how to respect mama earth + still get good grades

Be active on your campus! Take control of your climate narrative! Your future is in your hands.

“Energy conservation in contemporary residential construction. Emphasis on: energy efficient building materials, products and construction technology; alternative energy sources; passive solar design; environmental concerns, regulatory issues and building codes.”

Join MHC’s Outing Club for local hiking trips to take in and enjoy the beautiful nature we seek to protect and defend. The Outing Club seeks to cultivate and enrich Mount Holyoke students' appreciation for nature by providing accessible trips, leadership training, and community outreach in the outdoors! 

“We sat in this courtroom today, and we have filed this lawsuit, because the leaders we have elected to take care of our planet, and to take care of our country for our generation and those to follow, are failing to do their job," said Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh, a 15-year-old from Colorado who is one of the 21 young plaintiffs. "My generation is going to be inheriting the crisis we see all around us today. We are standing up not only for the environment and the Earth and the atmosphere but for the rights we have to live in a healthy, just and sustainable world."

“We will examine the feasibility of converting the entire energy infrastructure of the US from one that is dependent on fossil fuels to one that utilizes mostly renewable sources of energy. We will examine the potential scale of energy production and the associated costs, natural resource requirements and land usage needs for both renewables, such as solar, wind and biofuel, and non-renewables, such as coal, natural gas, petroleum and nuclear. By applying extensive use of basic algebra and an elementary understanding of the physical processes underpinning each energy technology, we will arrive at a number of urgent conclusions about the challenges facing our energy infrastructure.”

Don’t forget to print on both sides, and in black and white to save money and trees!

In addition to being stylish and comfortable, rugs are a great way to provide insulation in your room!

Okay, maybe that’s misleading- calories are power (stored energy), and kilowatts are energy in instantaneous use, so calories are the only one you can really burn. But if you are able, try using only the stairs instead of the elevator for one day! Too easy? Try two or three!

Wilder 

(Information from Mount Holyoke Eco-Reps)

The congressman for South Hadley’s district is Richard E. Neal. No matter where you’re from, Congressman Neal is in a position to make decisions that affect your life at MHC- write him an email letting him know that you care about Massachusetts’ commitment to renewable energy! 

If you own a mini fridge, keep the temperature mid-range to reduce your energy consumption. And if you have a roommate, share the space! You’ll use less energy, and if you have your own fridge, you can sell it on Mount Holyoke Free and For Sale to make some extra cash. 

Don’t use plastic water bottles….ever. MHC gives every student a reusable metal water bottles during orientation week; you can also purchase your own. Even recycled plastic water bottles are a huge threat to environmental cleanliness!

Image credit: Mount Holyoke Eco-Reps

Beware energy vampires! Most devices still use energy when they’re plugged in, even if they’re turned off! To save energy and reduce your carbon footprint, connect your appliances to power strips and turn them off when you leave for class or go to sleep.

When doing laundry in your building, try to wash only full loads if possible. Not only do you save energy and water by cutting down the amount of loads you wash, you save money as well! ($1.50 for for a load? Come on). Also, use the BRIGHTS cold-water setting when you do laundry to eliminate the unnecessary use of water heating when washing clothes. Unless you are washing clothes with oil stains, cold water will wash your clothes just as well while reducing 90% of the energy use per wash!