Welcome!Soaring to Sustainability is an on-line resource dedicated to sustainability efforts at Boston College, with information and articles related to conservation, tips for reducing your carbon footprint, as well as initiatives conducted by Boston College students, faculty and staff. Boston College recognizes that there are limits to the world’s resources. To ensure the quality of life for future generations, Boston College seeks to become a leader in environmental stewardship and sustainability. The Facilities Management Department works with students, faculty and staff to support local farmers, waste reduction, recycling, water and energy conservation, and alternative forms of transportation. We are committed to conserving resources and reducing the impact our services and activities create on the environment. Please continue searching the site to learn what Boston College is doing and what you can do to help the environment. Take the Environmental Interest Survey!Click here to take the survey, and help BC to become more environmentally engaged. You will also be automatically entered into a drawing for ice cream gift certificates!
Want to learn more?Find books, articles and web resources on an endless variety of subjects by visiting the BC LibGuides site for Environmental Sciences. BCisGreen Week
From February 15-20, the Undergraduate Government of Boston College presented the first ever "BCisGreen Week" to celebrate the commitment to sustainability. The week was a highly collaborative effort, with events sponsored by student groups, professors, and administrators as well as campus entities such as the bookstore, O'Neill library and Residential Life. Visit our 2009 Events page for more information. Cultivating Change: The Boston College Community Garden
The sustainability garden flourished over the summer, yielding beautiful vegetables and herbs. Read the final report on the garden, Cultivating Change: The Boston College Community Garden. Learn more about the garden on our Nature page, and find out about the group that made the garden a reality: Real Food BC. To get involved or take a tour of the garden, contact Danielle Cortesa at danielle.cortesa@gmail.com. |
What's New?The spoils of Finals At the end of every academic year, students are overworked and pressed for time. Inevitably, packing is put on the backburner until finals are over. This allows for very little time to deal with all of the objects one accumulates over the academic year. In the past, many of these items were simply thrown out, but for almost two decades Cleansweep, a volunteer organization of BC community members, has corralled these items for donation to local charities. Read more about Cleansweep and some of the odd items found this year in the Christian Science Monitor.Earth Day 2009 is a success!
The Dust Bowl welcomed the annual "Mt. Trashmore" sorting as well as representatives from Sustain BC, Ecopledge, Real Food, GeoClub, Animal Rights Club, and 4Boston, among others. Cookie decorating, face painting, and tap water taste-testing were all part of the fun and students had opportunities to learn about everything from unlikely toxins to the sustainable design plans of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. More information and photos of the fun coming soon!
RecycleMania Results Are In!
Energy OrbHelp Boston College reduce greenhouse gas emissions and electricity costs. We are introducing an “energy orb” that changes colors every sixty seconds to let you know how much electricity is being used on main campus. Shut off unnecessary lights and equipment throughout the day, especially at the end of the work day or when you go to sleep at night and turn the orb and the environment green.
Final NRG Games Results Are In!
BC Green Guide
All New: Energy Dashboard
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RecycleMania is a ten week contest that challenges colleges and universities across America to promote waste reduction on their campuses. This year, Boston College came in first in the ACC and third in Massachusetts with a cumulative recycling rate of 42 percent! Visit our 
Congratulations to the winners of BC's annual energy conservation contest! Keyes took the Upper/Newton division and 90 St. Thomas More Rd. reigned victorious on Lower Campus. Both dorms will be rewarded with their own private BBQ! Ignacio will also win an ice cream party for their succes over Rubenstein! In total, BC residence halls saved 63,118 lbs of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of taking 67 cars off the road for the month, or planting 9 acres of national forest! Check out the 
Planet in Peril
Boston College is introducing the Building Dashboard program that will allow residents of the largest residence halls on lower campus to see their electrical usage in real time. The Dashboard will allow occupants to monitor their electrical consumption and quantify the environmental and economic benefits of conservation. The Modulars will not be metered. Check out the Building Dashboard at: