Lessons in Life—and the Energy That Drives It

The story of how renewable energy came to Connecticut College is one of creativity, persistence, and a whole lotta legwork. As sophomores in the fall of 2000, Sarah Zisa and Kassie Rorhbach signed on as members of the college’s Environmental Model Committee, a body composed of representatives from all facets of the campus community meeting to address environmental policies at Connecticut College. Frustration with a somewhat passive attitude toward institutional change, however, led the two to begin questioning what action they could take to create greater momentum, enthusiasm and will toward action on environmental issues. “We wanted a project that would make a real difference—be dramatic and significant—but also very concrete, and do-able over the course of the year,” remembers Sarah. “We asked ourselves, ‘What can we do that will matter, and get done?’” Both women had taken an introductory Environmental Studies course in a previous semester that illustrated the necessity of switching from polluting fossil fuels to clean new energy technologies in order to achieve healthy air quality and a stable climate; consequently, the duo focused in on renewable energy as an important issue—and, given the process of electric deregulation occurring in Connecticut, a timely one. Just that quickly, a campaign was born.

Campaigning For Change: Spreading the Word about Renewable Energy [Abby, Lindsey, Sarah and Kelly in front of banner in student center; Sarah (Zisa) “working” for change over her winter vacation]

In presentations given about the project to other schools interested in green power and sustainable energy, Zisa and Rohrbach stress the initial importance of educating themselves on every aspect of energy—impacts, the industry, and the ins and out of deregulation—so that they could credibly begin to build awareness among others. “Education was so important to us, because we wanted to know the answer to every question before it was asked,” they explain. Once they had begun the huge task of research, the pair set about gaining support at two crucial levels: through conversations with the college president, administrators, faculty and staff, they built institutional relationships that helped them to develop a plan of action; and through awareness-raising events and campaigns that involved posters and news articles, panel discussions and informal dinners to talk about the issue, they created a “buzz” around the idea of energy consumption and renewable energy sources among the student body and wider campus community.

Educating Stakeholders at Panel Discussions [Pictured: Professor Norm Richards, Bob Maddox, Professor Mark Zimmer, and Peter Hogan.]

Awareness-raising, though a crucial step in motivating change and gaining general support for the clean energy concept, was not in itself enough to guarantee change, however. “Everybody loves the idea of renewable energy, but when presented with the cost differential, no one wants to pay,” Kassie Rohrbach observes. In order to join the Connecticut Energy Cooperative, which at the time was Connecticut College’s best option for purchasing renewable power (17.5% of the college’s total), a one-time membership fee of $1500 had to be raised—and, more formidably, a commitment of an additional $40,000 annually for energy consumption had to be funded.

Enter an age-old fundraising staple: the bake sale. Over the course of two months, students from the Renewable Energy Club (founded by Rohrbach and Zisa early in 2001 specifically to support this project) raised the $1500 Cooperative joining fee through proceeds from bi-weekly sales featuring organic baked goods, grilled cheese sandwiches, and other delectables, as well as through private donations.

Dedicated Fundraisers at Bake Sale: "organic mechanics" serve grilled cheese sandwiches with smiles

In the meantime, they drew up a petition to be submitted to the student Senate (who upon acceptance would send it on to a planning committee and from there to the Board of Trustees for final approval), creating a resolution to implement a $25 student energy fee as part of regular enrollment expenses for every student. This petition was then circulated and discussed with every person the Renewable Energy Club could possibly gain access to—“We knocked on every door five times,” Sarah jokes. In the end, the group reached 76% of the students on campus with their message about the benefits of renewable energy, and of those, 98% signed the petition. After going through the proper channels, this resolution was passed by the Board of Trustees in May of 2001, and Connecticut College joined the Connecticut Energy Cooperative; in the process, the institution reduced its contribution to climate change by 1,400 tons of CO2, and set an innovative, exciting example for others to follow.

This triumph, though of course quite satisfying, is hardly the end of the story—in fact it’s just the beginning. Connecticut College is now part of a growing group of higher education institutions who are embracing opportunities to stop climate change, showcase sustainable solutions, and be laboratories for “learning by doing” by choosing renewable energy options. These options are diverse, and growing, though economic and structural variables in the energy industry mean that choosing renewables is still not always the simplest or most convenient process. In fact, Connecticut College is currently re-negotiating its contract for renewable energy, since the Connecticut Energy Cooperative declared bankruptcy earlier this year; the institution is turning now to Tradable Renewable Energy Certificates (TREC’s), which allow for investment in new, green power resources in places where specific suppliers of renewable energy are not yet present. In the eyes of Rohrbach and Zisa, who are both looking forward to “life after college,” this is proof of an enduring legacy they can be proud of—a real and continuing institutional commitment to clean, green energy that will remain a staple at Connecticut College (and others!) even when both of these young activists have turned their talents, passions, and hard-won knowledge to new challenges.

To learn more about the benefits of choosing renewable energy, go to www.nrel.gov/clean_energy/whatis_re.html.

For more information about green electricity suppliers and/or TREC programs in your state, check out www.eren.doe.gov/greenpower/consumers.shtml or www.nesea.org/energy/info/.

--Jennifer Andrews