Floralia performance 2010
Remember how B.o.B. was at Floralia two years ago? You know how he’s actually really famous now? Well, clearly Conn is ahead of the curve on the music scene, and it’s only going to get better from here on, thanks to the Concert from Conservation system proposed by the Renewable Energy Club (REC) at Connecticut College. This school-wide initiative is hosted in an attempt to conserve energy on campus in a meaningful, effective way while giving something back to the community for their efforts.
When it comes to conserving energy, we all know the routine: turn off your lights, turn down the heat, unplug your chargers, et cetera. And while you might not reap too much from your sowed efforts at home, at Conn, your steadfast efforts pay off, where those simple energy saving efforts add up at the end of the year.
The college and administration annually pledges to give 25 percent of the money saved solely through dorm energy conservation towards the Student Activities Council (SAC). The amount is a number calculated against the past five year averages, and so long as Conn keeps conserving, the amounts will only continue to grow.
“Essentially, the more energy the student body saves throughout the year, the more financial support we get for our favorite concert series Floralia,” said SGA Chair of Environmental Affairs Ian Phillips ’11.
Over the past three years, $10,551.90 has been saved through Concert from Conservation, with last year alone accounting for over $3,700 that will be allocated towards Floralia. This significant amount can make all the difference in the quality of bands at Floralia – “equivalent to the difference in quality between Raffe and Pee-Wee Herman,” according to Phillips.
There were some challenges in the past with Concert from Conservation, such as the miscommunication in finances that resulted in two years without properly funding the students’ conserved efforts. Emily Conrad ’11, Environmental Coordinator Assistant, spoke of the incident, insisting that although it was a minor slip up, the finance department was sure to reprimand the situation, and within three days, all of the money was effectively transferred. “As a result, we now have all the money we should, and things are just going to get better from this point.”
House Environmental Representatives make an earnest effort to keep students in the know by posting environmental boards, posters and signs by light switches, but it’s ultimately up to the students to heed their messages. All of these efforts are amidst last week’s Brumalia and Blackout Night events, put on by the various environmental clubs to begin to raise awareness for energy conservation.
“Brumalia and Blackout night were, in years past, considered kick-off events for Concert for Conservation,” said Erik Karwatowski, Co-President of the Renewable Energy Club. “In previous years, Concert from Conservation ran from November until late March; yet, this year, groups of students from the environmental clubs, as well as SGA and SAC, decided to expand the reach of Concert for Conservation from September to May. These events are still in the same light as past events where they are kicking it off and letting people know about Concert for Conservation.”
Conrad mentioned that in addition to this outreach, once a year, “the Renewable Energy Club instigates a pledge students can sign outside of Harris that says ‘I’m conserving energy for Concert from Conservation.’” REC hopes that the visual piece further instills a sense of conservation.
Just how well is Conn measuring up against other NESCAC schools? “We always submit to the Environmental College Sustainability Report Card, and have always gotten As in participation,” Conrad noted. On the other hand, lower marks in Endowment Transparency and Transportation are what result in the overall B grading Connecticut College received for 2010. All results can be found at greenreportcard.com.
“If saving energy in our dorms helps both the environment and raises the bar for the performances at Floralia, it’s definitely something we should implement,” said Phillips.
Photo from Voice archives
