Colgate alumni, parents, and faculty harnessed their intellectual resources in New York last week, at the university's first Energy Summit sponsored by the Presidents' Club.

ABC's Bob Woodruff '83, P'13 moderated a panel discussion featuring six alumni who represented diverse perspectives on the energy field: journalist and Alaska resident Elizabeth Arnold '82; energy investor Bob Gold '80; London-based energy policy advisor and attorney Jane Kozinski '82; wind entrepreneur David Mortenson '88; Edgar Lampert '62, P'10, a real estate developer committed to sustainable building; and Bruce Selleck '71, Harold Orville Whitnall Professor of geology at Colgate.

Colgate's efforts to turn quick-growing willow into fuel for the university's wood-burning plant were highlighted in yesterday's edition of The Post-Standard (Syracuse).

"This is one of those things that is environmentally and financially beneficial for the university," John Pumilio, sustainability coordinator, told the newspaper.

As the chairperson of Colgate's Environmental Council, associate professor of Russian Ian Helfant tries to practice what he preaches.

Some of the "green" changes Helfant has made to his mid-1970s home include a wood pellet stove, a compost pail in the kitchen, and a water heater that's "so heavily insulated it looks more like a Thermos bottle than an appliance."

The Class of 2008's "green" gift to the university was the subject of an article in The Post-Standard.(Syracuse)

The class has raised about $23,000 to launch a fund that will help the college reduce energy use. About 94 percent of the senior class has made donations.

Parker Commons was transformed with palpable, focused energy for environmental change for Colgate and the surrounding community as nearly 100 participants converged for the sixth annual Green Summit.

The summit is not a recognized group but rather an open gathering of students, faculty, staff, and community members who want to see environmental change enacted by Colgate.

On Friday, informal groups were formed around individual initiatives. Participants generated practical, short-term goals called Green Strides that will be carried out over the next two months.

Mark Murphy '77, the new president and chief executive officer of the Green Bay Packers, already knows the team's historic stadium -- Lambeau Field -- pretty well.

During his eight-year career as a Pro Bowl safety for the Washington Redskins he played several times at Lambeau, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.