let’s all be honest. Retreats can sometimes be a hard sell. We’re all busy with our day-to-day work and personal lives, it can be hard to take some time commit to taking some time to pause, learn, reflect, and open up with those you work with. This is especially true for our busy students – taking a full Saturday to come on an EC retreat is a big commitment, especially for new team members who don’t quite know what they’re getting into. But ask any student here at the EC, and they’ll probably tell you that our semesterly retreats have been one of their favorite parts of their EC experience.
At the end of a full day of workshops and trainings, our students shared their biggest takeaways from the day and what gives them hope about the future. It was the kind of moment you want to capture by writing it all down, but you know that kind of meticulousness actually wouldn’t be in the spirit of the moment. Instead, I believe we all felt content letting the sentiments swirl around the room and settle within each of us. We commonly talk about the importance of building a sense of community and appreciating working with so many people to make a positive impact, but it’s wonderful to get a chance to really feel what exactly these sentiments represent.
|
|
Marty Pool
EC Coordinator
|
|
Environmental Center Happenings
|
|
Events, programs, and ways to help make a difference!
|
|
Snowdown Float a Success!
Ellis McNichol, dedicated EC team members, and valuable community members made the Snowdown Float an absolute success. Our message was hear loud and clear and the crowd cheered us in. Extra bonus that over 80% of the materials used were reused items. Until next year!
Big thanks once again to our float sponsors: Living Solar, Turtle Lake Refuge, and Tech-Nichol!
|
|
Buy Valentines Cookies- Give back to Wet'suwet'en Land Defenders of British Columbia
Find our team members in the Student Union, selling Valentines Cookies, and supporting the Wet'suwet'en Land Defenders.
To find out more information, visit us Friday, February 14th in the Student Union Lobby!
|
|
In search of Free Store Donations!
Love our free store? We do too, and we want to provide more for you! Drop your gently used items off at the EC, tell your friends, tell your family! And we can keep the Free Store running abundantly.
|
|
Community Events and Happenings
|
|
What's Going On at FLC and in Our Local Community
|
|
Sustainability Initiative Grant Now Accepting Applications
Do you have an idea that could help make FLC more sustainable? Make it happen by applying for the Sustainability Initiative Grant! This grant, hosted by the Campus Sustainability Council, awards up to $6,000 toward innovative and impactful projects to make FLC more environmentally sustainable.
Although the total amount available is $6,000, projects in the range of $500-$2,000 are strongly encouraged so that we can make multiple awards, and share the love!
Applications are due Tuesday, Feb. 25 by 5 PM.
For more details and to find an application visit
SIG web page
|
|
Animas River Trail Pedestrian Bridge Meeting
In response to community interest for more discussion on the Animas River Trail pedestrian bridge crossing the Animas River, railroad tracks and 32nd Street, there will be a series of brief presentations by the Parks and Recreation Department design team with accurate information regarding the design of the bridge.arn about the intricacies of climate change policy and the workings of government.
Meetings: February 18 at 6:30 pm - City Council Meeting at City Hall
February 26 at 4:00 pm - Multimodal Advisory Board Meeting at City Hall
February 27 at 5:00 pm - Community Meeting at the Recreation Center
Cost: Free!
|
|
Shout Out to Colorado College for Achieving Carbon Neutrality!
CC is now the first higher education institution in the Rocky Mountain region to reach this important milestone, and the eighth higher education institution to become carbon neutral in the United States. Becoming carbon neutral is no easy feat. To reach this accomplishment, Colorado College worked and several simultaneous initiatives including a key coordination with Colorado Springs Utilities.
Fort Lewis College is well on it's way to carbon neutrality, with our calculated emissions down 58% from our 2011 baseline year thanks to energy conservation projects and a commitment to renewable energy credits. We're excited to catch CC soon!
|
|
Mana Soup Kitchen Hosting SNAP Office Hours at FLC
Did you know that students are eligible for SNAP? SNAP is a federal nutrition program that helps you stretch your food budget and makes it easy to buy groceries and locally grown veggies. College students often have tight grocery budgets, so this program supplies a monthly stipend for food, so you can stretch your budget elsewhere. If accepted, the monthly stipend will be distributed on a debit card to use at grocery stores, farmers markets, co-ops, and our very own Old Fort Farm Stand.
When: Tuesdays, from 1-3 PM, through Feb 25
Where: Fort Lewis College, Student Union room 112 (Cascade Room)
Cost: Free!
970-385-5095, ext. 3
|
|
Defenders of Wildlife is Recruiting Volunteers
The group is looking for passionate volunteers to help educate voters on the importance of wolf recovery in Colorado through community tabling events, communicating with local elected officials, and writing Letters to the Editor.
|
|
|
|
Old Fort Winter Workdays
It's time to start the seeds of the 2020 growing season at the Old Fort, and it's more fun to do it together. We're putting the call out monthly for high tunnel work days. You'll learn the basics of preparing beds, sowing seeds, setting up irrigation - whatever we're working on that day! And you can get your hands in the dirt and be around seedlings long before the snow melts.
|
|
Durango Natural Foods Has Great Co-Op Deals
It's a common myth that local and organic food hast to be expensive. Check-out DNF for some awesome deals on delicious food - the closest grocery store to FLC just at the bottom of the 8th Ave. Front Hill!
This week's deals include Desert Sun Coffee, True Story Black Forest Ham, Fresh Ground Almond Butter, and much, much more!
Check out the
DNF Website
for more information and member benefits!
|
|
February Green Drinks
Green Drinks is a monthly get together that's all about creating a well-connected community around all things environmental and "green". It takes place from 5 to 6:45 PM on the last Thursday of every month at Carver Brewing Company.
The Great Old Broads who are currently working on Bighorn Sheep and Pika monitoring, cross cut saw trainings, stewardship, Animas River education, and more will be hosting along with Rocky Mountain PBS. Rocky Mountain is working on programming for water week! On February 27th KRMU, Rocky Mountain PBS's Durango station, will be hosting green drinks in order to talk about RMPBS's programming for Water Week.
|
|
Jobs, Scholarships, Internships, and more!
|
|
Grand Canyon Program Intern
Spend the summer learning from Native leaders, storytellers, and Grand Canyon experts to develop curricula and interpretive materials that reflect tribal knowledge and histories of the region. As the Grand Canyon Program intern, you will build relationships, deepen your knowledge of environmental justice, and hone your skills in education and community engagement
Applications due March 2, 2020
Please send a resume, a list of three references, and a statement of interest that conveys your passion and qualifications to Amber Benally at
abenally@grandcanyontrust.org
|
|
North Rim Ranches Intern
Spend the summer working with Grand Canyon Trust staff and partners to research historical and current grazing management of North Rim Ranches — 830,000 acres of public lands on the north rim of the Grand Canyon where the Grand Canyon Trust and a ranching partner run a small herd of cattle.
Applications due March 2, 2020
Please send a resume, a list of three references, and a statement of interest that conveys your passion and qualifications to Amber Benally at
abenally@grandcanyontrust.org
|
|
Western Colorado Alliance is Hiring!
There are four open positions with Western Colorado Alliance as a Community Organizer or as a Membership Coordinator. Western Colorado believes in Community Action, help make change happen at a grassroots level.
|
|
EC Alum, Duke Jackson, is Hiring for Sol Vista Farm
This is an awesome opportunity for anyone interested in getting some serious hands-on experience at a small farm. Duke worked in the EC's campus garden, consulted on our food forest orchard, and has honed his skills working at the Old Fort and Turtle Lake Refuge.
|
|
Be a Ranger for San Juan Mountain Association
The San Juan Mountains Association (SJMA) is hiring a crew of wilderness rangers to work in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to educate wilderness visitors on “leave no trace” practices, conduct trail work, and monitor wilderness characteristics throughout the San Juan and Rio Grande National Forests.
Find out more details
here
|
|
EPA Internships with Water Policy
A research opportunities in water policy and regulation currently is available in Washington, D.C. in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Water (OW), in the Immediate Office (IO) of the Assistant Administrator for Water.
Find out more details
here
|
|
San Juan Soil and Water Conservation District is Hiring
This opening is for three technicians. Technicians will assist BLM Rangeland Management Specialists with resource specific monitoring within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Farmington Field Office of Farmington, NM. Field work will include pre- and post-treatment monitoring for sagebrush thinning projects, as well as an opportunity to be involved with other assessments and project partners.
To apply, send cover letter and resume with contact information for 3 references to
For questions about the position contact Range Management Specialist Barbara Witmore at (505)490-2073 or
bwitmore@blm.gov
|
|
Reform Policy in Washington, DC with Citizens Climate Lobby
Two local college students will be selected to attend CCL’s conference and lobby week in Washington DC June 6-9, 2020. The Durango Chapter of CCL will cover transportation, lodging, and provide a stipend for meals. At the conference, students will learn more about CCL and the Energy Innovation and Carbon dividend Act, plus they will learn about CCL’s lobbying methods. They will also have the opportunity to join with other CCL members to
speak to several Members of Congress about The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act H.R. 763.
Applications due March 15, 2020
Applications and instructions can be downloaded
here
.
|
|
The Old Fort Spring Farmer Training Immersion Program
The Old Fort is opening this program available to specialty crop producers who wish to take one, two, three or all fifteen sessions. They are accepting a limited number of outside farmers who would benefit from this information about developing a specialty crop business at high elevation focusing on vegetables and flowers.
The classes begin on February 14-15th and meet once a month on Friday (all day) and the following Saturday morning. Sessions are $20 each which includes nightly handouts or $250 for the entire series which includes printed CAFSS curriculum, supplemental books and nightly handouts.
|
|
The Haskell Environmental Research Studies (HERS) Institute Summer Internship
The HERS program is aimed at preparing American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian undergraduate students for graduate study by assisting them to create a research project related to climate and environmental change in Indigenous communities. Native students eligible to enroll in tribal colleges are encouraged to apply. During the HERS program, interns receive instruction and exposure to: GIS training, graduate-level writing curriculum, introductory environmental assessment, introduction to Indigenous methodologies, professional development training, and preparation for applying to graduate school. Interns research a self-selected topic related to climate and environmental change and its effects on Indigenous communities.
The internship includes a $4,000 stipend and additional financial support for housing, meals, travel and work equipment.
|
|
MSI is Hiring for Several Internships and Jobs
Mountain Studies Institute is a growing research and education center focused on developing science that people can use to address environmental issues facing the San Juan Mountains. They value and encourage the contributions of our employees and strive to create an environment where everyone can reach their full potential and drive outstanding results.
|
|
News and Inspiration from Our Community and Beyond
|
|
STAY CONNECTED - Like and Follow the EC!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
