Smith College
EN-10: Inter-Campus Collaboration

Smith forges partnerships with organizations and institutions that have common goals in their approach to environmental sustainability. Smith is a part of Five College Sustainability which is a consortium of schools in the area that offer courses, events, and other programs related to sustainability. In 2011 and 2012, Smith participated in The Five College's Blue Sky Initiative. The Five College Board of Directors invited suggestions, ideas, or fully developed proposals for new and improved sustainability initiatives. The objective of the Blue Sky Initiative was to envisions opportunities for sustainability for the Five Colleges and beyond. Over 500 proposals were received. The proposals are now under review with key criteria being reduced climate impact, savings, and learning opportunities for our students, added wtih consideration given to those projects that might attract external funding or engage alumni/ae and members of our neighboring communities. In addition, Deirdre Manning, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator at Smith College, regularly contributes to the GRNSCH Listserv, particularly as it relates to dashboards and metering. In Fall of 2011, Manning participated in the Regional ACPUCC Symposium at Bunker Hill Community College. During the symposium Manning gave a presentation of solar energy.

Smith forges partnerships with organizations and institutions that have common goals in their approach to environmental sustainability. Below are a few examples: Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE): As a member, Smith supports AASHE's goals of promoting entire campus efforts to sustainability. American Colleges and University President's Climate Commitment (ACUPCC): Smith joins other higher education institutions in an agreement to lead their communities by example. More information regarding the detailed requirements of the commitment can be found on ACUPCC's web site. Clean Air - Cool Planet: Smith is a campus partner with Clean Air-Cool Planet (CA-CP) that addresses the problem of global warming through civic engagement, education and effective policy. Clean Air-Cool Planet is the leading organization dedicated solely to finding and promoting solutions to global warming. Co-op Power: Co-op Power is a regional network of local communities creating a multi-class, multi-racial movement for a sustainable and just energy future. Co-op Power is a consumer-owned energy cooperative serving New England and New York. As a member Smith helps make clean energy more affordable, accessible and reliable. Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA): Smith support local farmers in the Pioneer Valley as a "local hero" campaign member. Visit their Web site for more opportunities to buy locally-grown food. Other campus organizations include Engineers Without Borders, Amherst Permaculture Committee, and Five College Sustainability.

As a part of the five college consortium, Smith College has participated in many collaborations with the other four member schools: Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Amherst College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “Students from each of the five colleges may join many groups at campuses different from their home campus.” Smith's Center for the Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability (CEEDS) regularly hosts events related to the environment which are open to the Five College community.