Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 65.20
Liaison Denice Koljonen
Submission Date Feb. 17, 2022

STARS v2.2

Boston College
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.75 / 2.00 Bruce Dixon
Sustainability and Energy Specialist
Facilities
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Student groups 

Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Yes

Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
Eco Pledge: Group to promote sustainable activities and events on campus.
https://www.facebook.com/BCEcoPledge
Real Food: Group is focused on healthy and organic food from local sources.
https://www.instagram.com/bcrealfood/
Sustainability Living and Learning Community: Sponsored by Resident Hall Association and Residential Life
https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/offices/student-affairs/sites/residential-life/living-in-bc-housing/programs/living-learning-communities.html
Undergraduate Government of Boston College Environmental Caucus: Group of students also involved in student government to help plan sustainable activities on campus.
https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/offices/student-affairs/sites/ugbc/about.html

Gardens and farms 

Does the institution have a garden, farm, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or an urban agriculture project where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems?:
Yes

A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
The Real Food Club maintains the organic garden located adjacent to the main campus. Seeds are sown in the Spring and starter plants are later transplanted to the garden. The students host the BC Daycare to teach young children about how vegetables are grown and invite them back throughout the Summer and Fall so they can learn how plants grow. Real Food Club members create garden days when student volunteers work in the garden to help irrigate, maintain plants, and de-weed the garden. During the university's annual Harvest Festival and Earth Week, club members collaborate with faculty to organize events at the garden to promote awareness of organic vegetables and create yoga events to promote outdoor events. Cooking demonstrations are also held in the garden to show how certain foods can be prepared in a healthy manner. Organic vegetables from the garden are used in a creative way for a dinner event in the Fall with Real Food Club members. BC Dining Services provide the meal.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNBbikh8J5XqaMOZJVT8R9ZIHCmQ1OzwZGd36Uix0cOIpOrOvLAB9I03r2g3HbFIQ?pli=1&key=dEJFVUVQMXpJQXo4X2p5WEp1MzJwZHBEa3FOWEFB

Student-run enterprises 

Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
Yes

A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
The Loft at Addie's - Student-run dining hall that practices sustainable cooking, dining, and provides employees with valuable knowledge about how to incorporate food and business-related sustainable practices into their lives.

https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/offices/auxiliary-services/sites/dining/locations/The-loft-at-addies.html

Environmental Eagle newsletter - The EcoPledge members assemble a newsletter during the academic year to promote sustainable initiatives on campus and Sustainability news locally and globally.

https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/offices/facilities/services/sustainability.html#sustainable_news

Sustainable investment and finance 

Does the institution have a sustainable investment fund, green revolving fund, or sustainable microfinance initiative through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills?:
No

A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
---

Events 

Has the institution hosted a conference, speaker series, symposium, or similar event focused on sustainability during the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
Yes

A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
The BC Office of Sustainability hosted the Student Sustainability Leadership Symposium for the first time in Nov. 2019. This symposium was hosted by the Northeast Student Sustainability Leadership organization for students and invited faculty, staff, and professionals in the Sustainability field to inform student leaders from other colleges and universities across New England about sustainable initiatives and sustainable leadership workshops. It was a one-day event.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/246338118828772

The Office of Sustainability created a two-day, two-part series focusing on the United Nations Sustainability Development Goal 15, Life on Land. The Executive Director of the Kennebunk Land Trust and the Branch Chief of the Natural Resource Conservation Service were invited to speak to our campus community virtually.

https://www.facebook.com/OfficeOfSustainability

Cultural arts 

Has the institution hosted a cultural arts event, installation, or performance focused on sustainability with the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
No

A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
---

Wilderness and outdoors programs 

Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
Yes

A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The Outdoor Adventure Program provides adventure programs for students in all of the disciplines including hiking, backpacking, kayaking, and other outings. The program follows Leave-No-Trace(LNT) principles. The Program Director is an LNT Master Educator and all 45 of the leaders in the program operate at the LNT educator level.

https://www.facebook.com/BCOutdoor

Sustainability-focused themes 

Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
---

Sustainable life skills 

Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
Yes

A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
The Sustainability Living & Learning Community in Reservoir Apartments is a community dedicated to rising sophomores interested in exploring the broad topic of sustainability, engaging in service, and being part of a new opportunity to promote environmental awareness. While a student doesn't have to be an environmental major, an interest in and commitment to living in an intentional community around the issues of sustainability is necessary. A limited number of spaces are available in Reservoir Apartments. Students must apply at the time of their housing intent during their Freshman year.

https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/offices/student-affairs/sites/residential-life/living-in-bc-housing/programs/living-learning-communities.html

Student employment opportunities 

Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
Loft at Addies, Kitchen service. Office of Sustainability, Sustainability initiatives. Real Foods in Dining Services Dining support services, sustainability interns for Dining Services and sustainability student manager for Dining Services.

www.bc.edu/offices/dining/locations/lcdf/balcony.htm
www.bc.edu/offices/dining/about/kitchen.html

Graduation pledge

Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
No

A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
---

Optional Fields

A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
---

Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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