April 1st, 2008

Mother Nature Packs a Punch

Posted by Jessica Jensen

We received an intriguing email yesterday from Humphrey Tyler at St. Lawrence University in which he announced, “Sometimes you wonder if Mother Nature really gives a damn.”

Humphrey went on to explain that Mother Nature delivered a high-impact blow to the “Low Impact Living Green House” at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY in January.  It seems a 50-mile-per-hour wind sheared off a mighty tree, right onto the roof of the Low Impact Living House.  And he supplied this rather dramatic photo.

So naturally I thought, “This is from some wise-arse college punk trying to pull an April Fool’s Day joke on me.  Ha! I shall not fall so easily.”

But on further investigation, it seems that this story has some credibility. (Man I hope I don’t live to eat my words on this one.)  St. Lawrence does indeed (or did) have a Low Impact Living House (brilliant name!  bravo!) where a group of students seeks to create a comfortable living environment for ecologically-minded and environmentally-conscious individuals on campus. They work to educate the campus and their community about environmental issues and also to ensure that the house is as responsible as possible about its environmental impact. And I learned that Humphrey is actually an alumnus of the school– not a student there.

Fortunately the tragic run-in with the tree occurred during mid-winter break and none of the students were in the house. Mother Nature does show mercy even in her most tempestuous moods!  The former residents of the LIL House have relocated to other dorms, but they are continuing to meet and spread the good green word at the school.

St. Lawrence, which has adopted a campus-wide environmental action plan and has joined with over 450 American colleges and universities in committing to “carbon neutrality,” reports it is undaunted by Mother Nature’s lack of appreciation for its efforts on Her behalf and is moving forward with plans for a new townhouse residence hall that will be a “Center for Green Living.”

We tip our hats to these fine eco-minded students! (Perhaps we should say “tip our hard hats”??)

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