In an effort to lower the college’s carbon footprint and bring healthier food to campus, Macalester joined the Real Food Challenge (RFC) in the fall of 2012. After seven years of complications, arduous data entry and few results, the Sustainability Committee is reconsidering that commitment. “I don’t want us to sign something and then say,…
By Hannah Catlin and Rebecca Edwards [email protected][email protected] For nearly a decade, Macalester has been actively working towards achieving six concrete sustainabilty goals: Zero Waste by 2020, 30% Real Food by 2020, Carbon Neutrality by 2025, Wellness, Education for Sustainability, and Urban Sustainability – but opinion remains divided on the college’s approach to environmental issues….
In another step towards meeting Macalester’s goal of becoming Zero Waste by 2020, student organizations, faculty and staff will now be able to order compostable dishware for wholesale prices as the result of an initiative from MCSG, Mailing and Business Services and the Sustainability Office. The idea, initially brought up in MCSG last semester, finally…
TMW: What brings you to work with the Sustainability Network? GQ: At the end of my freshman year, I started looking at work-study position openings for the next fall. I saw the position for Zero Waste Coordinator and thought it would be a good opportunity to spend time in a work-study position that involved an…
In an effort to bring its values of sustainability into practice, Macalester College has adopted a goal of Zero Waste by 2020. Macalester adheres to the widely accepted Zero Waste International Alliance standard, which states that Zero Waste Institutions divert 90% of waste from landfills and incinerators. Why does Zero Waste matter? We have a…
In 1970, Macalester students took responsible waste disposal into their own hands and initiated a grassroots recycling program. Students sustained the service until Facilities took over in 1986. The recycling effort marked the first commitment in the Macalester community to reducing the waste destined for a landfill or incinerator. Today, with the recent addition of…
If you’re seeking a lesser commitment with some of the same ideals of a CSA, farmer’s markets are the obvious next place to go. Luckily there’s a surplus in the Twin Cities during the summer.
One of the most frustrating things about buying any product is fighting to open it. Once you’ve torn through the outer layer of plastic and cut open the box, you use your sharp object of choice to dislodge plastic zip binds, twist ties, plastic casing, shrink wrap…would you think you had to pay extra for…
If you wondered why someone was walking around campus dressed as a fried egg on Tuesday, Claire Henkel ‘13 can tell you. “This way, I don’t have to bombard people, asking them to listen to my spiel,” she said. “People ask me first.” Henkel was excited about a new composting system implemented by the college…
