Student Initiatives
“to survive in the world we have transformed, we must learn to think in a new way. as never before, the future of each depends on the good of all.” —nobel statement, december 2001
| EcoPledge Real Food BC |
EcoReps |
Students at Boston College take an active role in raising awareness on campus and combating environmental issues. EcoPledge, a rapidly expanding student-organized club, is the center for student initiatives on sustainability. Emerging groups include Sustain BC and the Environmental Law Society as part of the Boston College Law School. Raising awareness about critical issues is one of the clubs’ principal goals, as well as taking active steps to overcome these issues and unite students for the cause.
EcoPledge is a student-led organization that works toward making Boston College a more sustainable campus. EcoPledge educates the BC community about environmental issues by showing films, presenting lectures, and hosting annual celebratory events like Harvestfest and Earth Day.
Through the leadership of EcoPledge members, Boston College has participated annually in RecycleMania, a national intercollegiate recycling competition, and the NRG Games Contest, an energy conservation contest. EcoPledge also runs campus-wide campaigns to promote water and energy conservation, and an increase in commingled plastic, paper, and food waste recycling.
EcoPledge members often go beyond the campus, participating in local community clean-ups, national environmental conferences, and hiking and camping outings throughout New England. The group pledges to collaborate with faculty, staff, and fellow students in campaigning for a more sustainable Boston College campus.
Join the EcoPledge Facebook group!
Real Food BC is a student group on campus that strives for the establishment of a more sustainable food system. It was started as a part of the nationwide Real Food Challenge.
The goal of Real Food BC is to promote the purchasing of food from local, green, humane sources in order to support localized food production and to reduce carbon emissions that result from long-distance food shipments. BC Dining Services have already taken the initial steps towards more sustainable food procurement, and our group wants to help them take greater strides. In collaboration with Real Food BC, BC Dining created Addie's Loft, an organic eatery that offers food from local, sustainable sources. Located on the second floor of Corcoran Commons (Lower), Addie's offers delicious artisan fare, and its walls display photos and posters that provide insight into the sustainable food system.
Above, RealFood Representatives Sara Swanke '12 and Joshua Gild '12 are pictured with Michael Cernak, BC RealFood Founder and Sociology faculty members.
EcoReps
environmental law society
The Boston College Environmental Law Society (ELS) is a community of students, faculty, alumni, and friends who share a social consciousness about important environmental issues. The society offers a variety of unique opportunities for students to become informed and active in the pursuit of a better and healthier environment. To accomplish this, the society organizes an increasingly broad scope of activities that are fun, educational, and service-oriented.
For more information, please see the Environmental Law Society web site.
events
Boston College’s environmental clubs are always looking for new ways to act on campus. EcoPledge, Sustain BC, and the Environmental Law Society organize and support many sustainability events. Please see our Events page for upcoming and past events, as well as possible future activities related to sustainability at Boston College.