The Tufts Daily - Tuesday, October 12, 2021

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T HE T UFTS DAILY

VOLUME LXXXI, ISSUE 18

MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS.

tuftsdaily.com

Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Office of Sustainability webinar series discusses Tufts’ plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 by Olivia Field

Contributing Writer

The Office of Sustainability commenced its “Path to Carbon Neutrality” webinar series on Oct. 7, hosting a webinar entitled “Decarbonization at Tufts.” The webinar featured an overview of the university’s current decarbonization initiatives and sustainability commitments. The webinar included a presentation by Ruthy Bennett, director of strategic capital programs at Tufts. Bennett, an architect with a certificate in sustainable design and construction, began by describing Tufts’ strategic plan for carbon neutrality in its buildings and utilities. Bennett said that the university is tracking emissions, investing in renewable electricity and installing solar panels wherever possible. Bennett explained that Tufts aims to reduce its carbon emissions by 80% and offset the remaining 20% of emissions by building renewable energy infrastructure.

MICHELLE LI / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Office of Sustainability kicked off its “Path to Carbon Neutrality” webinar series on Oct. 7. Tufts is a signatory of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, and Bennett said that the university fully supports efforts to cut emissions. However, facilities still largely rely on fossil fuels. “The gas and oil [industries] are so heavily subsidized that almost every single building naturally relies on gas to heat it, to get electricity, to cool it,” Bennett said. “Our commitment is to use renewable energy anyways, even if it’s not as subsidized, and also

to lower how much energy we need in the first place.” Tufts’ central energy plant currently runs on natural gas. Bennett said that the long-term plan is to switch to a form of renewable energy but that the technology to support university-wide use of renewable energy does not exist yet. Despite this obstacle, there are a number of projects on campus that are bringing Tufts closer to its goal of carbon neutrality. The central plant, though run on fossil fuels, is more efficient

than a decentralized energy grid. Additionally, the university is working to make maintenance more sustainable by transitioning broken facilities and equipment to newer, more efficient technology. “It used to be [that] if something broke, you just replaced the exact same thing with the newer model,” Bennett explained. “Now, the goal is, if you have something that relies on steam and it breaks, we want to see if we can replace it with something that relies on hot water.”

Tina Woolston, director of the Office of Sustainability, was another host of the event. Woolston said that the office aims to increase sustainability at Tufts by providing resources and advocating for more sustainable policies. “We serve as … the bridge between ideas and their practical implementation,” Woolston said during the webinar. In an interview with the Daily, Woolston explained that the Office of Sustainability strives to engage students. “I think it’s really important because as an institution of higher education, we educate the people who develop and manage institutions,” Woolston said. “We have a responsibility to increase awareness, knowledge of technologies and [to provide] tools that are necessary to create a sustainable, equitable future for everyone — not just the rich people, not just Americans, but everyone across the world.” The “Decarbonization at Tufts” see SUSTAINABILITY, page 2

Luis Gilberto Murrillo-Urrutia discusses environmental lessons from Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities

TCU Senate holds internal elections, hears supplementary funding requests

by Jed Quiaoit

by Zoe Kava

Luis Gilberto Murillo-Urrutia, former Colombian minister of environment and sustainable development, spoke on Oct. 6 via Zoom with Dayna Cunningham, dean of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, about his work including marginalized ethnic and social groups in environmental policymaking. Murillo-Urrutia, who previously served as the governor of the predominantly AfroColombian state of Chocó, drew his leadership from Indigenous communities, particularly focusing on how they relate to nature with respect. Concurrently, during his term as the first Afro-Colombian minister from 2016 to 2018, Colombia suffered major environmental disasters, including the 2017 Mocoa landslide which left more than 400 people dead or missing, most of whom were from Indigenous communities.

The Tufts Community Union Senate heard supplementary funding requests and held internal elections for parliamentarian and Allocations Board members in a meeting on Monday night. After a brief roll call was taken, Joe Golia, the director of campus life, introduced himself to the Senate body and explained the role of the Office of Campus Life in supporting the 350-plus student organizations on campus and managing their operations. TCU Treasurer Elizabeth Hom then introduced four supplementary funding requests. Parnassus requested $158 to take club members to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston in order to gain inspiration for creative writing. Five members of the Allocations Board voted in favor, with none opposed and none abstaining.

Contributing Writer

News Editor

MICHELLE LI / THE TUFTS DAILY

Luis Gilberto Murillo-Urrutia and Dayna Cunningham are pictured at the virtual Civic Life Lunch event on Oct. 6. When asked about resource management during such times

see ENVIRONMENT, page 2

FEATURES / page 3

ARTS / page 4

OPINION / page 7

Student leaders host on-campus celebrations for Indigenous Peoples’ Day

‘Dear Evan Hansen’ film shoots high, falls flat

Op-ed: Lack of action where it matters most

The request passed the TCU Senate by acclamation. Students for Exploration and Development of Space requested money for flight tickets and Ubers for a three-day trip to a space conference in Houston. After a proposed $2,090 failed because of the Allocations Board’s $2000 cap on travel expenses, TCU President Amma Agyei proposed a lower figure of $1,881. Her proposal passed with 28 senators voting in favor, none opposed and two abstaining. Ears for Peers requested $150 for a new desk chair to replace its office chair, which is in poor condition. Seven members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request with none opposed and none abstaining. The amendment was approved by acclamation. Tufts Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia Students Association requested $770 to cover transportation costs see SENATE, page 2 NEWS

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