Center for Sustainable Communities
February 17, 2014
CSA Reimbursement Program encourages faculty and staff to eat more local veggies

Wellness, Sustainability and the Health Care Council are offering up to 150 Luther College faculty and staff households a 50% reimbursement (up to $100) on vegetable Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares. Also available for the garden-enthusiast (or wannabe garden enthusiast) is the  "Garden Membership," which provides assistance with developing and maintaining a vegetable garden. May 1st is the sign-up deadline, but faculty and staff are encouraged to sign up early to secure a spot. Learn more.  

2014 Gardening Series to begin February 24th
Over the course of the 2014 gardening season the Center for Sustainable Communities is offering a series of monthly gardening classes. The goal of this series is to provide basic information for beginning gardeners, as well as a forum for more seasoned gardeners to share information and ask questions. Local experts will guide participants through such topics as composting, saving seeds, edible landscaping, orcharding and seasonal extension. The first class of the series, "Garden Planning and Preparation," will take place on Monday, February 24th from 12:15-1:15pm in Valders 362.  Classes are free of charge, but registration is required. For a more detailed calendar of classes offered and to register, click here.  
2014 Energy Competition!
February 24th-March 17th, Luther students will be participating in the Annual Energy Competition. Campus-wide prizes are geared to increase awareness of energy consumption and encourage sustainable behavior change among students. A $250 prize will be awarded to the residence hall that has the greatest reduction in electricity use, and another $250 prize will be given to the first-year residence hall that has the highest percentage of energy audits over the three week period.  Students can check the Energy Competition easel in the Union for updates throughout the Competition. 
Summer Sustainability Internships
There are several opportunities for current Luther students to work in sustainability-related fields at Luther over the summer.  The Center for Sustainable Commun- ities is offering engaging internships in areas related to land stewardship, sustainable foods, urban gardening,  greening churches, recycling, and more! For more information and instructions on how to apply, visit the Summer Sustainability Internship website. Applications are due March 3rd.
Iowa Utilities Board seeks public feedback on clean energy
The Iowa Utility Board (IUB) is asking for feedback from the public until Feb. 25th on distributed generation, an electricity generating facility. Rather than using large central generating facilities such as coal fired and nuclear plants, distributed generation allows collection of energy from many sources and may give lower environmental impacts and improved security of supply. Feedback will assist IUB in addressing the potential widespread use of distributed generation, related consumer protections, and interconnection and safety considerations. For more information and a guide on how to submit responses, click here.  
2014 Oneota Film Festival
People from all over the NE Iowa, SE Minnesota, and SW Wisconsin areas will be coming to Luther's campus for the 5th Annual Oneota Film Festival the weekend of February 28th-March 2nd  . Films will be shown all weekend that relate to the environment, social justice, adventure, eco travel, food/agriculture, and local and student films. There are many volunteer positions still available for the weekend including video tech and usher/door volunteers. To volunteer, please fill out this volunteer form indicating when and how you would like to participate. To learn more about the Festival, the film line-up, and registration, go to oneotafilmfestival.com.
Luther selected to complete landfill gas study
The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has selected Luther College to receive a State Energy Program Formula award of $11,120.  The award will be used to fund a feasibility study to assess potential beneficial uses of landfill gas (LFG) generated at the Winneshiek County Landfill as an energy source for Luther College. The IEDA is paying 80% of the costs of the study, which will be conducted by Cornerstone Energy Group and completed by June 2014. The Winneshiek County Area Solid Waste Agency endorsed the study in October 2013. Learn more.
Sustainability Tip
Recycling one aluminum can saves enough electricity to power a TV for three hours, and aluminum cans can be recycled an unlimited number of times. To get more information about recycling on campus and in the community, click here.
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This newsletter is provided by the Center for Sustainable Communities, which coordinates all sustainability initiatives at Luther College.  The mission of the Center is to promote sustainability and be a catalyst for change on campus and in the region.  For more information on sustainability initiatives at Luther and the outreach work of the Center for Sustainable Communities, please visit:  www.luther.edu/sustainability.
Upcoming Events
Saturday, February 22: Trout SKI 5k Nordic Ski Race 
10am, Decorah Trout Hatchery
The Green Iowa AmeriCorps team in partnership with the Winneshiek Energy District is hosting the first annual Trout SKI 5k Nordic Ski Race. Come out to ski or cheer on others! Read more.
Monday, February 24:
Curt Ellis, FoodCorps 
7-9 pm, University of Northern Iowa- Lang Auditorium
Hear Co-founder and CEO of FoodCorps Curt Ellis share his journey that led him to start the organization that is changing the way children relate to food. Read more.
Monday, February 24:
Garden Planning and Preparation
12:15-1:15 pm, Valders 362
Join Jeff Scott from Driftless Gardens to gain insights into the key factors to consider when planting a garden. Interested faculty, staff, and students can learn more and register here.  
Feb. 24-March 17: Annual Energy Competition
Feb. 28-March 2: Oneota Film Festival  
Wednesday, March 5:
Gluten Free- It's What's For Dinner 
12-1 pm, Valders 379
Learn about finding lunch and dinner options that are gluten free and tasty with Johanna Bergen from the Co-op! Faculty, staff and students can sign up here.
Student Spotlight
Meghan Barker '17














Meghan is a first year student  from Fort Collins, Colorado studying Environmental Studies (Policy) and Political Science. Joining the sustainability team for the spring semester, Meghan works on writing the Sustainability Newsletter and recruiting for the Pre-College Program this summer. While her dream job is doing land conservation policy for a non-profit organization in Washington D.C., she has a strong passion for sustainability. "Sustainability is such a neat thing to partake in because it makes you truly aware of your relationship with the environment!"
Jobs/Opportunities
Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI): Community Garden Associate
LSI seeks a dedicated and energetic individual to work occasional (up to 24 hours/week) as a Community Garden Associate within the Refugee program in Des Moines. Learn more.  
Organic Valley- Mission and Messaging Assistant 
Organic Valley, a farmer-owned cooperative based in La Farge, Wisconsin, is looking to hire somebody who will provide support to the Mission & Messaging department, and collaborate closely with the Public Affairs team. Learn more.  
Troy Community Farms- Assistant Farm Manager
Troy Community Farm is seeking to hire an Assistant Farm Manager responsible for assisting the Farm Director in all aspects of certified organic vegetable, sprout, herb, greenhouse, and flower production; farm marketing; and farm intern, worker share, and volunteer training and education. Learn more
Goodman Youth Grow Local Farm- Crew Leader
Based out of Madison, WI, the Goodman Youth Grow Local Farm is looking for a Crew Leader to assist the Youth Farm Manager in all aspects of farm and program management, including leading field crews of students, interns, and volunteers;  preparing program supplies; and maintaining farm records . Learn more. 
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