News & Announcements

Gabe Selig’s “Energy Parks”

At the Log Lunch talk on March 10th, the phrase Gabe Selig wanted his audience to come away with was “energy parks.” Selig founded Southport Power, LLC. in 2005 and has been working to develop energy parks all over the country ever since. The goal of the company is to… Continue reading »

Log Lunch with David Dethier

At Log Lunch on January 6th, Edward Brust Professor of Geology, David Dethier, spoke on the Kellogg House/future CES building project.  Professor Dethier is the chair of the Kellogg House Building Committee.  Kellogg House was originally built in 1794 and served as the home of the first four presidents of… Continue reading »

Lessons Learned from Berkshire Grown and the Healthy Schools Campaign

Log lunch on January 13th continued the series of presentations of student internships this past summer funded by the Williams Center for Environmental Studies. Anthony Raduazo ’12 and Sarah Rosenberg ’14 were both involved with organizations that dealt with environmental issues in their respective regions. Anthony spent the summer working… Continue reading »

Speaking with Representative Gail Cariddi

On January 20th, State Representaive Gail Cariddi discussed environmental issues and current legislative initiatives in Massachusetts. Gail is a first-term representative to the state legislature and represents eleven communities of Berkshire and Franklin Counties. She is a member of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture. Last… Continue reading »

NYSunworks Brings the Greenhouse into the Classroom

At log lunch on December 2, Laurie Shoeman laid out an inspiring model for connecting students with agriculture through hands-on learning. Shoeman is the director of NYSunworks, a non-profit that promotes sustainability in schools by building greenhouses that double as classrooms and school cafeteria food suppliers. But these are not… Continue reading »

CES Students find Purpose at NGOs

November 28th’s log lunch began a series of presentations of student internships funded by the Williams Center for Environmental Studies this passed summer. Andrea Lindsay ’13 and Olivia Delia ’12 discussed the opportunities they seized to work at NGOs with missions now close to their hearts. Andrea spent the summer… Continue reading »

Connecting Teens to their Community and Environment

Imagine a community in which each family has a raised bed garden built in their front lawn by local teenagers, free of charge. Will Conklin, of Greenagers, a non-profit working to connect teenagers with the environment and their community simultaneously, is working to make that vision a reality in Great… Continue reading »

Using Profit Motives for Social Change

Is it possible to use profit motive as a social change incentive? Friday November 18th, Leslie King, associate professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies at Smith College, came to log lunch to discuss shareholder activism. Shareholder activism is the attempt by holders of stock in a corporation to influence company… Continue reading »

Paradise Lost? Karen Freudenberger’s Discusses Loss of Madagascar’s Rain Forest

On October 20, Karen Freudenberger discussed looming catastrophe on Madagascar’s doorstep. The talk, entitled “Paradise Lost? Reflections on a Quarter Century of Environmental Programs in Madagascar,” began with a series of outstandingly beautiful photographs of Madagascar’s rainforest intermixed with images of slash and burn agriculture, detailing fire and destruction. 15… Continue reading »