Minutes of Environmental Council
14 January 1997
4:15 PM

PRESENT: Jeff Banks, Maggie Buck, John Elder, Jennifer Hazen, Andy McBeth, Jessica Mello, Linda Pitkin, Sarah Rebick, Carly Vynne, Judy Watts

GUESTS: Joanne Hill, Juliana Popper

1. Minutes of 9 December, 1996 were approved.

2. Jen provided information on the Committee on the New Environmental House. This committee was formed, independent of the Environmental Council, to lobby for the inclusion of a new environmental house in the Facilities Plan. The committee is charged with providing the Administration with a strong rationalle for the the house that they can use to convince the Trustees to approve it. The notes from our first meeting are an attachment to these minutes and anyone who is interested in helping out can contact Jen.

3. Maggie requested a grant from the Environmental Council to cover expenses for the Committee on the Environmental House. The Council approved the concept, though we need to investigate whether we can indeed give small grants. Maggie will write a letter with an itemized request for funds not to total more than $200. Linda suggested the use of E-mail when possible to save postage.

4. Jen mentioned David Ginevan's invitation to meet with the Environmental Council personally to discuss the Draft Facilities Plan with us. There will be four open meetings, but they would like to get the input of the Council in a more intimate setting. This is a great opportunity for us to make our collective voice heard, and we should be well prepared for any meeting. Jen will try to arrange for David to join us at our February meeting, and will send out a summary of important points from the draft plan that we will want to think about.

5. Our big guest speaker event is coming up soon! Professor Edwin Bernbaum will present his illustrated presentation "Sacred Mountians of the World" on Thursday, Jan 23 at 7:30 PM in Dana Auditorium. The Council will host a dinner prior to the presentation. Council members should RSVP about whether they will attend.

6. Guest Speaker Joanne Hill gave a presentation on the status of the library mold situation. The attached outline summarizes. Joanne requested that the Council encourage the College to continue to monitor the mold levels on a regular 6 month basis to prevent another outbreak. (This will cost approximately $150 each time.) The Council approved and will draft a letter to David Ginevan and George Whitney.
Jeff questioned the toxicity of the fungicide used to clean the walls of mold and expressed concern about ventilation and water contamination. Joanne will look into the MSDS sheets and report back to the Council about the safety of this chemical.

7. The letter in support of the Senior class gift composed by John was approved. Jen will type and send it.

8. Reports of Subcommittees:

• Educational / Outreach - Jen will hang up posters with our website address to provide visibility.
• Conservation / Efficiency - Maggie reported that the subcommittee met and reestablished its goals. It will now begin to focus on an evaluation of the EPA Green Lights program that the College is involved in and how to implement it.
• Pedestrian Campus - Jen read the changes made to the report. Linda expressed concern over the strength of the language and the potential implications of closing Old Chapel Road completely. In light of the change of the campus center to the vicinity of Proctor, we should consider carefully the implications of closing the road. The council agreed to alter the language, removing "eliminating through traffic as on Hepburn Road, but." We also agreed to add a clause that urges the College to provide the additional resources necessary for upkeep of pathways if we are to commit to building more.
  The Council voted to approve the Pedestrian Campus Proposal with the above changes. It will be submitted to Ron Liebowitz, David Ginevan, and President McCardell with a request for a meeting with the Pedestrian Campus subcommittee to discuss the proposal.

9. Sarah Rebick took over the responsibility of analyzing the data from the P&D survey. Jen will connect her with Middlebury's Director of Institutional Research for assistance.

10. The next meeting was planned for Monday, 10 February, 1997 at 4:15 PM in Mitchell Green Lounge. Judy Watts will chair.

5. Meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted by Jennifer Hazen, Vice-Chair. January 15, 1997.

Potential Health Implications of Mold

Middlebury College Library

What coused the mold in the Library's Starr Storage?

• No temperature or humidity controls -- mold thrives in a warm, moist environment over 65 degrees and 60% relative humidity.
• Repeated water incursions cause high humidity.
• Hot summers and an uninsulated hot water pipe provide significant sources of heat throughout the year.
• No air circulation keeps mold spores contained.
• Inadequate cleaning -- mold thrives on dust which is comprised of mostly sloughed off skin cells providing organic matter.
• Ready food source -- books are decaying organic material; some molds thrive on cellulose.

Potential Health Issues

• Major concerns are toxicity and concentration. Mold spores are always present in air so high concentration is an issue. Besides books, they may infect floors, walls, furniture.
• "Sick Library Syndrome" is beginning to be wirtten about in the scientific / medical literature.
• Toxic mold -- some of the most toxic of molds, e.g., Aspergillus fumigatus or flavus, flourish on cellulose (books). (Most toxic molds thrive in the South where a moist, warm climate is prevalent but occurrences in the Northeast are not impossible. The mold outbreak in Starr Library in 1995 was a benign form of Aspergillus.)
• Benign mold -- High concentrations have adverse affects, may cause infections, and molds are powerful sensitizers. (The 1995 Library outbreak contained a high concentration of Penicillium which could have triggered a reaction in anyone allergic to Penicillin.)
• Debilitating allergies, athsma or respiratory problems may be triggered, even in people not prone to such health problems.
• Prolonged exposure to germinating molds in areas without ventilation (e.g. Starr Storage) can infect and damage lungs, mucous membranes, corneas, respiratory tracts, stomach, intestines, and skin.
• While serious toxic consequences require repeated exposure, vomiting and illness may be caused by a single exposure to a high concentration of mold.
• Spores remain viable for up to 22 years.

Joanne Hill
Collection Management Librarian
14 January 1997

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