Award winners, from left, Kevin Curnin ’86, Rebecca Holcombe, Shawn O’Leary, and Francesca Gundrum ’17 participate in the panel discussion at the ceremony. (Photo by Eli Burakian ’00, Photo Source: The Dartmouth)
With a nickname like Big Green, it is no surprise that Dartmouth College is a haven for sustainability endeavors. With a new solar array on campus, waste reduction initiatives in dining halls and an organic farm producing delicious vegetables all summer long only 3 miles away, Dartmouth has lots of green going on!
However, there is always more work to do - just ask some of the students involved with Divest Dartmouth, an organization of concerned students, alumni and community members. Divest members actively campaign and promote the college divesting from companies that extract fossil fuels.
Since it’s inception in 2012, Divest Dartmouth has aimed to make the case for Dartmouth to cease investing in companies that promote the extraction of fossil fuels from the earth. Citing the detrimental effects of fossil fuel extraction on the environment as well as the harmful repercussions of fossil fuel combustion, resulting in GHG’s in the atmosphere, Divest Dartmouth educates and informs the Dartmouth community and greater public through demonstrations, petitions, student engagement and activism. Over the past five years, Divest Dartmouth has grown into a robust group of dedicated individuals, all dedicated to being leaders in the fight against global climate change, and eager to lead Dartmouth to the front of that charge.
Recently, Divest Dartmouth was honored for their hard work with the 2017 Student Organization Award from the 2017 Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Awards. This award recognizes Divest Dartmouth’s dedication to social justice through community engagement, diversity and inclusivity.
While Divest Dartmouth has it’s work cut out for it, their voice is being heard. Members of the group have met with President Phil Hanlon & members of the Board of Trustees, who agree that energy needs are one of the greatest challenges we as a nation and world face today.
For more information or to get involved with Divest Dartmouth, visit their Facebook page.