Unity College Commencement May 10 

UNITY (May 5): At Unity College's commencement exercises Saturday, May 10, 129 students are expected to be awarded either two- or four-year environmental degrees.

Tedd Benson, author and owner of Bensonwood Homes, is commencement speaker and will be honored by Unity College.

Sustainability will serve as the theme of commencement and related events.

Benson and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology designed a prototype for the first affordable “green” home — a single-family residence that produces more energy than it consumes. The prototype, to be built in May on the Unity College campus, will house President Mitchell Thomashow and his wife, Cindy.

Details are available at unity.edu/NewsEvents/News/UnityOpen408.aspx.

Others to be honored include honorary degree recipient Duane Hallowell, president of Hallowell International; citation recipient, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association; citation recipient, Central Maine Newspapers (Morning Sentinel, Kennebec Journal, Portland Press Herald Maine Sunday Telegram); citation recipient, NRG Systems; and citation recipient, ReVision Energy LLC.

Commencement is expected to be the “greenest” in the history of Unity College. At the Senior Banquet at 6 p.m. Friday, May 6, in the gymnasium, approximately 60 percent of food served will be local and sustainable. Flowers at the banquet and commencement will be either rented or planted soon after commencement. Only eco-friendly plates and cups will be used. Linens and silverware will reduce waste. Excess foods and related organic wastes will be composted.

Details of Unity’s commencement sustainability are at unity.edu/AlumniFriends/Commencement/Sustainability.aspx.

Commencement honors:

Tedd Benson — Honorary Doctorate

Tedd Benson is a dreamer and a visionary. He’s also practical, hands-on, hardworking and disciplined with extraordinary wisdom and common sense.

When Benson was in his early 20s he had an insight that was to become his life work. He realized there was something wrong with home construction in America. It lacked durability, craft and legacy. He understood to create a sustainable society, it was necessary to build sustainable homes. He researched approaches to home-building that linked beauty and craft, ecology and wise resource use, simplicity and elegance. Benson was interested in discovering an approach that took the best of the “old ways” (buildings that last for centuries) with technologies of the present. He found it in the construction process — timber frame building.

Benson is almost single-handedly responsible for the revival of timber frame building in North America. In 1974, he founded Benson Woodworking Co. Since then, the company has built more than 700 timber frame structures. The work has been featured on "This Old House," "Good Morning America," and the "Today" show. It has been covered in publications ranging from Architectural Digest to Builder Magazine to the New York Times.

Currently, he is engaged in trying to change the future of his company so it can bring a vision of sustainability to the future of housing. He understands the industry must change so it is responsive to the consumer and responsive to the Earth. Benson is working on an approach to house design that incorporates the principles of sustainability, modular design and durability. It is fitting his company is building The Unity House on the campus of Unity College.

Unity College presents Benson an honorary Doctorate of Environmental Studies, for his exemplary understanding, knowledge, and application of sustainable home building, and his vision in linking ecology, craft, homebuilding and life.

Duane Hallowell — Honorary Doctorate

Having barely reached his middle-30s, Hallowell, president and CEO of Hallowell International with headquarters in Bangor, has made marks in two worlds: The world of business and the one that we all share, the natural world.

With the significant entrepreneurial skill and the dedication so necessary to achieve one’s vision for success in the business world, Hallowell has carefully grown Hallowell International. The company contributes to Maine’s economy by providing value to consumers and offers a significant measure of environmental concern for others to emulate.

Founded in 2005, the vision of Hallowell International and influence of its president and CEO could not be more clear: to think past boundaries of conventional home heating and cooling solutions to create alternative approaches to residential climate management.

In 2008, a new-to-market invention created by a frustrated engineer was brought to the market by Hallowell International. It is now revolutionizing how consumers heat and cool homes. The HTUAcadia: Combined heating and cooling system was born from the inventor’s aggravation from ever-higher energy bills. This all-electric single system delivers a new level of efficiency, dramatically reduces monthly energy bills and, by not using fossil fuels, eases a household’s strain on the environment. This product outperforms conventional heating systems by 300 percent.

Thanks in no small part to the leadership of Hallowell and his commitment to creative sustainability, the company he leads is committed to creating innovative concepts and products that are highly energy efficient, eco-friendly, easy to install and easy to maintain.

Unity College commends Hallowell and presents an honorary Doctorate of Environmental Studies, for his contributions and dedication to the natural world by providing safe, energy efficient options that protect and maintain a fragile environment.

Citation — Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association

It would be difficult to conceive of a more well-suited partner and neighbor for Unity College than the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, known simply as MOFGA.

Just as Unity organically developed from its founding in 1965 to become an environmental college, so too did the skills, interests and vision of MOFGA members shape it from humble beginnings into a dynamic educational presence.

Formed in 1971, MOFGA is the oldest and largest state organic organization in the country. The purpose is to help farmers and gardeners grow organic food, protect the environment, recycle natural resources, increase local food production, support rural communities, and illuminate for consumers the connection between healthy food and environmentally sound growing practices.

Many people are aware food grown according to organic principles is free from exposure to harmful herbicides and pesticides. A larger part of organic agriculture involves the health of the soil and the ecosystem in which crops and livestock are raised. Organic farmers recognize that healthy, vibrant, and live soils and ecosystems significantly benefit crops.

In the long run, organically grown food is the best bargain for people, the environment and future generations. It is the ultimate ecosystem service.

For its commitment to sustainable agriculture and environmental leadership, Unity College commends MOFGA and extends to this organization our appreciation and thanks.

Citation — Central Maine Newspapers

Guided by the highest ideals of journalistic integrity, the individual newspapers that are collectively Central Maine Newspapers — Morning Sentinel, Kennebec Journal and The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram — provide an indispensable service to the communities they serve.

These newspapers enlighten, entertain, inform and challenge their readers. Unity College is particularly impressed with how Central Maine Newspapers cover environmental issues, especially topics related to a sustainable future for Maine. The coverage is broad and comprehensive, fair and balanced, interesting and factual. It serves to educate readers about the challenges inherent with environmental choices.

From eye-catching photos that highlight Maine’s vibrant natural settings to articles that explain the intricacies of carbon credits and global warming, each day Central Maine Newspapers express the importance of sustainability. The editorial boards of Central Maine Newspapers have consistently demonstrated thoughtfulness, courage, and common sense in treatment of environmental issues.

Unity College recognizes the contributions of Central Maine Newspapers for their coverage of environmental issues, their role in educating the public, and their integrity in upholding the standards of a truly democratic press.

Citation — NRG Systems

NRG Systems is a wind energy company that represents the integration of technical innovation and quality of life in the workplace. It is a world leader in the manufacture of wind energy assessment equipment. Its ethic is to take care of the land; be innovative by being inventive; work with good tools that are durable, simple and useful, and to help people. The core values are environmental stewardship and leadership, fair employment, profitability, integrity, innovation and dedication.

This mission is reflected in its magnificent green building, a model for integrating a healthy workplace, solar energy and ecological landscaping. This gold LEED certified “green” manufacturing facility was recently named by the Wall Street Journal as the 2007 Top Small Workplace.

In 1982, the wind energy industry was in its infancy, not yet part of the mainstream energy picture. By 1987, NRG Systems had only a handful of employees but was taking important steps that would secure its future. NRG Systems has since grown from a small group of employees to a world leader in its market.

Unity College commends NRG Systems for its extraordinary leadership in environmental sustainability, technical innovation, environmental design, and supportive workplace culture.

Citation — ReVision Energy

ReVision Energy is an ideal name for a company that seeks to Re-Envision how communities produce and consume energy. As we enter a new era of peak oil, global climate change and international energy scarcities, sustainable approaches to energy production are crucial for both local economies and planetary health. The primary goal of ReVision Energy is to help businesses, communities and homeowners make the transition to a sustainable energy future.

ReVision Energy represents 10 years of experience researching and applying the nuances of environmentally sensitive technology. It promotes sustainable energy alternatives such as on-demand water heaters, grid-tied solar electricity, solar hot water, wood boilers, and wall-hung gas boilers. It designed and constructed Maine’s largest solar array at the Maple Hill Farm in Hallowell.

ReVision Energy promotes technical solutions grounded in a philosophy of decentralized energy production and conservation. It is interested in providing superb technical service with an educational goal in mind. Unity College commends Re-Envision for it’s innovative and visionary approach to promoting a sustainable energy future.