ES News
Check out the new Check Sheet and ES Minor Declaration Form
Aaron Traywick Wins
Environmental Stewardship Award 2013!
The UM Environmental Studies Council selected Aaron Traywick to win the 2013 Environmental Stewardship Award. He achieved this distinct honor for educating himself and others about environmental issues, for active participation in the UM Environmental Club and regional environmental groups, for organizing events on campus and contributions to the Montevallo ValloCycle bikeshare program, for generating innovative ideas, and for tireless, enthusiastic environmental activism locally & nationally. Aaron is also recognized for promoting the service of local foods on campus, for his work to educate people of all ages about environmental issues, and for leadership in campus sustainability. Great job, Aaron!
Highlights
ES and E-Club Students at the Alabama Water Rally, March 2013
E-club and ES Students Rule the Southeast Student Renewable Energy Conference 2012
UM and CASE (Coalition of Alabama Students for the Environment) members Lobby for Clean Water Policies in Montgomery
Links
VALLOCYCLE
**08/01/2012: “Montevallo Vibe” by Jesse Chambers, B-Metro Magazine
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/05/montevallos_complete_streets_p.html
UM ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB/ UM GREEN FUND
http://blog.al.com/huntsville-times-business/2013/01/alabama_college_students_push.html
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/04/ua_starts_fund_to_promote_sust.html
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/04/ua_starts_fund_to_promote_sust.html
Archives
UM Organic Community Garden Donates Food to SEA
The University of Montevallo Organic Community Garden continues to donate fresh vegetables to Shelby Emergency Assistance (SEA). The garden, which opened in Fall 2009, is an initiative of the UM Environmental Club. Plots are available for UM students, faculty, staff and members of the Montevallo community.
The donation project began with a summer course for the University’s new environmental studies minor, Environmental Studies 300: Summer Harvest, taught by Associate Professor of Biology Jill Wicknick and Associate Professor of English Lee Rozelle. “One component of the course was for the students to learn about organic gardening and hunger issues and to grow food for donation,” Wicknick said. Wicknick and Rozelle are co-coordinators of the environmental studies minor.
Holly Pless, UM Organic Community Garden Manager
UM student Holly Pless, garden manager, began work on the donation plot last spring, tilling the ground and planting seeds. In June, the nine students enrolled in ES 300 continued work on the plot, harvesting the vegetables Pless had planted and donating them to SEA. They also began sowing new seeds for the fall harvest. According to Wicknick, students in the Environmental Club continued to care for the plot even after the summer course had ended, allowing the relationship with SEA to continue. “We give a huge thanks to Holly Pless; without her this project would not have been successful and would not continue to be successful,” Wicknick said.
In addition to donations of fresh vegetables, the Environmental Club held a canned food drive, donating 200 pounds of canned food to SEA. Wicknick will teach the Summer Harvest course again this summer with Assistant Professor of Social Work Laurel Hitchcock.
ES Hosts Renowned Ecocritic John Elder
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The
ES Program, President Stewart, and the UM Concert and Lecture Series hosted
environmental author John Elder to deliver a lecture on Wednesday, February 15.
The talk, titled "Green Mountain Mardi Gras: Loss and Celebration Under a
Changing Sky," linked sugar making and Mardi Gras as a means to find hope in the
face of environmental crisis.
Professor Elder joined Middlebury College in 1973 and helped to establish the first Environmental Studies Major in the nation. Middlebury has since emerged as a liberal arts model in sustainability and environmental action, and UM’s own recently established Environmental Studies Program owes a great deal to Professor Elder’s example. Elder was also part of the movement that first conceptualized the field of study known as ecocriticism, which studies literature and our environment from interdisciplinary perspectives. John's areas of interest as a teacher are American nature writing, English Romantic Poetry, modern American poetry of nature, and Japan's haiku tradition; he has also enjoyed exploring service-learning and community-based education. His books include Imagining the Earth: Poetry and the Vision of Nature, Reading the Mountains of Home, The Frog Run, and Pilgrimage to Vallombrosa.
Hear Professor Elder's talk via podcast.
Mountaintop Removal Lecture Part of ES Forum Series
12 UM Students Participate in SSREC (Southeastern Students for Renewable Energy Conference) at UNC Asheville
Environmental Club sponsored a trip to SSREC from November 4 to 6, a conference that deals with various environmental issues such as pollution, food systems, and renewable energy, as well as tactics that can be used to implement solutions on our campuses and in our communities.
Environmental Club Hosts Food Drive for Shelby Emergency Assistance
In response to SEA’s need for non-perishable donations, Environmental Club put collection boxes in UM academic buildings and was able to gather 200 pounds of food to be distributed to families in our community! The donation drive lasted 1 month and ended on November 7.
ValloCycle, the First City-Wide Bike Share Program in the State, Launches on Founders' Day
The result of collaboration between the University and the City of Montevallo, ValloCycle is a unique program that will benefit the entire community. On Founders' Day, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the “Becoming” sculpture on UM’s campus, followed by a tour of campus sustainability landmarks. Shelby County residents, including UM students, can register for a 1-year membership at city hall, paying either $25 or 25 hours of community service for unlimited bike check-outs from Carmichael Library, Parnell Library, and the Montevallo Police Department. For more information, visit vallocycle.com or email vallocycle@gmail.com.
Sustainability at UM: Founders' Day celebrates Green Initiatives at UM
UM’s 115th Founders’ Day was a celebration of sustainability initiatives on campus. Activities started with the launch of the University-City cooperative ValloCycle bike share program, the first of its kind in Alabama. We then toured a few campus sustainability landmarks, including UM Organic Community Garden, the James Wylie Shepherd Observatory, and the Physical Plant. Along the way, we also heard about the Environmental Studies Minor.
Environmental Club Teams Up With Black Warrior Riverkeeper and NAACP to Raise Awareness About and Solve Local Pollution Issues
In order to raise awareness about pollution issues in our community, as well as promote the NAACP’s upcoming “T.I.M.E.” Rally, Environmental Club hosted a showing of CBS 42's “Deadly Deception,” a documentary that exposes the coal industry’s pollution of the Collegeville community in North Birmingham.
Thanks to Environmental Club’s work with the Black Warrior Riverkeeper and the NAACP to protest the proposed Shepherd Bend Mine, the NAACP invited environmental organizations to hold a panel discussion of environmental issues that affect our state. UM provided transportation for UM students to participate in the rally, as well as to support Environmental Club’s representative panelist, Aaron Traywick.
UM Environmental Club hosts Campus Cleanup in Anticipation of
Founders' Day
14 UM students picked up nearly 25 pounds of litter during their campus cleanup on October 7. The cleanup was intended to not only demonstrate the club’s effort to make our campus look its best for Founders’ Day visitors, but also to raise awareness about littering. Following this event’s success, Environmental Club plans to host future campus and creek cleanups.
Nelson Brooke of Black Warrior Riverkeeper Speaks at UM Campus
On September 19, Black Warrior Riverkeeper Nelson Brooke visited UM to speak about his work dealing with pollution issues in the Black Warrior rivershed, as well as explain the ongoing controversy about a coal mine proposed to be built at Shepherd Bend.
ValloCycle hosts Biking Tour of Montevallo for Take Flight Weekend
This tour, led by ValloCycle Student Coordinator Aaron Traywick on August 28, showed approximately 30 UM students different landmarks in Montevallo, including the UM Organic Community Garden, the University Lake, and Main Street. The tour ended at Eclipse, thanks to Cheryl Patton, who opened her doors on Sunday and fed riders a free lunch. ValloCycle organized this tour in order to introduce incoming freshmen to the wonderful things that Montevallo has to offer, including green spaces and local hangouts.
Environmental Club Co-President Courtney Bennett Attends SPROG Conference
The Sierra Student Coalition hosts SPROG every summer in order to train young environmental activists. Courtney Bennett represented UM at this conference, and she learned important skills and tactics to bring back to her campus in the fall.
For more information contact ES Coordinators Lee Rozelle or Jill Wicknick
Lee Rozelle
UM Department of English and Foreign Languages
Station 6420
Montevallo, AL 35115
Jill Wicknick
UM Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics
Harman Hall, Station 6480
University of Montevallo
Montevallo, AL 35115
