Status Report

We're feeling very successful lately here at Williams, although we're definitely still playing catch-up with Middlebury. This Monday the Climate Action Committee presented a complete plan to the senior staff outlining how to bring Williams down to 10% below 1991 levels by 2020. Its not the ambitious goal I was hoping for, but at the same time it is a commitment of millions of dollars and institutional focus for an important and achievable goal.

We're also in the process of changing out every incandescent light on campus, a few dorms a night and today there was a large ice sculpture in front of the science library which spelled out the word E-A-R-T-H which melted slowly for all to see.

My personal work has mostly been (and will continue to be) on focus the nation and energizing a large group of climate action heroes and concerned students. For instance we have a winter study course this year dedicated to organizing that event.

It seems Middlebury is committed to becoming carbon neutral and I think that's a phenomenal goal. I know the Williams senior staff is taking a trip up there this weekend to see how it works.

What I would really like to see is something really worth doing that could be coordinated between a few schools in a way that got more than just the environmentalists involved. Maybe something revolving around a sports match or something.

But all in all its been a good week and its really nice to see hard work pay off. Now if only the Record would publish my op-ed.