Tag Archives: Students Against Violating the Environment

VSU’s S.A.V.E. protests Sabal Trail pipeline and for fossil fuel divestment

Stop the Sabal Trail pipeline to help fossil fuel divestment. WALB got the connection at VSU Thursday 11 February 2015.

Colter Anstaett, WALB, 12 February 2015, Lowndes environmental groups march through VSU,

“We’re using so much at a rate that, within our generation or our lifetime, there’s gonna be catastrophic changes that won’t be reversed,” SAVE President Adrianna Taylor….

Taylor also said she believed that if the university ultimately did divest from fossil fuels, it would show that VSU students have the ability to critically think at the same level as students at Stanford, Harvard, and Continue reading →

Sabal Trail in GWC Dirty Dozen –VDT

Joe Adgie wrote for the VDT today 23 October 2014, Coalition: Sabal one of Dirty Dozen,

VALDOSTA — The Georgia Water Coalition has named the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline as one of its Dirty Dozen for 2014, which highlights “12 of the worst offenses to Georgia’s waters,” according to the organization.

The pipeline is proposed to run under the Withlacoochee river, near Valdosta.

Joe Adgie also took the first picture above, of Logan Hulsey and Blake Clark of Students Against Violating the Environment (S.A.V.E.) at yesterday’s protest in front of the Valdosta Sabal Trail office. The other illustrations here are from WWALS Watershed Coalition about that Dirty Dozen item #9, Sabal Trail pipeline threatens Withlacoochee River and Floridan Aquifer,

In a press release, the GWC cited the risk of contaminating southwest Georgia’s well water, rivers and streams, as well Continue reading →

SAVE has a new website

Reminding everyone of what they do and what VSU President McKinney said, Students Against Violating the Environment has a new website.

S.A.V.E. is an environmental activist organization based on the campus of Valdosta State University (VSU). It is composed of students from all majors, and any VSU student is welcome to join regardless of race, gender, age, or sexual orientation.

The mission of the organization is Continue reading →

Videos: Solar Canopy Ceremony @ SAVE 2013-11-15

VSU’s president turns out to be a professor of environmental ethics, as he reminded us at the VSU Solar Canopy Ceremony 15 November 2013.

Here’s a video playlist:

Continue reading →

I am committed to developing a culture of sustainability on this campus –VSU President McKinney @ SAVE 2013-11-15

At installation of VSU’s solar canopy, the president of VSU answered SAVE’s question:

You’ve heard about how these kinds of projects can yield a relatively quick return on investment. And you all need to know that, so long as I am president, I am committed to developing a culture of sustainability on this campus. I do not believe for a moment that environmental sustainability and the long-term economic well-being of the university are contradictory goals.

He offered an autobiographical tidbit:

I began my career in academia… as a professor of environmental ethics. I didn’t leave that behind when moved into the role I’m in now. I still hold dear to that kind of thinking. I still hold dear that kind of open dialog. And I remain committed to these kinds of projects. The sun is something we have in abundance here. And I think it is something we can continue to take advantage of.

Now I will take a little bit of credit. I remember probably the most opposite of the day we have today. Back over the summer, and early in the morning, and it was already extremely hot, and we were walking around trying to decide where we were going to put the array, and we looked a couple of spots, and then we came back here.

Smokestack And the first thing that struck me from an academic perspective was the juxtaposition of having a solar panel and the old physical plant. Just from a metaphorical perspective, I just thought that was unique. But then we started talking about the fact that we could have shelter, power, for what is in many ways an academic hub of the university, the library. And generate some power in the process.

And be able to have not only the event that we have today, but I would hope other kinds of events, because I really do see this as a starting point.

He thanked everybody involved, especially SAVE and its president Danielle Jordan for her leadership, and in absentia plant operations.

Continue reading →

Making this a green campus –Dr. Michael G. Noll @ SAVE 2013-11-15

Dr. Noll remarked on the rain falling and said of the solar canopy:

It’s multipurpose, it provides shade, it provides shelter, and it provides renewable energy, so that makes it really awesome.

He offered as story about events and world population at those times:

  • 1 billion in 1783: the first hot air balloon in 1783 in Paris, France

  • 2 billion in 1903: Orville and Wilbur Wright’s first flight

  • 1969: Apollo 11 landed on the moon when Dr. Noll was 8 years old

  • 1973: Oil crisis
  • 4 billion in 1977: Jimmy Carter installed first solar panels on White House
  • 1981: Ronald Reagan took down those solar panels

  • 7 billion now: Accelerating climate change

He said we’re entering a second solar age, the first one being the fossilized solar power of fossil fuels. He mentioned the solar powered long flights of the Solar Impulse airplane as an example of hope, and an example of accelerating change.

Then you know what we are capable of, what we can do.

He concluded: Continue reading →

Anytime we use coal or natural gas we are linked to fracking and of course climate change –Danielle Jordan @ SAVE 2013-11-15

After repeating SAVE’s request for VSU to reinvest in more socially responsible options, Danielle Jordan, President of SAVE, gave one reason why SAVE supports fossil fuel divestment: Our actions don't stop here --Danielle Jordan

In our fiscally globalized world, our actions don’t stop here. Everything we do affects people half a world away. So anytime we use coal or natural gas we are linked to fracking and of course climate change. But that doesn’t have to be. We can change that. This proves it.

Crowd Half a world --with Dr. McKinney

This was at the Solar Canopy Ceremony 15 November 2013. Continue reading →

SAVE fossil fuel divestment on Spectator front page twice in two weeks

Winning PR by losing initial decisions: SAVE‘s doing it right.

Will Lewis write for The Spectator yesterday, SAVE fails to persuade Foundation,

“Compliance with your well-intentioned request is impractical for a number of reasons and perhaps even a breach of the fiduciary responsibility that all of our trustees take very seriously,” the refusal read.

Here’s SAVE’s request, and here’s SAVE’s president’s comment:

Danielle Jordan, senior anthropology major and president of SAVE, said, “There’s a lot of disappointment but we are not going to stop, we don’t see this as the end of our campaign. It lets us know where we stand with the Board of Trustees.”

The VSU Foundation’s Investment Objectives in the Investment Policy and Guidelines states that “Foundation funds should be invested to produce maximum total return consistent with prudent risk limits.”

On the other hand, the VSU Trustee Handbook says the Mission Statement of the VSU Foundation is: Continue reading →

Divesting from oil and gas –Prof. Matthew Richard

Dr. Richard posted this letter to the editor of the The Spectator, VSU’s student newspaper, on SAVE’s facebook page today. I added the links and the images. -jsq

To the Editor:

I would like to address the VSU community with this letter.

VSU Students, faculty, and staff, did you know that many of the clothes that we admire and purchase in the USA are made in places like Bangladesh? Indeed, some of our most popular brands of clothing, including GAP, Old Navy, and Banana Republic originate there. Perhaps you know that many Bangladeshi clothing manufacturers employ children as young as 12 years old who earn as little as $32 per month despite working up to 14 hours a day? It’s little wonder that so many of us can look so stylish—and for relatively little money.

If you didn’t already know this, does it matter to you now? Are you concerned that the money you spend supports sweatshops in Bangladesh and elsewhere, perpetuating the misery of millions of our fellow human beings? Undoubtedly many of us are concerned, and we understand that we can make a difference in the world by being more judicious about where we shop. It’s why we choose to buy groceries at worker-friendly Publix rather than Continue reading →

Your well-intentioned request is impractical –VSU Foundation

The VSU Foundation knows more than 98% of climate scientists, and also sneers at former divestment from tobacco and apartheid companies. Nevermind that fossil fuel divestment is going faster than either of those. Is it good fiduciary responsibility to stay invested in the stranded investments of fossil fuel stocks while solar stocks are skyrocketing? Is this really how to encourage people to give to VSU? Is that how the alumni want their investments used?

Seen today on S.A.V.E.’s facebook page, VSU Foundation’s response to S.A.V.E.’s fossil fuel divestment request:

October 29, 2013

Danielle Jordan, President
S.A.V.E.
Valdosta State University

Dear Ms. Jordan,

The Investment Committee of the VSU Foundation Board of Trustees has reviewed the request from your organization that securities issued by companies engaged in the production of fossil fuel energy be excluded from the foundation’s endowment portfolios. Compliance with your well-intentioned request is impractical for a number of reasons and perhaps even a breach of the fiduciary responsibility that all of our trustees take very seriously.

The various VSU Foundation endowment portfolios are managed Continue reading →