Petition to Honorable Governor Rell for Funding for Energy Efficient Windows at TRCC

Dear Governor,

      I am a student at Three Rivers Community College, our college is currently under construction and we are all very excited to see and enjoy the remodeled campus and new buildings. I am very happy that you took the initiative to mandate all major new state buildings and renovation projects be designed to meet LEED Silver Standards. Unfortunately I have some disturbing news; the plans and budget for the construction and renovations were conceived long ago and don't include funding for new energy efficient windows. As it stands the school is going to let hundreds of drafty single pane windows continue to waste climate controlled air. $1.5 million dollars worth of new windows are needed to solve this problem and would pay for themselves in energy savings after just 10 years. I speak for students, faculty, and all taxpayers who are disappointed at the prospect of the school keeping these outdated windows despite the high energy cost we pay for them every day.

      As students we recognize that we have a significant role to play in the fight against global warming. Students have historically been a catalyst for change and many of us see global warming as our generationâ%u20AC%u2122s greatest challenge. We want to make our school a model of sustainability that the community will use as an example of how to save on heating and cooling costs while preserving the planet. LEED certified Silver buildings have a special atmosphere that is very conductive to education inspiring students with an example of high technology and conservation.

      Students are addressing sustainability and environmental issues at Three Rivers Community College. We have worked hard building a student environmental organization (Three Rivers United Environmentalists) to increase awareness and create opportunities for action, both on campus and throughout the state. We organized the Connecticut Climate Challenge Summit which brought over 100 students from colleges and universities across the state together to discuss climate and energy issues and to participate in skill training workshops to learn how to run effective campaigns. We held events for National Week of Climate Action and contributed hundreds of photo petitions to the national Step It Up campaign. This past spring we began our road show during which we visited other Community Colleges in the state system, distributing educational material and speaking with students, faculty and staff, about what we can do to get involved in the environmental movement. Overwhelmingly we were greeted by the students of Connecticut's Community College system with curiosity and an eagerness to help. We are continuing to tackle this important issue of sustainability on our college by providing entertaining educational material and opportunities for direct action to our community.

      Three Rivers Community College and the Connecticut Community College system need to be further pressured to adopt a better plan towards sustainability. We have heard your call to bring Connecticut away from climate changing fossil fuels and to energy independence for The United States. Now we are calling on you to support us in improving our Community College System by not allowing our school's infrastructure to fall behind. The Three Rivers Community College renovation plans would literally be letting our tax dollars blow out the window. Don't let our administration sweep the issue under the rug while they rush through the final stages of the construction process. Ask the Connecticut Community College Administration why the Three Rivers Community College renovation project funds do not address the significant problem with the windows. We will not let Three Rivers turn away from the issue and with your support we will come to a solution that will begin saving our way of life, our money, and our planet.

      Your Constituents