Reducing your carbon footprint

"It is encouraging that more people are looking at solutions," said Nancy Nylen, the Center for Ecological Technology's associate director, after her presentation at the Green Living Seminar. Her presentation revolved around the desire for everyone to do their part to reduce their individual carbon footprint as well as the carbon footprint being left by the entire human race.

"It is looking at the amount of greenhouse gases that we produce in our daily lives," said Nylen. She said the carbon footprint is, "sort of an abstract concept." In her PowerPoint presentation, she tried to make the concept less abstract with a visual representation of what human activities have the most impact. On the slide, there were muddy-looking footprints with one human activity written on each. The human activities included in the visual were: electricity, airline miles, heating fuel, vehicle miles, and garbage.

Also in her presentation, Nylen made use of a number of charts. She summed up what all of the charts were saying, in one short sentence: "We are warming the planet." This is not news to the regular audience members of the Green Living Seminar, which is held every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Murdock 218.

This semester, the seminar is focusing on alternative ways to get energy and reduce the carbon footprint and global warming. Earlier this semester, there were presentations on photovoltaics (solar power), wind power, and hydropower. The presenters have ranged from professors to entrepreneurs, and some things in between. The seminar is one of the classes offered as a science elective, or as part of the Environmental Studies Major at MCLA.

According to Elena Traister, coordinator of the Environmental Studies Department, "MCLA is a natural environment for learning, and the only four-year institution in the region where students can major in Environmental Studies."

Going along with the theme of reducing the carbon footprint, MCLA is home to the Sustainability Committee, better known as the Green Team. All over campus, this semester and last semester, there have been events and activities put on by the Green Team, revolving around awareness. One ongoing activity is "Trayless Thursday," which occurs every Thursday in the Centennial room-no trays are put out, in an effort to reduce the amount of water used when washing the dinner dishes. Another ongoing activity is the effort to get everyone to recycle, via new recycling bins placed all over campus. As Earth Day grows nearer, there will be more events and more information provided.

For more information on Nancy Nylen and the Center for Ecological Technology, go to www.cetonline.org, or call 800-238-1221 for the Pittsfield branch. For more information on the Green Living Seminar, go to MCLA's website or e-mail Elena Traister.