The Issue: Sustainability Report Card released last week
What we think: Student involvement is impetus for change
Last week, The College Sustainability Report Card was released, and Boston College's grade has improved for the third consecutive year. Particular areas of note are the Food & Recycling and Student Involvement categories, in which we earned A ratings.
BC Dining Services has consistently maintained a commitment to sustainability over the past three years by substituting plastic containers with biodegradable alternatives, instituting an overhauled recycling system, and by spending over half its budget on locally grown agriculture and produce.
Initiatives like EcoPledge, Real Food BC, and Sustain BC have been a focal point for activism. Students have maintained a community garden, organized events, connected with national organizations like the Real Food Challenge, and been a sizable fulcrum for lobbying administrators and trustees.
The most impressive aspect of this report card, though, is the amount of cooperation that this sustainable transformation has required. The student initiatives above are models for effective student activism because they have a visible presence on campus and are able to effectively work within the system to actualize ideas. They have coordinated with members of Dining Services to create the extremely popular Addie's Loft; they have worked with the Undergraduate Government of BC to sponsor the annual GreenWeek; they have synchronized with Facilities Management to enter the University in the nationwide RecycleMania competition.
By necessity, there are also members of the BC faculty who have equaled student enthusiasm, creating a scissor effect. Special recognition is particularly due to Deirdre Manning, director of sustainability and energy management, who has become the point-person for all things "green."
Despite these strides, the school still has significant room for improvement. For example, BC Facilities Management and custodial staff should make a more concerted effort to shut down lights and power off unnecessary computer systems and flat-screen television monitors at night. It is very easy to see the wasted energy just by walking through the campus after hours and observing all of the illuminated classrooms. Additionally, BC must maintain its commitment to LEED certified buildings under the Institutional Master Plan. Despite the high initial fixed costs inherent in these types of green structures, the returns (some monetary, most ethical) more than justify the investment.
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