Brought to you by the HEAL TeamChristine Morris ‘10, Brian Hamblin ‘11, Denny Scalf ‘11, Tsering Dolma ‘09, Jenny Boyle ‘11

Thanks to everyone who has volunteered with us this year!!! We’ve had a great one. In this mini newsletter, you’ll find the conclusions to our biggest projects this year, a petition and issue that you can get involved with, as well as a little bit of information about what went on at our volunteer meeting.

HEAL's MTR campaign recently planned a MTR flyover for November 16 with the non-profit flyover provider SouthWings. The flyover was to be an aerial tour of several points of interest in West Virginia, each relating to the impact of MTR on the region.

Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and the flyover was can canceled to ensure the safety of the prospective members of the flyover. For the upcoming semester, we will try again to coordinate a fly-over or tour, possibly focusing our interests within the college and bringing having an event on Berea College’s campus.

Several Kentuckians have lived near Wilson Creek in Floyd County Kentucky for generations. Now Miller Brother’s Coal Company is trying to move into their community and mine the ridge top above the right side of Wilson Creek.

Members of Floyd County have come together to file a lands unsuitable for mining petition with the state Department of Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (DMRE) claiming that that the Wilson Creek watershed is unsuitable for surface mining. This mountain top removal mining would cause increased flooding, blasting damage to their homes, possible deep mine blowouts or landslides, loss of our water wells, and destruction of our road, just as it has in so many other east Kentucky communities.

If you would like to get involved with the issue, go to http://www.kftc.org/our-work/canary-project/campaigns/wilson-creek for more information or sign their petition at http://www.kftc.org/our-work/canary-project/campaigns/wilson-creek/take-action

HEAL has been continuing its work on the Berea Water Conservation Campaign on multiple fronts. Most recently, we successful installed eight new low-flow showerheads in Bingham boys’ dorm; however, there were some difficulties with removing two of the old showerheads that we will  be working to resolve.

The installation of new low-flow showerheads has been temporarily postponed—meanwhile  we are arranging to meet with the Collegium’s new Green Team, whose responsibility it is to oversee and collaborate with any efforts towards environmental sustainability in the campus dorms. We are very fortunate to have this opportunity to partner with an administrative body to establish proper protocols for future sustainability projects and efficient communication between HEAL workers and dorm staff.

Once we have succeeded in establishing a relationship with the Collegium Green Team, we will proceed to finish our showerhead installation project in the remaining dorms: James, Kettering and Elizabeth Rogers.

During this meeting, we discussed the most plausible options for campaigns and for the work offices on Berea College’s campus (after watching a lively episode if “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”.

The projects we plan to tackle include: Green audits - working in collaboration with Tammy Clemons during the spring to do office

audits on Berea College campus) Powershift – getting people to attend! Water/SIFE campaign – continuing, in collaboration with students from Students In Free

Enterprise (SIFE), a proposal to get low-flow or half flush toilets on Berea’s campus MTR event – successfully attending or organizing an event that is focused on the issue of

Mountain Top Removal Education at elementary schools – working to bring education about sustainability and

environmental studies within the Berea school system Greener Eggs and Ham event – working in collaboration with Berea College’s chapter of

First Book (http://www.berea.edu/celts/firstbook.asp) to put on a more environmentally friendly Green Eggs and Ham event

Meeting with other members of the Kentucky Student Environmental Coalition – we plan on having a meeting at the end of January to discuss Berea’s progress with our campaigns, as well as checking in with other schools and coordinating the trip to Powershift

Solar panel – following up with the Berea College Campus Environmental Policy Committee (CEPC) in determining whether or not it’s feasible to put up an additional solar panel in the alumni building