On Sunday, April 22, 2007, Meredith College became the fifth North Carolina institution to sign the Talloires Declaration, which spells out a 10-point action plan for supporting sustainability and environmental literacy.

Meredith President Maureen A. Hartford signed the Declaration during the College’s Earth Day Celebration, which took place at the conclusion of a weeklong series on environmental action sponsored by Meredith’s Student Government Association (SGA).

“Universities educate most of the people who develop and manage society’s institutions,” President Hartford said. “For this reason, universities bear profound responsibilities to increase the awareness, knowledge, technologies and tools needed to create an environmentally sustainable future.”

Following the signing, three 100-year Dogwood trees were planted near Meredith’s McIver amphitheater.

Student Life Committee Chair Lauren Thie, ’06, the student organizer of Meredith’s Earth Day celebration, said the signing of the declaration and the tree planting ceremony signified “a new direction – and the right direction – for Meredith.”

During the 2006-07 academic year, SGA launched “The Campaign for a Greener Meredith.” Along with the Talloires Declaration signing, one of their major accomplishments is recommending that Meredith hire its first sustainability coordinator. SGA leaders prepared an official proposal, along with a petition signed by 265 students, faculty and staff.

The sustainability coordinator position was approved by the Board of Trustees at their spring meeting March 29-30. This new position’s overall objective will be to promote sustainable practices in every aspect of college life. Some specific areas of focus will be education, energy efficiency, food sustainability and campus-wide involvement in environmental action.

Other events during the week include educational panel discussions and an “Emissions Free Service Event” on Saturday, during which students walked from Meredith to Raulston Arboretum for a volunteer service project.

The Talloires Declaration was created in 1990 by Tufts University President Jean Mayer at a conference in Talloires, France. Since then, more than 340 universities in the world have signed. Visit www.ulsf.org for more information.