This section investigates political actors and considerations for the construction of a greenhouse at LaFarm. The decision-making processes and actions taken at Lafayette continuously shape the future of the campus. This is also true politically in regards to sustainability efforts. In the past decade Lafayette has declared sustainability as a core value of the institution. Thus, Lafayette serves as a laboratory for sustainability, with students being an important part of meeting carbon neutrality in the future. However, carbon neutrality, sustainability on campus, and the construction of a greenhouse will not happen on its own – there also needs to be political action.
This section focuses on that action. We determine how greenhouse construction is directly related to institutional goals through the Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2.0. More than anything, the CAP 2.0 highlights the relationship between Lafayette’s goals as an academic institution and its commitment to a more sustainable world. In part, this means a dedication to becoming carbon neutral by 2035. It also means that Lafayette needs to consider the role that sustainability will have in developing sustainable agricultural practices. Additionally, local municipal forces are also addressed in this section. We detail some of the zoning requirements from Forks Township and the steps Lafayette might need to take in order to begin the actual process of the construction of a greenhouse.
It is important to highlight the responsibility that sustainable agriculture has on our campus. LaFarm, as a small-scale operation cannot do it alone. Other external organizations should also be considered when addressing the politics and daily life at LaFarm. Though future work should extend this research, an organization that might be beneficial for LaFarm’s operations include Pennsylvania’s Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) PASA introduces possible tools that might reduce workload for farmer Lisa and for LaFarm overall, especially as it continues to grow. One of these tools is FarmOS, which helps manage farm records for crop planting and pest management. There are also farmer-to-farmer exchange programs and sustainable agriculture conferences. PASA also encourages farmers to reach out and be a part of the farm-based research, which might be a good partnership for the construction of a greenhouse.
Lafayette Development Office
Lafayette’s Development Office (LDO) is focused on gathering funds from donors and establishing a plan to spend those funds through development projects. These projects vary in size and scope but are all interconnected as they need to fulfill the college’s mission and strategic vision. Neither the mission or vision are explicit in the need for environmental consciousness. Instead, the mission describes the need “to develop systems of values that include an understanding of personal, social, and professional responsibility.”
Therefore, in partnering with the LDO there must be a direct correlation between personal, social, and professional responsibility and the construction of the greenhouse. Through conversations with Stephanie Haynes, one of LDO’s staff members, we inferred some of the responsibilities for LDO to invest in the greenhouse project. First and foremost, the greenhouse has to be linked with academic activities and must enhance academic programs. Second, the greenhouse should also be linked to extracurricular activities. Without these two minimal conditions the project will most likely not be a success. Fulfilling these conditions shouldn’t be a problem, as evidenced in LaFarm’s annual reports (for more see the reports here: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018). In 2018 LaFarm contributed to hosting a range of events like LaFarm Yoga and Lafapalooza. The farm also partnered with five different classes, enabled three different research projects, staffed 20 students, and was the site for 290 student volunteers. We believe the construction of a greenhouse would enhance the farm’s presence and ability to continue the amazing work that is already underway.
In a sense, selling Lafayette’s sustainability is an important consideration for LDO to invest in a greenhouse. Reaching carbon neutrality is about attracting and motivating students to apply to Lafayette, as it demonstrates leadership in sustainability. To approve the construction under LDO, the provost, John Meier, must first approve the project. Then, the head of finance, Roger Demareski, also approves the project. Stephanie did caution that forward-thinking projects 5-7 years to come to fruition, with costs and other competing interests as possible roadblocks for completion. When asked about where costs would become a barrier she mentioned that a 3-5 student greenhouse about the size of a chicken-coup would be fine. However, if the cost of the greenhouse ranged between the tens of thousands, LDO would want to consider the construction of a building that would work as more than just a greenhouse.
Overall, LDO’s relationship with sustainability has grown stronger throughout the last few years. Specifically there has been strong leadership in the student body, faculty, LaFarm, and the overall Lafayette community. Stephanie urged that for this to amount to long-term commitment in sustainability, the Office of Sustainability, LaFarm, and all of its initiatives have to constantly be in the minds of alumni. They are already in the minds of younger alumni and the Board of Trustees, as shown by the Climate Action Plan. However, the question remains on ensuring sustainability efforts are also in the thoughts of older alums as well.
There are other stakeholders that are worth mentioning outside of LDO and that weren’t as visible in the social section of the report. Though LaFarm, the Office of Sustainability, and LDO are key players, so too are other sustainable agriculture initiatives, Lafayette Dining Services, and even athletics. With the construction of the greenhouse, there will be an increase in seedlings that can be bought locally. Along the same vein, so too will Lafayette Dining Services be completing its goals of buying 20% of its total produce locally. Metzgar Field, which houses the fields for many of the athletic teams on campus, may also need to be contacted, at a minimum, to let them know about the construction of the greenhouse in the first place.
Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2.0
The CAP 2.0 in an important step towards aligning Lafayette’s goals of academic excellence and social responsibility with that of environmental responsibility. This section will link the CAP 2.0 with the construction of a greenhouse with the objective of showcasing ties between Lafayette’s institutional goals and sustainability. This is critical as it allows for funding, awareness, and participation from the Lafayette community.
The CAP 2.0 stems from several historic events. First, in 2008 former College President Dan Weiss signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment which secured an overall vision for carbon neutrality. A CAP was created, in which an annual inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was established, along with a re-evaluation of the CAP every five years . In 2009, Lafayette secured funding for an organic farm and campus farmer. Today Lafayette’s Farm, LaFarm, now has a 3-acre footprint, grows several thousand pounds of produce for the dining hall, recycles nutrients from composted food, and serves as an education source for student-faculty collaboration. LaFarm already serves as a model for reducing GHG emissions as it uses solar panels to power the vegetable washing station, compost, and increase carbon storage (Lafayette College, 2019). The CAP 2.0 showcases LaFarm as Lafayette’s “ground zero” for sustainability, especially in terms of agriculture and the sustainable food loop. It makes sense to continue doing this work with the implementation of a greenhouse. However, it would be counterproductive to increase our energy consumption by adding a greenhouse without considering alternatives to keep the greenhouse off the electric grid. LaFarm serves as the core location for enabling creative solutions for sustainable agriculture. Politically, having a greenhouse in this location would be further indication of why LaFarm is a “role model” for sustainability.
The CAP 2.0 sets several benchmarks Lafayette College needs to accomplish. Namely, the CAP 2.0 aims to reach carbon neutrality by 2035. Carbon neutrality, or a net zero carbon footprint, means balancing carbon emissions by eliminating carbon (for example, by using renewable energy sources) or removing carbon (such as carbon offsetting). Other aims of the CAP include increasing community engagement by working with student-led sustainability and environmental groups, environmental education with degrees such as the Environmental Studies and Environmental Science majors, but also throughout different disciplines and departments.
In the CAP 2.0, recommendations for Lafayette to become carbon neutral are divided into four groups: Building and Facilities Energy Use, Minimize Waste, Transportation, and Curricular Integration. The first three groups are also divided into three phases: Immediate Opportunities for 2019-2020, Recommendations for 2021-2025, Recommendations for 2026-2035, while the fourth group only has one phase labeled “goals”.
A greenhouse at LaFarm would directly impact 11 out of the 32 stated goals in the Climate Action Plan 2.0. Below, we link the construction of the greenhouse at LaFarm with three out of the four groups of the CAP 2.0 (Building and Facilities Energy Use, Minimize Waste, and Curricular Integration), showcasing that there is a strong relationship between the institution’s values and the project itself:
Building and Facilities Energy Use:
Phase 1: Implement Energy Conservation and Efficiency Projects, Investigate Renewable Energy Options, Green Revolving Fund
Phase 2: Achieve Carbon Neutrality at Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex, Maximize Visibility and Emissions Reductions through On-Site Solar
Minimize Waste:
Phase 1: Investigate Campus-Wide Composting System, Increase diversion rate by 5 Percent by 2020
Phase 2: Achieve an overall diversion rate of 40 percent.
Phase 3: Achieve an overall diversion rate of 60 percent.
Curricular Integration:
Goals: Conduct Collaborative Research, Use LaFarm and Metzgar as a Model, Increase Involvement in Community Outreach
For more information on the climate action plan you can view the CAP 2.0 here.
Forks Township Zoning Requirements
The proposed greenhouse for LaFarm would be built in Forks Township. As such, all zoning ordinances and conditions for Forks Township must be met before the construction of a greenhouse can occur. LaFarm is zoned as Recreational/Educational/Municipal which allows for the construction of a greenhouse (Forks Township, 2014, 2016). After speaking with representatives from Forks Township, the following information was gathered:
- By law if the greenhouse is less than 200 sq. ft., it is considered a shed and the only application that is needed is a shed permit.
- By law if the greenhouse is greater than 200 sq. ft., it is considered an Accessory Building, and a building permit needs to be completed.
- Other considerations, such as property setbacks should also be taken into account.
The greenhouse that Lafayette intends to build will be 24 by 48 ft. As such, the area will be greater than 200 sq. ft. and requires a building permit, not a shed permit. There is considerable difference, in terms of document preparation between a shed permit and a building permit. A shed permit is a 3-page document in which basic facts about the construction, such as overall price and ownership, can be written. A building permit has several requirements, other than being more expensive. A big difference is that a building permit requires design plans. Usually this means hiring engineers to survey and analyze the area. Design plans include two plot plans and two sets of building plans. The permit also records a list of building materials, along with cost.
Overall, zoning allows for the construction of greenhouse, independent of size. However, a greenhouse that is greater than 200 sq. ft. requires more zoning documents. If the greenhouse is built by students, it is worth considering the possibility of creating several greenhouses that are under the 200 sq. ft. requirement.
In our next section we go over our technical analysis.