Solar at Olin update!
Progress is happening, people! We’re doing lots of research and weird solar-math, meeting with facilities, and making a list of companies to look into. Additionally, an interactive website for Solar at Olin will be up and running by December, and we’re hoping to do another screen printing party soon (big thanks to everyone who came to the last one, I hope you’re enjoying the shirts!).
While the project is gaining support, extensive research must be done to decide how much solar energy to produce in order to minimize payback time for the college and maximize energy production. We must frame the proposal for those who will ultimately decide: the Board of Trustees, who must consider the finances, reputation, and future of Olin College. These considerations will be analyzed thoroughly in the proposal, with emphasis on payback time and the reputation of Olin as an innovative and socially aware community.
Once a proposal is written, it must be presented to the head of operations at Olin, Joanne Kossuth, who will either make suggestions for an alternate proposal or allow us to move forward without a rewrite. Next the proposal must be reviewed by President Miller; from there it will progress to the Board of Trustees. Hopefully a compromise can be reached and plans for implementation can begin.
–Ruby Spring
Screen Printing Party!
GrOW had its first T-shirt screen printing party this past November! We offered two awesome designs—a “Solar at Olin” print designed by Ruby Spring and a “Stop buying” print designed by David Pudlo. We provided T-shirts for those who did not bring one of their own, so don’t worry about showing up without a shirt! It was such a success that we’ve decided to ramp things up for December, with 3 new screens and a host of new designs! Look for an email announcing our next screen printing session— just in time for the holidays! Bring T-shirts, tote-bags, or anything else you want printed with an awesome design.
–Gabriel Ewall
Real Food Challenge at Olin
Have you ever considered the impact of the food you eat? Many sources of food in this country have negative effects on the environment and workers. The Real Food Challenge is an organization that is working to bring more sustainable, fair, humane, and locally produced food into college dining halls without increasing cost. GrOW is currently working with the Real Food Challenge and the Olin dining hall staff to assess the impact of the food in the dining hall and determine where improvement can be made to increase the quality of our food while decreasing the negative impact. For more information, visit realfoodchallenge.org, or email GrOW.
–Anna Knapp
