Projects - Fall 2009
Battle of the Bulbs: House Energy Competition
We are holding a month-long energy competition among the ten Houses on the Commons. In preparing for this event, we advertised heavily around the Commons and in our school newpapers such as the Hustler. In essence, the ten Houses compete to see who can reduce their building's energy bill by the greatest percentage. We will provide tips on ways for them to reduce their bills. We are even going to have the RAs on each floor have a floor meeting to encourage energy reduction tips. The House that lowers their bill the most will have a huge party on the Commons Lawn.
Eventually, we hope to have energy competitions involving every residence hall on campus.
Project leaders: Ben Kahn and Leslie Labruto
Biodiesel
SPEAR has partnered with Vanderbilt's Biodiesel Initiative to bring cleaner energy to our campus. By collecting used vegetable oil from on-campus dining facilities as well as local vendors in Nashville, the biodiesel program is able to convert this used grease into biodiesel fuel for cars as well as handsoap, made with the glyercol by-product. For more information, visit the VBI website.
Butterfly Garden
In November, SPEAR will be planting a garden fpr the bees, moths, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators of Nashville! In a generously-offered plot at the Carver Food Park Community Garden, we shall be working one weekend with school-aged children; educating them about the importance and plight of our pollinators as we all plant together in the (cross fingers) sunshine! With the correct number of puddling and basking spaces, focus on drought-resistant native species, use of our own home-grown compost, careful selection of plants to attract different pollinator species, and other environmentally-minded considerations, SPEAR can then move to get this space certified as a pollinator garden by "Monarchs Across Georgia!"
Campus Wide Energy Competition
Cardboard Crew
We recycled 7.5 tons of cardboard during move-in days in August. (1 ton is about 6 times the weight of Shaquille O'Neal.)
Climate Change Solutions Week
SPEAR will host a week-long series of events that will spread awareness on what we can do to combat climate change. Last year, we had a table in Sarratt, planted trees, and invited distinguished Vanderbilt professors for a lecture series.
Composting
We compost food offerings from the Commons Dining Center Preparation Kitchen and coffee grounds from Common Grounds. In addition, we seek to utilize our compost for campus beautification projects and perhaps for free plants that will be given to Vanderbilt students.
In Spring 2009, Plant Ops used our compost to plant trees around Peabody Campus. [Photos]
Earth Hour
From the Earth Hour web site: "On March 28, hundreds of millions of people from 88 countries used their light switch to cast their Vote for Earth."
SPEAR is working with SEMO so that Vanderbilt may join the millions of people nationwide in turning off their lights for an hour to highlight the importance of energy conservation.
Watch the VUCast coverage from April 17. 2009.
Earth Week
Eco-Fashion Show
SPEAR partnered with the Sierra Club as well as other fashion organizations on campus to produce Vanderbilt's first ever Eco-Fashion Show this fall. The show featured designers who have made efforts to make their clothing eco-friendly by using inks, threads, and materials that serve to be non-damaging to the environment.
Grant Applications
Annually, SPEAR applied for grants and scholarships to better the campus. In the process, SPEAR nominates 3-5 writers for each grant who are able to have free reign of the proposal put forth, as long as it is feasible and pertains to SPEAR's mission of sustainability on campus. Grants are usually applied for in the fall semester.
Kilowatt Ours
Kilowatt Ours is a program developed by local filmmaker Jeff Barrie focusing on sustainable energy and conservation in the Southeast. SPEAR is partnering with the program and send out trained educators to present the documentary Kilowatt Ours and the accompanying program to elementary and middle school age children.
Plant Give Away
A companion to the Butterfly Gardens project. SPEAR hopes to grow enough plant in the garden to give away to Vanderbilt students.
Recycling Blitz
Rites of Spring Recycling
SPEAR coordinated efforts to pick up all recycable materials after Vanderbilt's two-day spring concert featuring acts such as Lil' Jon and Spoon. After each night SPEAR would comb through the lawn and properly dispose of cans and bottles, while also picking up valuables left behind at Rites of Spring.
Water Bottle Initiative
On the heels of Belmont University's move to discontinue the sale of water bottles on its campus, SPEAR is starting a campaign this year to reduce the amount of water bottles used and consumed on campus. With so many bottles used daily, our recycling is overburdened and plastic is unnecessarily wasted. SPEAR will begin by launching an awareness campaign in the fall and then move towards adding more filtration systems in the spring once fewer water bottles are purchased on campus. We hope to see a significant reduction by the end of the school year.