Past Events
October 19, 2009
Washington College's GIS Program and the Center for Environment & Society have engaged Chuck Wolfe, President of Claggett Wolfe, to conduct a feasibility study to see if we can create a green technology business incubator at Washington College. A business incubator is an organization that helps businesses get started. In this instance, people will be approaching us with technological or green ideas. With our connections to experts, we will be able to help them refine their ideas and get started. We will have connections to the proper financial and technical assistance, and project leadership. The incubator will not only help us create businesses that are more environmentally sustainable, but supply jobs to those living in and near Chestertown. During these economic times jobs are hard to find and we will be glad to help the community in this way, working with many people in a collaborative manner.
October 13, 2009
Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin lectured on "Caretakers of Creation: Jewish Perspectives" at Emmanuel Church located at 101 N. Cross Street in Chestertown. This program was presented by the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College, the Chestertown Havurah, and the Chester Valley Ministers Association as the kickoff event of the "Caretakers of Creation" lecture series. The Reverend Allen LaMontagne, Rector of St. Paul's Parish, Kent, says the public forums will feature different faith perspectives in the context of the community's relationship with the land. "Discussion will center on our role as people of faith in the care of creation," he says.
September 30, 2009
"Under Our Skin," an award-winning documentary on Lyme disease, was presented as a public service in Litrenta Lecture Hall at Washington College.
3rd Annual Waterfront Festival - September 26, 2009
Boat tours of the Chester River, sailing, kayaking, cardboard boat race, bluegrass music, good food and family fun. Wilmer Park, 12-5 p.m.
The End of the Long Summer - September 23, 2009
Environmental journalist and author Dianne Dumanoski discussed her latest book, The End of the Long Summer: Why We Must Remake Our Civilization to Survive on a Volatile Earth, at Washington College's Litrenta Lecture Hall. Dumanoski has been a pioneer in reporting on such issues as ozone depletion, global warming and the accelerating loss of species since 1970. The event was presented by the Center for the Environment & Society and the Chestertown Spy.
Peace Day - September 19, 2009
The Chestertown Peace Alliance, the Community Mediation Center, and the Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College observed Peace Day at Chestertown's Fountain Park on Saturday, September 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The event included live music by Mary Ashley & Rebecca Pitre, educational exhibits, the lighting of a Unity Candle, and welcoming remarks by JoAnn Fairchild. Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at sunset, or just sitting in silent meditation. Or it can involve getting your co-workers, organization, community or government engaged in a large event. The impact if millions of people in all parts of the world, coming together for one day of peace, is immense.
Chesapeake Semester - August 24, 2009
The Chesapeake Semester kicked off at the Custom House. Throughout the fall, students will journey in, on, and around the watershed to discover what the Bay has in common with coastal communities around the globe.
Give N' Go - May 3 & 8, 2009
Don't make George dumpster dive… take part in Give N' Go, a collection of items you no longer need- or just cannot fit into your car to take home. All items collected were donated to Women In Need in Chestertown. Do your part to live sustainably and help those who are in need. Cosponsored by the Center for Environment & Society and Women In Need. Find out more at www.georgegoesgreen.com
Earth Day - April 25, 2009
The Kent County Humane Society, the Town of Chestertown, and the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College collaborated on the 2009 Mutt Strut and Earth Day Festival in downtown Chestertown. For a recap and photos of the event, view the Earth Day page.
April 22, 2009
The Student Environmental Alliance sponsored a 'Planet Earth' marathon, airing four episodes of the hit BBC series in honor of Earth Day.
April 18, 2009
The Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College and the Friends of Eastern Neck, Inc., organized a shoreline clean-up at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, April 18. "A lot of trash and debris washes up on shore over the winter," says Michele Whitbeck, volunteer coordinator at the Refuge, "so we aim to clean it up." The Friends of Eastern Neck, Inc. is a non-profit organization that supports the missions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Eastern Neck NWR through financial, advocacy, and volunteer support. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at Eastern Neck, visit www.fws.gov/northeast/easternneck/ or call (410) 639-7056.
April 14, 2009
"Urban Animals Unveiled", a lecture by Lisa Couturier, Casey Academic Center Forum 4:30 p.m. Many of the best-known naturalists have written eloquently about wild creatures in their natural environments, but writer Lisa Couturier invites us to take a second look at the eagles, foxes, snakes, and other animals that share our urban environments. She talks about wildlife in our own backyards and city streets.
March 21, 2009
A sustainability workshop by Scott Kellogg, co-founder of the Rhizome Collective, in urban ecological survival skills: exploring the cross-section of permaculture and social activism. This workshop’s focus is teaching the design of tools and techniques used to secure people’s access to one of life’s basic necessities: water.
March 20, 2009
The Center for the Environment & Society sponsored a lecture on radical sustainability and community building by Scott Kellogg, cofounder of the Rhizome Collective. Radical sustainability means rebuilding and reorganizing homes, neighborhoods, and communities in order to create a world that is both sustainable and equitable. A radically sustainable viewpoint recognizes the inseparability of ecological and social issues and the necessity of ensuring the solution to one problem does not create or worsen another.
March 5, 2009
As a daughter of Powhatan, the powerful chief of the Algonquian Indians in the Tidewater region of Virginia, Pocahontas played a significant role in American history. In 1616 John Smith wrote that Pocahontas was "the instrument to pursurve this colonie [Jamestown] from death, famine, and utter confusion." Her contributions as a vital link between the native Americans and the English will be explored in a lecture entitled "Pocahontas: Constructing the Jacobean Princess" by Dr. Karen Robertson.
January 27, 2009
Behind America's hamburgers and 72-ounce sodas is a key ingredient that quietly fuels our fast-food nation: corn. In KING CORN, recent college graduates Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis leave the East Coast for rural Iowa, where they decide to grow an acre of the nation's most powerful crop. Discussion and film showing with filmmaker Ian Cheney's.
December 1, 2008
Washington College's Center for Environment & Society screened a powerful new documentary on Lyme disease, "Under Our Skin." A dramatic tale of microbes, medicine and money, this eye-opening film investigates the untold story of Lyme, an emerging epidemic larger than AIDS. Each year thousands of Americans go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, told that their symptoms are "all in their head." Following the stories of patients and physicians as they battle for their lives and livelihoods, the film brings into focus a haunting picture of our health care system and its ability to cope with a silent terror under our skin.
November 13, 2008
The Center for Environment & Society, the McClain Program in Environmental Studies, the Dept. of Business Management and Clean Air-Cool Planet sponsored a business seminar: "Thinking Green: Energy, Carbon, and Your Bottom Line." Green drinks and hors d'oeuvres followed in the McLain Atrium. Speakers included: Rafe Pomerance, President, Clean Air-Cool Planet; Jenn Orgolini, Sustainability Director, New Belgium Brewery; Erica Shingara, Environmental Services Director, Gaithersburg, MD; and Albert Allen, President of Educational Facilities, Sodexo.
November 6, 2008
Some people call it camel's foot, squirrel foot, moccasin flower, nerve root, American valerian, Venus’ shoes, and whippoorwill shoes. But don’t be fooled. They’re all common names for Cypripedium: Lady’s slipper orchids, and the plants are found in pockets as far north as the Arctic Circle in Alaska and occur as far south as the Himalayas in the Old World. The pink lady’s slipper, a particularly flamboyant orchid growing naturally right here in Chestertown, was the subject of a colorful lecture and slide show by Dr. Douglas E. Gill.
November 1, 2008
The Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College and Friends of Eastern Neck, Inc., presented "Native American Net-Making and Other Prehistoric Fishing Technologies" by Dr. Bill Schindler. The migratory fish resource was very important to the prehistoric inhabitants of the Chesapeake Estuary.
October 30, 2008
The Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College and Sultana Projects presented the film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World at the Prince Theatre. On hand for the event was one of the technical advisors for the film, Chuck Fithian, Curator of Archaeology for the State of Delaware. Fithian led the archaeological analysis and conservation of the artifact collection from HMS DeBraak, a British warship that sank off the Delaware coast in 1798.
October 29, 2008
Smoke and Mirrors, Is Geoengineering a Solution to Global Warming? by Dr. Alan Robock, Prof. of Climatology at Rutgers.
October 23, 2008
Corey Olsen, Professor of English at Washington College, and Tara Holste, Research Associate at the College’s Center for Environment & Society, presented "Tolkien and the Environment" at Litrenta Lecture Hall. Tolkien was famously an advocate for trees. While his brand of environmentalism differs from mainstream conceptions, throughout The Lord of the Rings he maintains an attitude of stewardship and respect toward the environment.
October 5, 2008
The Center for Environment & Society and the Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge held a Shoreline Clean-up at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge.
September 27, 2008
The Center for Environment & Society presented a Waterfront Festival with boat tours of the Chester River, "survivor" kayak races, sailing, Sultana's shallop vs. WC Rowing Team, and the 2nd annual Cardboard Boat Regatta. Music by Chester River Runoff and games for all ages. Free. Chestertown's Wilmer Park, 12-5 PM.
September 26, 2008
The Oyster & The Shipwreck - Dr. John Seidel. The last few decades have seen the development of remarkable technologies for searching the bottom of the ocean, whether for shipwrecks or for natural resources. Washington College has acquired many of these tools,including sidescan sonar and other devices used to map the bottom of the Chesapeake. Join Dr. John L. Seidel in exploring the depths with these new technologies and see how the College is forging an alliance between marine archaeology and natural resource management.
September 20, 2008
Cardboard Boat Building Workshop- CES provided cardboard and building materials; brave mariners brought their own design/construction team to the Custom House lawn, followed by backyard picnic along the Chester River. Hosted by the Center for Environment & Society and the Washington College Waterfront Program.
September 20, 2008
The Chestertown Peace Alliance, the Kent County Arts Council, the Community Mediation Center, and the Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College observed Peace Day at Chestertown's Fountain Park. The celebration included live music, educational exhibits, the lighting of a Unity Candle, and welcoming remarks by Mayor Margo Bailey, Dr. J. David Newell, and Dr. Kevin Brien.
September 16, 2008
The Center for Environment & Society (CES) at Washington College and the Friends of Eastern Neck, Inc., sponsored a Full Moon Kayaking event at Eastern Neck Island.
June 17, 2008
Governor O'Malley recently visited Washington College during Chestertown's turn as "Capital for a Day." While touring the town and college, the governor focused on environmental issues and Chestertown's recent efforts to go green.
May 3, 2008
CES sponsored an Oyster Restoration Workshop to demonstrate all the basics on how to start an “oyster garden” to join in our effort of promoting oyster restoration efforts on the Chester River.
April 26, 2008
Held each April, Earth Day has become a growing tradition at Washington College, involving the vast majority of the College's clubs, organizations and environmental groups. This year's Earth Day celebration capped off a month's worth of environmentally themed events at Washington College.
April 25, 2008
"Green Business & Entrepreneurship" and "Green Drinks & Eco-movies" featured a diverse panel of eco-minded professionals and role models who integrate sustainability principles in their fields of work will discuss how green business makes a contribution to the economically stable, ecologically responsible and socially fair development of our society. Immediately following the symposium, the College will hosted "Green Drinks & Eco-movies" to celebrate "George Goes Green" and the power of film as forces of environmental change.
April 19, 2008
CES participated in the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum's Bay Day, an annual celebration to educate and engage the public in stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay and its resources.
April 19, 2008
CES appeared at the Kent County Home & Garden Show, where CES and Aaron's Rain Barrels raffled off an exceptional Oak Whiskey Rain Barrel; see Aaron's Rain Barrels for more details about this product.
April 16, 2008
At the first Chester River Audit, Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler will listened to concerns about the Chester River at a community meeting. Attorney General Gansler has committed to using the resources of his office to crack down on those polluting the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. As part of that commitment, the Attorney General is launching a Bay audit. He is traveling statewide and visiting with local business leaders, environmentalists, elected officials and most importantly- area residents- to hear first hand from them what they believe are the biggest problems affecting Maryland’s rivers and the Bay.
April 12, 2008
The Center for Environment & Society and the Public Archaeology Lab presented an "Indiana Jones" Marathon in honor of Maryland Archaeology Month.
April 9, 2008
"Geothermal Energy & Zero Waste" featured presentations exploring geothermal systems, zero waste, and other sustainability options as part of the creative design process given by Dave Hoffman, Senior Vice President, Gipe Associates, Inc. and Ruth Newell, Director, New Millennium Development.
April 1, 2008
Oyster Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay given by Dr. Donald W. "Mutt" Meritt, Senior Agent, Horn Point Laboratory and Dr. Donald W. Webster, Marine Science Agent, Wye Research & Education Center.
March 29, 2008
Living Shorelines Workshop included site suitability and design by industry professionals, ensuring native plant and shoreline success, working with a contractor, understanding regulatory and permit requirements, field visits to local living shoreline projects. Living shorelines provide coastal protection and effective erosion control.
March 19, 2008
Spring Lecture Series at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, with speaker Dr. John L. Seidel, Center for Environment & Society.www.cbmm.org
January 23, 2008
"Wild Utah: America's Redrock Wilderness" presented by Jackie Feinberg, National Grassroots Organizer for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), Litrenta Lecture Hall on Wednesday, 7 p.m.
September 22, 2007
The Waterfront Festival featured environmental initiatives, sailfest, "survivor" kayak races, boat tours of the Chester River, and the first annual cardboard boat regatta with brave mariners competing for top prizes.
June 1, 2007
Archaeologist John Seidel Appointed Director of Center for the Environment and Society
April 21, 2007
Earth Day at Wilmer Park, with live music, eco-educational displays, and awarding of George Goes Green energy competition prizes. Hosted by the Student Environmental Alliance, the Committee of Sustainability, and the Service Council.
March 29, 2007
Evolution of the Blue Revolution by Dr. Barry Costa-Pierce from the Rhode Island Sea Grant program, Litrenta Lecture Hall, 7:30 p.m.
February 26, 2007
An Inconvenient Truth Powerpoint Presentation by John Cleveland, authorized representative of The Climate Project, and President/Founder of the Global Warming Action Alliance, Litrenta Lecture Hall, 7:00 p.m.
February 21, 2007
EnviroPanel on Sustainability brought together students, faculty, alumni and eco-minded professionals who "think green," promote social responsibility, and work to improve the environment. Participants signed the Green Pledge and networked over "renewable energy" drinks like Kyoto Cooler, Solar Solution, Global Warmer and CES Splash. McLain Atrium, 6:00 p.m.
February 12, 2007
Composting Agricultural By-Products: Protecting the Bay on Both Sides of the Bridge by Lonnie Heflin, President of Bay Organics, Litrenta Lecture Hall, 7:30 p.m.
February 3 to April 21, 2007
George Goes Green competition promoting four ways to save energy campus-wide: Do It In The Dark, The Green Revolution, George Gets Ingenious and Recyclemania. Prizes awarded for greatest energy savings among students and faculty, most innovative ideas, and volume of materials recycled.
January 26, 2007
Apocalypse: Environment and the Collapse of the Maya by Dr. John L. Seidel, Associate Professor, Dept of Sociology/Anthropology, Litrenta Lecture Hall, 4:30 p.m.