Babson College
EN-3: Student Life

The Babson Energy and Environmental Club (BEEC) is comprised of Babson College's graduate students with some undergraduate representation. They are a group of students committed to entrepreneurship, sustainable initiatives, and educating themselves with all things sustainable. Their largest event is a conference organized each year, where they invite inspiring leaders in the industry as guest speakers. A carbon neutral organization, BEEC purchases carbon offsets to counterbalance the carbon dioxide emissions resulting from their events and activities. BEEC’s Green-e certified offsets have been purchased through Carbonfund.org, a non-profit organization that supports renewable energy, reforestation and energy efficiency projects worldwide to reduce carbon emissions and the threat of climate change. The organization is primarily run by the student leaders with the support of several advisers from the professional and academic sphere. The undergraduate Sustainability Club was founded in Spring 2016 and engages students in campus sustainability projects.

Faculty, staff, and students run twelve 4'x8' raised organic garden beds where herbs, vegetables, and fruits are grown. It is located in between the Reynolds and Hollister buildings. Additionally, the Sustainability Office supports a CSA program and hosts a drop-off location on campus and serves about 25 participants, year-round. More information: http://farmerstoyou.com/

Every first year student is part of a business as part of the Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship (FME). Students present business ideas at the start of the year during the annual Rocket Pitch and the top ideas get turned into businesses. Throughout this process students are taught about corporate responsibility, and life cycle analysis of a product.

Babson's eighth annual Sustainability Fair (Changemaker Marketplace) was held in October 2017 and attracted more than 400 students as well as over 100 faculty, staff, administrators, and community members. The zero-waste fair showcased sustainability efforts at Babson and beyond, and featured student groups, sustainable alumni businesses, and sustainable food. The annual Babson Energy and Environment Conference provides a forum for leading professionals and companies to discuss how clean energy innovation will drive a new era of energy, economics and policy. Babson Social Innovation Summit explores how the for-profit sector can leverage social innovation to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Sustainability Office also regularly partners with other departments on campus to bring in sustainability speakers, ranging from Naomi Klein to a group of the founding farmers from Organic Valley.

Chasing Ice: Directed by Jeff Orlawski, Presented by the Global Film Series A solitary quest with global implications. This Emmy-Award winning documentary tells the story of environmental photographer James Balog, who publicized the effects of climate change by capturing the historical polar ice melt on camera. Both chilling and awe-inspiring, Chasing Ice delivers visual evidence of climate change that’s more powerful than scientific and governmental papers can communicate. It also opens up discussions about technology’s role in mediating between humans and nature, and the responsibility of the audience for witnessing such a catastrophic event. Naomi Klein's film, 'This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate' was shown on campus, followed by a presentation by Naomi Klein. Cast: New Work by Pat Falco Artist Talk and Reception: Thursday, February 2, 5:00 P.M., Exhibit on View: February 2–March 30, Hollister Gallery A keen observer of the world around him, Pat Falco uses a street art graphic drawing style and hand-printed text to reflect with honesty and wit on both social and personal issues. He chooses mis-tinted paints and found objects for his art surfaces, because, as he says, “I’d like not to make more waste than is already here.” Consumer culture, interpersonal relationships, the art world, our current political climate, heartbreak, gentrification, socioeconomic stratification, and fear of failure are a just a few of the themes where he mines incongruities for humor and pathos. Breaking Prairie: Sculpture and Installation by Andrea Thompson Artist Talk and Reception: Thursday, September 15, 5:00 P.M. Exhibit on view: September 15–October 20 How do we value the land? In the early 20th century, vast areas of prairie grasslands in the American Great Plains were converted to farmland, forever altering the landscape. The bushels-per-acre accounting of agriculture came at the cost of native plant species, which are superior at capturing carbon, preventing erosion, and supporting a thriving ecosystem. The hubris of westward expansion becomes evident when contrasted with scenes from the day-to-day reality of farming life. Sculptor and installation artist Andrea Thompson explores these themes in Breaking Prairie, a new artwork series that questions how we measure the worth of wild and cultivated landscapes. Clybourne Park A Play By Bruce Norris, Directed by Professor Beth Wynstra (with student actors) Real estate and racism collide in this Pulitzer Prizewinning play that returns to the neighborhood portrayed in the classic A Raisin in the Sun and explores a half century of life in urban America. Wickedly funny, the play looks at modern gentrification and asks us to reconsider our notions of privilege, race, and neighborhoods.

The Babson Outdoors Association advocates participation in outdoor activities. The association organizes several outings to go white water rafting, rock climbing, etc. for the entire Babson community and follows Leave No Trace principles in its outings.

The First Year Seminar, an introduction to Babson course, has a sustainability-focused option. It is a semester-long orientation for students, and the sustainability-focused section was the first section to fill all enrollment slots.

The Sustainability Office hires several student interns every year. This group of interns evaluates the priorities of the campus and designs projects that use SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) goals to drive towards a more sustainable campus.

Yes, Babson has had a pledge since May 2012. This pledge is offered to all graduating students who will wear ribbons on their graduation gowns letting people know of their pledge. Graduation Pledge - “Through the application of entrepreneurial thought and action, I pledge to integrate social, environmental and economic sustainability concepts into the business practices in which I partake, in order to create resilient, sustainable prosperity.”