By Sara Blask '03

"We [the United States] produce twenty-five percent of the world's greenhouse [gasses] and comprise only four percent of the world's population," said Visiting Professor Wil Burns of the Environmental Studies and Government departments. "This needs to be addressed at the national level but isn't, and institutions such as Colby have a responsibility to do their part."

Thanks to a project named C3 (Colby Climate Coalition) spearheaded by Burns, Colby is doing its part.

In the fall of 2002 students in Burns's environmental policy seminar began to audit Colby's emissions levels. Students also began researching possibilities for future use of "green" electricity, a type of energy generated by sources such as sun and wind that emit much lower levels of carbon dioxide than traditional fossil fuels such as coal or oil. Continued research through the spring soon revealed that Colby uses considerably more energy than Bates or Bowdoin and that appropriate measures for curbing its energy use needed to be at the forefront of the College's agenda.

Beginning the process, the Student Government Association recently passed a motion in favor of "offsetting" the College's greenhouse gas emissions by 3 percent. This involves funding ( at a cost of nearly $7,000) environmentally cleaner power-generation technology not available in Maine but that would reduce emissions elsewhere in the country.

The commitment to emissions reduction is college-wide. C3 has the support of College Vice President of Administration Arnie Yasinski. And in May, President William Adams signed a pledge with the nonprofit group Clean Air-Cool Planet, joining Colby with more than 60 colleges, universities, communities and corporations in the Northeast working to reduce the emissions that cause global warming.

In the fall C3 will be in the hands of the Environmental Advisory Group (EAG), which will form a subcommittee focused on green energy and offsetting options. "There's a lot of desire among students to see institutional change at Colby that reflects environmental consciousness and values," said Jess Kellett '04J, a C3 and EAG member.

"We're connected to where we live and want to lessen our footprint on the environment. When you contribute to the solution, the effects radiate on all levels--locally, regionally, nationally and globally," said C3 member Kate Swayne '03.