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November 5, 2015Campus Sustainability Day: Brainstorming Ways to Make the College Greener

At Campus Sustainability Day, held on Thursday, October 22, 2015, a brainstorming session was held to generate ideas for ways in which the College could go greener. The following ideas were proposed:

Solar Panels on Campus
Wind Turbines on Campus—near Rte. 202
Improve recycling bins, signage and collection procedures
More Hydration Stations on Campus
More Motion Detector Light Switches, Low-flo Showers and Toilets, Flushless Urinals
Signage in every office and classroom, urging folks to turn off the lights when they leave
Set expectations for incoming students during Orientation
Require a Sustainability Course for all students
Establish a Major and a Minor in Sustainability
Hire a Sustainability Coordinator for the Campus
Vend Refillable Water Bottles near all Soda and Water Machines
Equip Labs with Solar and Biogas
Recycle “Grey Water”
Ban Vehicle Idling on Campus
Better signage for Waste Management
Better publicity and advertising for Carpooling Resource
EV Charging Stations on Campus

Install Water Filters in all Dorm Room Sinks
Better signage in Dorm Laundry Rooms, for Water and Energy Conservation
Energy Conservation Contests in Residence Halls
Establish more Wildflower Meadows and Student Gardens on Campus
Install signage at all Campus Sustainability Features
Sustainability-related Scavenger Hunts
Better continuity and succession planning for student-led sustainability events (such as Spring Into Sustainability…collecting reusable discards on Move-out Day)
Get Sodexo to offer, and students to use, more Vegetarian and Vegan options
Lobby Student Government and Student Trustees for increased support of sustainability actions on Campus
Establish class-credit based initiatives
Establish a Ramapo “Marketplace,” where students can sell things they make
Install a demonstration Compostable Toilet on Campus
Get Dining Services to switch to compostable cutlery
Give students Refillable Coffee Cups

Categories: Sustainability

June 17, 2015Introducing the Sustainable Living Facilities (SLF)

Whether you’ve got a future in finance or prospects in psychology, sustainability is a community where we can all come together to build a brighter tomorrow. The world we currently live in is troubled with ecological, economic and social crises. From climate change to the wealth gap to struggling communities, it can be overwhelming to tackle these issues on a global scale, but our individual actions and intentions always hold the power to inspire change.

That’s where SLF comes in! Created in 2010, the Sustainable Living Facilities are no different from any other dorm on campus; this eco-minded program embraces the model of green living in an existing space. Our community resides in apartments in both the Village and CPAs. SLFers work in the organic vegetable garden behind Redwood, bring those yummy veggies back to their kitchen, and prepare it for a community dinner. This simple practice is so profound sustainable; we gather as a community to reconnect with the land and our food while reducing our carbon footprint.

This is what the program is about: altering small behaviors to influence the big picture. By buying local and organic and supporting farmers markets, we support local farmers who honor the earth with their growing practices. We compost, reduce, reuse and recycle to curb our consumption. We purchase and use cleaning supplies free of harsh chemicals as to not pollute our water. We save resources by conserving water and energy as well as by carpooling. And we do all of this as a community, growing and learning together with an encouraging and positive approach.

Sustainability is an overarching theme that as a place in every potential field, so SLF is not just for environmentalists! Having experience living sustainably will totally give you an edge when applying for jobs because it conveys your passion and compassion. The requirements for the program itself are a 20-hour service commitment each semester, and if you haven’t taken world sustainability or an environmental class, you are advised to take the sustainability seminar.

I truly believe I am where I am as an environmentalist and as a student leader because of the Sustainable Living Facilities. This awesome program gives you the knowledge and the tools to reduce your carbon footprint and really make a difference in the Ramapo community. I highly recommend anyone who cares about the planet and our future to apply to this program! Here are the links for more information and the application.

Written by Heather Darley ’15