MENV

Daily Camera: Patagonia’s Pearl Street location transforms into used clothing ‘pop-up shop’

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 23:35:37 +0000

Daily Camera: Patagonia’s Pearl Street location transforms into used clothing ‘pop-up shop’ Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 11/18/2019 - 16:35

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Thanksgiving 2019: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint During One of the Most Wasteful Times of the Year

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 19:55:17 +0000

Thanksgiving 2019: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint During One of the Most Wasteful Times of the Year Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 11/18/2019 - 12:55

Mikkela Blanton

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and for MENVers, Friday the 22^nd is the last day of classes before a week-long break. Which means that now’s the time that people are starting to get excited about the prospect of seven uninterrupted days of relaxation (but for homework!); traveling back home to see friends, family, and loved ones who have been much-missed for the past few months; and eating to the point of being uncomfortably full, of course.

Unfortunately, as great as the holidays are, they’re also a time of excessive waste. In fact, Americans throw away about 25 percent more trash between Thanksgiving to New Year’s! Whether you’re going or staying for the holiday, are a vegan, a vegetarian, a meat-eater, or an opportunivore, the holiday presents an opportunity to think about sustainability and conscious action. Here are some tips for celebrating the holiday in a way that’s as eco-friendly as possible:

Carpool

For many, Thanksgiving means traveling. Note that a single flight from the West to the East Coast of the United States emits at least one metric ton of carbon dioxide. If feasible, consider driving rather than flying home this holiday. Even better: consider carpooling if you and another student are from the same place!

If flying is your only option, you can still be conscious about your transportation when you reach your destination. Carpooling, using public transportation, and biking are all great options. And there is a direct bus route from Boulder to Denver International Airport (and free with your CU bus pass!).

Plan the Menu Wisely

Whether you’re hosting or attending, if you’re contributing food this Thanksgiving, plan wisely. A very relevant article written by MENV Sustainable Food Systems’ specialization lead, Nicole Civita, recommends nixing dishes that you make just out of habit but no one eats, easing up on the appetizers, making a lighter soup option so that guests won’t get too full too fast, and being okay with (gasp!) ditching the turkey. If you are planning on serving fowl (or meat of any source), consider sourcing it from a local farm, especially one that’s utilizing regenerative agriculture practices, if feasible.

Don’t Let Excess Food Go to Waste!

We all know that food waste statistics are alarming. Indeed, food waste in the United States is estimated at between 30-40 percent of the total food supply. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is a holiday that often results in excess production, consumption, and food finding its way into the trash. Fortunately, there are some easy fixes!

First, go back to menu planning. Know how many people you’re cooking for/how many people will be attending and be conscious of how much food you’ll actually need.

Next, save leftovers! If you want to be extra sustainable, consider reusable storage containers rather than plastic wrap/plastic bags for storage. Then, make a commitment to actually eat the leftovers rather than letting them spoil in your fridge. Encourage guests to take home leftovers, too.

If you do prepare a turkey, note that you can use the carcass and bones afterward to make a delicious, collagen-rich broth.

It’s a Time to Be Thankful

Regardless of Thanksgiving’s history, there’s an opportune moment for reflection about thankfulness. Bring a sense of gratitude to your Thanksgiving meal and thank the earth for all it provides!

**The MENV Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative is hosting a 2019 Thanksgiving Food Drive. All proceeds will be donated to the Boulder Community Food Share during the week of Thanksgiving. Please drop off any donations in the lounge. All non-perishable food items are welcome; please prioritize healthy food items if you have the means.

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MENV Students Tackle Waste Diversion During Football Game

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 16:55:18 +0000

MENV Students Tackle Waste Diversion During Football Game Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 10/21/2019 - 10:55

Andy Bingle

On October 4^th MENV students Sara Starr, Lizzy Anast, and Matt Bone spent 14 hours sorting waste, encouraging sustainability, and supplying compostable and recyclable materials at the University of Colorado football game against the University of Arizona.

The October 4^th game was CU’s official “PAC-12 Zero Waste Game". Every year each team in the PAC-12 conference picks one football and one basketball game as their “PAC-12 Zero Waste Game”. Each school competes against the other PAC-12 conference schools to achieve the highest diversion rate for each game. The school that has the highest diversion rate for their chosen game is recognized at the PAC-12 Sustainability Conference. Last year’s winner, with a 91.8% diversion rate for the football game, was CU! We are trying to keep the title to once again be recognized as the winner of the 2019-2020 PAC-12 Zero Waste Game champions.

You might be asking: "What is a diversion rate?" A diversion rate is the ratio, as a percent, of waste not going to the landfill (usually in the form of recyclables and compostables) to the total amount of waste by weight. An organization, or in this case event, is considered zero waste by attaining a diversion rate of 90%. In other words, a zero waste game is one that recycles or composts nine pounds of material for every one pound of waste that goes to the landfill. This is difficult for any venue to complete, but imagine trying to do this for a whole stadium of fans.

How do they do it? There are two main ways the MENV students helped to divert waste from the landfill during game day.

1. Overseeing the Zero Waste Tailgate area – The Franklin Field tailgate area is designated as a car free and zero waste area. This means all items used in that tailgate should be either compostable or recyclable. MENV student Lizzy Anast explains how the students help this process, “We have a tent in the middle to help hand out all the materials they need. We work with EcoProducts to provide tailgaters with plates, napkins, cups and it is all compostable.” In addition to providing compostable materials, the students provide tailgaters with sustainable tips, like how to best sort waste and how to bring these sustainability practices into their everyday life. At the end of the tailgate one group is awarded the Tailgater of the Game and receives a BBQ utensils and CU flag. Lizzy explains, “They love it! They get to stake the flag out in front of their tailgate, everyone is pretty happy.”

2. Sorting waste – After the game, MENV students pull up their sleeves and start to dig through trash. More specifically, they separate compostable and recyclable materials away from landfill waste. Lizzy mentioned this can be a messy but fun job: “There is a team that goes through every single bag at the end of every night, you rip all of the bags open and you take everything out. It is kind of nasty but it is fun. There’s music and dancing. We were at the game from 9:00am-11:00pm. But that is what it takes to be zero waste.”

This whole effort is in part catalyzed by the Green Sports Alliance and the PAC-12 Team Green initiative which uses the medium of sports to communicate sustainability. PAC-12 is the first collegiate conference to have all schools partner with the Green Sport Alliance, and was the first to create a sustainability branch of the partnership, which they call the PAC-12 Team Green. Other conferences, like the ACC and soon the Big 10, are embarking on similar efforts. MENV student Matt Bone explains, “PAC-12 Team Green is a platform to share best sustainability practices between the PAC-12 schools and is a blueprint being disseminated to other conferences.” Not only does the initiative help other schools engage in sustainability practices but it will hopefully effect the fans as well. “50,000 people at a stadium? That’s a really powerful place for you to send a message about the environment. Hopefully fans can bring some of these practices home.”

CU’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond just competing for the PAC-12 Team Green waste diversion award. The zero waste tailgating area and trash diversion separation happens at every CU home game. This is a way of life for us Buffs, and we hope fans can take some of these messages home to spread sustainability practices across the nation.

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2019 Capstone Feature: Food Waste Awareness Week

Anonymous — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 18:22:31 +0000

2019 Capstone Feature: Food Waste Awareness Week Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 09/30/2019 - 12:22

Marissa Miller

Over the course of the year, MENV will feature various Capstone Projects to keep the community updated on the accomplishments of our students and partner organizations. The Capstone is the centerpiece of the MENV program and is a year-long project that partners students with an organization from the public, private, or non-profit sector. Students gain real-world, professional experience that serves as a springboard for their future careers.

Capstone Project: Food Waste Awareness Week

Partner Organization: City of Boulder

Student Team: Sarah Ditton and Skye Fabrizio

Food Waste Awareness Week, a partnership between the City of Boulder and Boulder County, grew in its outreach and impact in its second year thanks to MENV students Sarah Ditton and Skye Fabrizio. In partnership with Jamie Harkins with the City of Boulder Climate Initiatives team, the group drove the effort to create robust events and a social media campaign in order to drive awareness for their topic, food waste.

As Sustainable Food Systems students in the MENV program, focusing on food waste was a way to explore a symptom of what they believe is an unjust food system. For Sarah, food waste is the reason she decided to be a part of the MENV program. She found her passion for food waste after graduating from Cornell and volunteering at a food rescue organization, “All I did was sort raspberries, but it was one of the most satisfying experiences I had ever had because everyone was so passionate and excited to be working on something they believed in.” For Skye, the links between food waste and food security drive her passion for this project. Skye explained, "After realizing that around 40% of food produced is not eaten and 13% of Colorado’s population suffers from food insecurity, it seems like an incredibly silly problem. Crafting ways to waste less food by feeding more people and reducing greenhouse gas emissions need to be at the forefront of our nation’s food policy initiatives."

The pair spent their summer creating three main events for Food Waste Awareness Week; a “Food Waste Challenge" for local restaurants, encouraging the use of World Wildlife Fund weeklong lesson plans for Boulder Valley School District schools, and hosting several panels focused on various aspects of the food system. The keynote event, Talking Food Waste: Moving the Conversation Forward, was the highlight of the week. Sarah and Skye worked hard to bring a group of experts together to talk about the necessary change in implementing ideas and solutions in the food waste space, while also inspiring action. The event had a great turnout and sparked loads of excitement for many members of the audience.

We caught up with Sarah and Skye at the end of the week to ask the one thing the public needs to do to have better food waste practices. “Vote!” they say, “Ask questions of politicians. No politician should be voted into office unless they have a comprehensive food policy that steers our food system to one that takes care of us and the planet instead of corporate interests. After you’ve done this, on an individual level, don’t feel scared to ask for smaller portion sizes and make sure to eat your leftovers!” If you’d like to learn more about food waste, start by exploring the content on their website, Boulder.Earth/food-waste. We’ll be sure to keep you posted on details for next year’s event. Awesome job on a fantastic capstone project, Sarah and Skye!

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MENV Alumni Publish Informative NREL Report

Anonymous — Sat, 21 Sep 2019 19:20:07 +0000

MENV Alumni Publish Informative NREL Report Anonymous (not verified) Sat, 09/21/2019 - 13:20

NREL

Anna Kaelin and Jeremy Stefek, from the very first MENV cohort, have worked hard over the past three years studying the economic impacts of the Rush Creek Wind Farm. This research originally stemmed from Anna and Jeremy’s capstone with NREL. Along with their colleagues, Suzanne Tegen, Owen Roberts, and David Keyser, their work was published this past week. The article about their work, written by NREL, has been posted and linked below:

Colorado Case Study Demonstrates In-State and Rural Economic Impacts from Wind Manufacturing and Plant Construction

Sept. 16, 2019

In-state wind turbine manufacturing and installation support both short-term and long-term jobs and account for other economic impacts, according to a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) case study of Xcel Energy’s 600-MW Rush Creek Wind Farm—Colorado's largest wind energy project. NREL researchers who conducted the study also gained a deeper understanding of how wind plant construction impacts the economies of rural communities, where wind plant construction often occurs.

The recently published report, Economic Impacts from Wind Energy in Colorado—Case Study: Rush Creek Wind FarmPDF, provides the results of quantitative and qualitative analyses. By using modeled and empirical data, the NREL team developed an informative picture of the economic impacts of wind energy development in rural Colorado—results that could apply to other states as well.

Highlighting the importance of domestic manufacturing, the study focused on the economic impact of jobs, earnings, gross domestic product (GDP), and gross economic output during the relatively short construction phase and the longer-term operation and maintenance phase.

“Rush Creek is unique because its 300 2-megawatt (MW) wind turbines were all manufactured in Colorado facilities,” said Jeremy Stefek, NREL researcher and lead author of the report. “This gave us the opportunity to study the jobs and economic activity supported by wind energy’s manufacturing and supply chain in Colorado.”

The Rush Creek Wind Farm spans four rural counties on the Colorado's eastern plains (see Figure 1). Installing wind turbines manufactured in the same state increased the farm’s economic impacts to Colorado. Using an in-state manufacturer also decreased transportation time and costs, as wind turbine components were delivered to the installation site by truck rather than rail. Wind turbine components, such as the blades, towers, and nacelles, were manufactured and assembled in Colorado using several in-state suppliers for subcomponents. Some parts and materials, however, were sourced from out of state. For example, nacelles were assembled in Colorado, but the subcomponents within the nacelles (such as generators and electronics) were manufactured elsewhere.

Figure 1. The four-county area of the Rush Creek Wind Farm in relation to Colorado manufacturing facilities for MHI Vestas.

Quantitatively, NREL’s Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) Wind Energy Model was used to estimate the gross economic impacts from the Rush Creek Wind Farm. JEDI models are user-friendly screening tools that estimate some of the economic impacts of energy projects.

Using empirical data, modeled data, and market research, NREL researchers created a set of assumptions to represent the economic scenario for the Rush Creek Wind Farm. Based on the analysis, the Colorado statewide economic impacts from Rush Creek are shown in Figure 2. Another JEDI analysis estimates the economic impacts of Rush Creek in the area where the development is located.

Figure 2. Summary of statewide economic impacts from the 600-MW Rush Creek Wind Farm supported during the construction phase and operating years.

The JEDI analysis shows that it's not just the construction phase of a wind plant that creates economic impact. The Rush Creek Wind Farm will support 180 long-term jobs and $20 million in GDP in Colorado annually throughout the operation and maintenance phase of its anticipated 25-year lifespan. In addition, Rush Creek will provide an estimated $45 million in landowner lease payments and approximately $62.5 million in property taxes during the 25-year life of the project.

Qualitatively, researchers interviewed 39 community members near the Rush Creek Wind Farm to collect empirical economic data as well as first-hand knowledge of community-level impacts during wind farm construction. Interviewees included local business owners, managers, employees, county commissioners, and economic development office representatives. Providing insight into actual effects of the wind farm on the local people and economy, most interviewees stated that the Rush Creek Wind Farm is one of the reasons business had increased over the past year.

"Our research into economic development from wind energy in rural communities can inform other communities across America as they consider future wind development,” Stefek said. “The idea of engaging communities to understand the on-the-ground effects of wind development makes this research unique and offers a powerful message about wind energy’s economic impact.”

The empirical research found that:

67% of businesses experienced increases in revenue from the previous year—and 11% saw significant increases
28% of respondents hired new people in the previous year
56% of employees worked more hours than the previous year.

Although interviewees were overall supportive of wind development, many reported challenges from wind farm construction stemming from the influx of temporary workers to their communities, including:

Local housing shortages
Increased housing prices
Lack of infrastructure to house temporary workers
Inability for some local businesses to keep up with increased demand
A small pool of qualified local candidates from which to hire.

However, even in the face of these challenges, community members indicated that local businesses and business development organizations support wind construction.

By considering the results of this Colorado case study, rural communities can be better informed and prepared to maximize local economic benefits of future wind development and address the challenges as well

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Prospective Students Attend MENV’s 2019 Admitted Students Weekend

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 15:53:40 +0000

Prospective Students Attend MENV’s 2019 Admitted Students Weekend Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/18/2019 - 09:53

Lander Karath , MENV Student Assistant

Over 60 prospective graduate students descended on the University of Colorado's Sustainability, Energy and Environment Community (SEEC) Building on Friday, April 5 for the 2019 Masters of the Environment (MENV) Admitted Students Weekend. Their arrival marked the second day of the weekend-long event, which featured a film night, information sessions, a student panel, a hike in Chautauqua Park, and more.

Attendees arrived in Boulder on Thursday, April 4 from across the country, hailing from places like Kansas City, Missouri, Bozeman, Montana, and Savannah, Georgia. One admitted student even visited all the way from Brazil. Others didn’t have to travel as far, as many in attendance came from various Colorado communities.

The first event of the weekend was a networking and film night at The Post Brewing Co. in downtown Boulder. The MENV welcomed Boulder’s first Chief Resilience Officer, Greg Guibert, who helped set the context for the evening’s short film, Knee Deep. The film highlighted the story of a community group called the Mudslingers, which formed to help victims of the devastating Colorado flood of 2013, and in the process discovered the power of helping others. Alisa Geiser, a local videographer and co-director of Knee Deep, was available to answer questions from the audience about the film, the Mudslingers, and what communities can do to emulate Boulder’s success story.

The following day was filled with interactive information sessions, beginning with an overview of the program and insight into the MENV curriculum. Students then broke out into their preferred specialization groups to learn more about their respective courses of study.

After lunch, the attendees heard from a group of current and former students on topics ranging from course work to job prospects. The student panel answered questions about life in Boulder and reiterated the unique combination and learning, professional, and adventure that the MENV program offers.

Following the panel, students had the opportunity to tour the University of Colorado Campus, including the Sustainability, Energy and Environment Community building. Tour-goers were then kicked back with current students, faculty, staff, and even a couple of advisory board members, at the Rayback Collective for a program-wide happy hour.

Reflecting on the jam-packed day of information and events, prospective student Samantha Albert remarked on the community that MENV has built around the degree.

“Since first learning about the MENV program, I have been most excited about joining forces with other environmentally-minded thought leaders,” said Albert. “MENV clearly prides itself on creating a strong sense of community, and I could not be more thrilled to be a future student and to learn from the experiences and perspectives of others within this community.”

On the final day of admitted-student events, attendees had the option of taking a ranger-guided hike in the shadow of the Flatirons at Chautauqua Park or attend the first Boulder Farmers Market of the year. Both events were followed with a send-off lunch at The Med, a local downtown favorite.

“The weekend was a tremendous success,” remarked MENV Assistant Director of Recruitment and External Relations, Myles Maland. “While we always strive to give admitted students a closer look at the curriculum and Capstone Project, our faculty, staff, and students really go the extra mile to show our recruits what it would be like to live, work, and play in the broader university and Boulder communities.

MENV staff expect to enroll a class of roughly 80 students beginning in August of 2019. The new cohort will be the program’s fourth since its inception in 2016. Prospective students interesting in applying for the MENV Class of 2021 should visit the MENV website or contact MENV’s Recruitment & Outreach Specialist Laura Fisher via email at laura.d.fisher@colorado.edu. Applications for admission will open in August 2019.

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MENV Joins Forces with GOCO to Plan for Colorado’s Recreation Future

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Apr 2019 20:31:04 +0000

MENV Joins Forces with GOCO to Plan for Colorado’s Recreation Future Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/08/2019 - 14:31

Lander Karath , MENV Student Assistant

In a new partnership with Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), the Masters of the Environment (MENV) Graduate Program will move to the forefront of Colorado’s efforts to manage rapid population growth and its effects on the environment. Through a planning grant, the MENV program will help shape an “All Lands Master Plan” that creates a system of unified management of local, state, and federal public lands to meet recreation demands for the next 30 years.

In March 2019, GOCO announced a series of planning grants to help local governments gather public input, evaluate conditions, and develop strategic plans to meet the outdoor recreation needs of Colorado communities. A portion of money goes to NOCO PLACES 2050 (short for Northern Colorado People, Land, Access, Conservation, Ecosystems, Sustainability), which focuses on partnerships between Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson, and Larimer Counties, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, the National Park Service, and other affected communities.

With these partnerships, NOCO PLACES 2050 plans to create an “All Lands Master Plan” that promotes a more effective and efficient management system for Colorado’s most-used lands. The project pledges to be adaptable for an uncertain future, focus on sustainable conservation and stewardship, take a proactive approach to land management, and to create a consistent revenue stream for continued management and maintenance.

MENV will consult GOCO over the course of the next year to help the state organization meet the goals of NOCO PLACES 2050. MENV Faculty Director, Joel Hartter, and two MENV graduate students will work with project partners to help them reach their planning goals. Hartter and the selected students will aid in the development of a report that includes recommendations regarding county-specific outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship plans for the five counties, a regional plan, and an amendment to the Arapahoe Roosevelt National Forest Management Plan. MENV will also engage faculty and alumni to participate in the report’s completion.

Hartter explained that the project will serve as an exemplar for other public lands in Colorado and the American West, and lead to change in the way that places anticipate, plan for, and adopt change using an all-lands approach. He also sees the project as a chance for MENV students to gain professional experience.

“This project is exciting for MENV because it will give students the chance to experience the work they will do outside of the program as professionals,” said Hartter. “Students will interact with and provide information to decision-makers, just as a consultant would do. They will see that process first-hand and contribute to important planning efforts.”

Hartter, students, and other MENV partners will begin working on the report in April 2019. Their finding will be delivered to NOCO PLACES 2050 in the fall of this year.

For more information on the GOCO grants, NOCO PLACES 2050, and MENV involvement with the program, reach out to Hartter at joel.hartter@colorado.edu.

Masters of the Environment (MENV)

The Masters of the Environment Graduate Program at the ��ƷSM��ӰƬ is an innovative, interdisciplinary professional master's degree that equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to address the complex environmental challenges of the 21st Century. Visit /menv/ for more information.

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO)

GOCO invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state's parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces. Our independent board awards competitive grants to local governments and land trusts, and makes investments through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Created by voters in 1992, GOCO has committed more than $1.2 billion in lottery proceeds to more than 5,200 projects in all 64 counties without any tax dollar support. Visit GOCO.org for more information.

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Meet Nicole Civita, MENV’s Sustainable Food Specialization Lead

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 22:29:05 +0000

Meet Nicole Civita, MENV’s Sustainable Food Specialization Lead Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/05/2018 - 15:29

Lander Karath , MENV Student Assistant

This fall, the Masters of the Environment Graduate Program welcomed new faculty member Nicole Civita. With a background in law and passion for social justice, Nicole leads MENV’s Sustainable Food Systems specialization in addition to teaching International Food Systems and U.S. Food Policy graduate courses. Read more about Nicole’s background here.

MENV staff caught up with Nicole to discuss her journey to MENV, the Sustainable Food Systems specialization, and what future students can expect from the program.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Masters of the Environment (MENV) Staff

Thanks for sitting down with me, especially as we near the end of a busy semester. First, I’d like to get into your background – you were a corporate lawyer before jumping into the food systems realm. How did you get here?

Nicole Civita

It is not necessarily a straight path, which is something that I focus on with students. When you’re pursuing professional education, you often think about how to get to the next thing you want to do. Some people have a strong clarity of purpose and vision, and they are able to walk down that road. I was not like that at all.

I was a lawyer practicing traditional law, but unhappily. I really wanted to find a way to take my skills and angle them so that I could pursue sustainability justice and equity, which wasn’t happening in corporate defense work and advising.

I came from a family that worked across the food system. My grandparents farmed in Queens, in what is now Forest Hills, New York. That was what they did when they got here to America. My dad’s family is made up of restaurateurs, and he works in a private school food service and overall food service consulting. Given that history, food was always in my space – but I wasn’t interested in it because of that. I became interested in food when I learned how to see it in systems and how food connects to the climate crisis and other environmental problems. I also learned to see it as connected to social justice and equity, income wage inequality, public health, and community well-being. Once I saw that I wanted to figure out how to use my skill set as a lawyer to make a better food system.

MENV

Was there a specific event or catalyst that sparked your passion for the food system?

Nicole Civita

There’s not a single event, but I think it was connected to a couple trends and life factors.

Being a lifelong urbanite and, at times, a snooty New Yorker, I had interacted with food mostly as a consumer. I became increasingly aware of the disconnect in our current system: I took clients out to expensive lunches for my law firm and the food just appeared. But who was serving it? What were their conditions of work? What did their financial situation look like? What are their opportunities for advancement?

I was always keenly aware of these factors, but then I started thinking further back in the chain. It coincided with my disillusionment with the very hectic, intentionally busy nature of high achieving professional urban life, and wanting a little more space and connection to nature. And so my husband and I started to have these dreams of getting a couple acres and supporting ourselves with them. We tried our hands at raising alpacas, and then we wound up living on a six-acre homestead in Vermont. This all happened a little later, but there was this dawning awareness of the fact that food just doesn’t show up on a plate.

I always had this very strong social justice orientation, which was the reason I went to law school in the first place. The food system employs 21 million in the U.S., most of them in very low-wage jobs and often patchworks of part-time jobs. So even though there was a period of disconnect in my life, I see that as very much a connection for me.

MENV

What brought you to the MENV program?

Nicole Civita

One of the really important things is that MENV is training professionals by example. I have never really been a traditional academic – I got my first position in a really funny way and I went to a non-traditional undergraduate institution to create an interdisciplinary food systems program. MENV’s combination of a fresh approach to graduate education, interdisciplinarity, the thematic focus, and the location here in Boulder are all really exciting factors for me.

MENV

What sets the sustainable food specialization apart? In other words, why should students choose to join the specialization?

Nicole Civita

I would actually start with the challenges. The challenge of studying and learning food systems is that they’re huge. There’s so much to cover and there are so many connections to map and to see. Plus the students are coming from so many backgrounds and want to go in so many different directions. That can be challenging as an educator, but it is tremendously exciting and stimulating.

The food systems approach at MENV is also fairly unique. Even food studies as an academic discipline are newer in terms of getting respect and recognition, and it’s often a combination of anthropology, cultural studies, geography, ethnography, and ethnic studies. Food systems is different than that. While we draw from all of the studies I mentioned, we’re also looking at the way the systems function: how they evolved and what factors are influencing their continued development.

When you add the word sustainability on top of that, you’re explicitly standing behind the idea that food systems ought to do more than just provide a ration of calories for a growing planet. That’s what’s really exciting to me about studying sustainable food systems.

When you’re talking about professional education you can find this sweet spot – a mix of applied experiential work and grounding in the big picture understanding. We do a good job of that through the Capstone structure, but also with the way we’re teaching and creating the curriculum and innovating that curriculum.

I also think that I come to this with a real reverence for food. Food as an intimate commodity. Food as a conduit for connection. Food as an expression of culture. We’re not just talking about widgets or unit of production. We’re thinking in its exalted privilege, but very essential place.

MENV

What do you want students to get out of this specialization?

Nicole Civita

The food system discipline is so broad that are so many directions to head in. What each student needs in terms of skills and deeper substantive knowledge is going to be different. Part of what I love about this program is that the size allows me to do that kind of work with them and help them build their networks.

I want students to have a keen appreciation of the power of food and of making changes in the food system. Things like how reducing our food waste by fifty percent and dramatically decreasing the consumption of animal products can provide tremendous reductions in greenhouse gasses. These are tremendous reductions that we could collectively agree to, without making major changes in international policy. I also want students to understand the power of food and the consequences of our choices – not just our individual choices but also our collective choices.

Finally, I want students to see food in systems, and to be on the hunt for leverage points where they can make small shifts to create change for the better. I want them to be very attuned to issues of power, privilege, and positionality in the food system in order to understand the history of colonialism in the food system. They need to be able to question the prevailing agrarian myths around food, but at the same time understand why agriculture, though an industry, is also different because of its essential basis in the biological and ecological systems.

MENV

What’s in store for future sustainable food systems cohorts?

Nicole Civita

There’s so much possibility here. It’s been fun to jump into teaching while simultaneously reviewing the curriculum, whether it’s talking to current students, faculty members, or professionals across the local, national and international food systems about how can we can shape this program to prepare our students to be problem solvers.

I have an evolving plan for the curriculum that isn’t ready for primetime, but in a general sense, I’m interested in creating additional experiential opportunities that leverage students pre-existing knowledge and experience to enrich our classes. I’ll be spending a lot of time at the beginning of a cohort’s first semester to figure out who is in the room, what they bring to the table, and how they can teach each other. I feel like that’s something that I’ve already started and I want to do more of.

***
If you would like more information on Sustainable Food Systems, visit the specialization's pageor contact Nicole Civita at nicole.civita@colorado.edu. For general questions about the MENV program please contact Laura Fisher at laura.d.fisher@colorado.edu.

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MENV Capstone: Vail Resorts Announces Long-Term Wind Energy Contract and Plan to Eliminate Conventional Single-Use Dining Plastics in its ‘Commitment to Zero’

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 14:35:54 +0000

MENV Capstone: Vail Resorts Announces Long-Term Wind Energy Contract and Plan to Eliminate Conventional Single-Use Dining Plastics in its ‘Commitment to Zero’ Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 11/14/2018 - 07:35

Vail Resorts

[video:https://vimeo.com/275114694]

Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) today took major steps in its ‘Commitment to Zero,’ as the Company announced a long-term wind energy contract to purchase the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power 100 percent of its estimated FY 2019 North American operations by 2020. Additionally, Vail Resorts announced a partnership with Eco-Products to supply all of its North American restaurants with compostable and recycled-content items and eliminate conventional single-use plastics, a process which will begin during the 2018-19 winter season.

Media Contact: Sara Olson, (303)-330-7926, solson1@vailresorts.com

Vail Resorts Announces Long-Term Wind Energy Contract and Plan to Eliminate Conventional Single-Use Dining Plastics in its ‘Commitment to Zero’

The agreement with Lincoln Clean Energy will produce enough wind energy to reduce the emissions associated with Vail Resorts’ estimated FY19 North American electricity use by 100 percent, which includes 17 resorts and their associated retail, hospitality, and corporate offices
Eco-Products named ‘Official Zero Waste Partner’ of Vail Resorts to help divert nearly 300 tons of waste from landfills through sustainable sourcing, including a Smart Straw initiative
Today’s announcements are a part of the Company’s first EpicPromise Progress Report around its ‘Commitment to Zero’ initiative and corporate giving programs

BROOMFIELD, Colo.—Nov. 13, 2018—Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) today took major steps in its ‘Commitment to Zero,’ as the Company announced a long-term wind energy contract to purchase the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power 100 percent of its estimated FY 2019 North American operations by 2020. Additionally, Vail Resorts announced a partnership with Eco-Products to supply all of its North American restaurants with compostable and recycled-content items and eliminate conventional single-use plastics, a process which will begin during the 2018-19 winter season.

“As a growing company, deeply connected to the outdoors, we made a commitment last year to address our most pressing global and environmental challenges and protect our local communities and natural resources,” said Rob Katz, chairman and chief executive officer of Vail Resorts. “Today we are thrilled to announce significant initiatives that will help us achieve our zero net emissions and zero waste to landfill goals, and provide a transparent look at our progress through our first EpicPromise Progress Report.”

The Company’s multimillion-dollar wind energy virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) enables the development of the Plum Creek Wind Project, which is expected to be completed in 2020. Under the 12-year agreement, Vail Resorts is purchasing 310,000 megawatt hours (MWh) annually – enough wind energy to reduce the emissions associated with the Company’s estimated FY 2019 North American electricity use by 100 percent, which includes the recent acquisitions of Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Stevens Pass Resort, Okemo Mountain Resort, and Mount Sunapee Resort. That is also the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power 30,000 average U.S. homes each year.

The Company’s agreement with Lincoln Clean Energy, a subsidiary of Ørsted and a leading developer of U.S. renewables, is the first of its kind to be executed by a Colorado-based company as a buyer and will make Vail Resorts the first major company in the leisure and hospitality industry to achieve 100 percent renewable electricity for its North American electricity load with a VPPA. Schneider Electric Energy & Sustainability Services served as a strategic advisor to Vail Resorts on the selection of the Plum Creek project.

“This agreement is just one of many ways Vail Resorts is working to be an industry leader in preserving the environment by bringing more renewable energy online,” said Katz. “While we continually work with local, state and federal governments and utility partners to find ways to source renewable energy in the markets where our individual resorts are located, this wind power purchase agreement allows us to make a measurable impact on climate change – and its effect on the planet – within just a few years.”

On a local level, Vail Resorts recently signed a contract with Xcel Energy in Colorado to support a new solar energy facility, and is sponsoring Rocky Mountain Power’s request for proposal for 308,000 MWh of renewable energy, which could lead to a significant increase in the amount of solar, wind, and geothermal projects in Utah. Additionally, the Company has invested $2.4 million in energy efficiency projects across its resorts over the last year, including low-energy snowmaking and energy-efficient building upgrades.
Achieving zero net emissions by 2030 is one pillar within the Company’s ‘Commitment to Zero’ sustainability goal, announced by Vail Resorts in 2017. Another pillar is to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2030.

In naming Boulder-based Eco-Products its ‘Official Zero Waste Partner,’ the Company is investing heavily in sourcing sustainable guest-facing dining products at all Vail Resorts restaurants across its 17 North American resorts, a process that will begin this winter season. Through this partnership, the Company is working to eliminate all single-use, guest-facing conventional plastic products, such as cups, straws, beverage lids, plates, bowls and cutlery, and replacing them with compostable or recycled-content products– a move that’s expected to divert nearly 300 tons of waste from landfills over the next two winter seasons.

To support and accommodate this change, and make measurable progress towards zero waste in 2030, Vail Resorts is working with community partners to identify increased opportunities to recycle and compost. The Company has set aside funding to build out resort-wide composting capabilities – with a full resort diversion project already underway at Park City Mountain in Utah, targeting food scraps and compostable packaging, due to be completed next season and expected to divert more than 400 tons of waste from landfills over the next two winter seasons.

Other zero waste initiatives from Vail Resorts include: expanding a Smart Straw initiative, where compostable straws will be available by request only across all the Company’s North American restaurants; moving to durable products where possible, such as replacing single-use wax paper cups with reusable tumblers everywhere that dishwashing is available (expected to eliminate nearly 300,000 disposable cups this season); using waste-tracking sensors to help better measure current waste streams and identify inefficiencies; and working with graduate students from the ��ƷSM��ӰƬ, Masters of the Environment program to conduct waste audits and research to identify opportunities for improvement.

“We are on a journey to re-imagine what it means to be a leader in sustainability by focusing on what’s right for our communities, our mountains and our future,” said Katz. “To succeed, we must rely on our individual and collective participation to ignite a passion for the great outdoors and strong communities for generations to come.”

Today’s sustainability announcements are a part of the 2018 EpicPromise Progress Report from Vail Resorts, an effort to transparently report annually on progress around its “Commitment to Zero” goals as well as its employee and community giving initiatives. More information about the programs outlined in the report can be found at www.epicpromise.com.

About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global mountain resort operator. Vail Resorts’ subsidiaries operate 15 world-class mountain resorts and three urban ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada; Perisher in Australia; Stowe and Okemo in Vermont; Mt. Sunapee in New Hampshire; Stevens Pass in Washington; Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. Vail Resorts owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.

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About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global mountain resort operator. Vail Resorts’ subsidiaries operate 15 world-class mountain resorts and three urban ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada; Perisher in Australia; Stowe and Okemo in Vermont; Mt. Sunapee in New Hampshire; Stevens Pass in Washington; Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. Vail Resorts owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.

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