B Y WAI PHYO MYINT
The President of Green Mountain College, Paul Fonteyn, is going to attend a conference, hosted by President Bill Clinton in April, to discuss the issues globally suffering, and to strengthen the college’s shared commitment in changing the world into a better place.
GMC’s seniors, Todd Martin and Cody Currier were selected for the conference and they will join the trip with the president.
The three-day annual conference, called “Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U), held at University of Miami starting April 16 is the third meeting hosted by President Bill Clinton for the college and university students who has made a difference for the world they share.
Paul Fonteyn will join other 100 college and university presidents across the United States, to discuss the major issues, particularly important to college students, including environment and climate change, peace and human rights, and poverty alleviation.
“GMC’s commitment is entitled “After Climate Neutrality”, and a summary is below. Essentially, GMC has committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 66% by 2013.” Hannah Steiman, the communication manager of CGI U said in her email message sent to the Mountaineer.
Among the actions GMC has carried out to achieve its goal are including building a biomass combined heat and power plant which will provide 85% of its heat and 20% of its electricity, improving thermal and electric efficiency, and implementing an ambitious sustainable transportation plan. GMC will also integrate those initiatives into its school curriculum and educational programs.
“They (GMC’s initiatives and innovative plans) will be featured on the College’s website with real-time data streaming so that they can be a model for other colleges and universities, and communities,” Steiman mentioned in her message about the GMC’s environmental commitment.
“The conference is free to attend, but students must apply, and in their applications they must include a Commitment
to Action — a pledge to take specific action to make the world a better place.” Steiman said. “At the conference, students learn how they can take action to alleviate poverty, fight for human rights, clean up the environment, or improve access to health care,” Steiman said that more than 1000 students will participate in this year event to share the ideas and discuss their actions to improve the world.
“Since the first CGI U meeting in 2008, students from 53 countries have made more than 2,000 commitments that are positively affecting hundreds of thousands of lives around the world,” Bill Clinton mentioned in the CGI U’s press release issued in March 26.
Leaders from government and non-profit organizations and celebrity activists will also attend the conference.
