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, working 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.
Sustainability on Campus
Read the sustainability issue of Connections, a publication by the Association of Jesuit Colleges & Universities. Boston College's Director of Sustainability and Energy Management Deirdre Manning contributes on the topic of coordinating sustainability efforts on campus.
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What's New?BC physicist and Jesuit Priest Quoted in the GlobeRead the article from October 23: Obama Wants America to Lead in Green Energy.
bC improving its "Report Card"Boston College's College Sustainability Report Card has improved, with a jump from a "B-" to a "B." BC recieved "A's" in the categories of Food & Recycling, Student Involvement, Transportation and Investment Priorities. Read the article in the Heights.
Single Stream RecyclingBoston College is initiating a move towards single stream recycling, a method in which all recyclables including glass, plastic, aluminum, paper and cardboard are placed into a single bin by the consumer. By eliminating the need to sort the materials, recycling becomes more user friendly, and increases recycling volume by 30%. Did you know that you can recycle wire clothes hangers? Empty aerosol cans? Juice boxes? Check out BC's simple guide to single stream recycling, which will start off in the college's residence halls.
The spoils of Finals
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!
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.
BC Green Guide
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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: 
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 
Planet in Peril