Campus Initiatives
The collective efforts of students and the administration are creating a more ecologically responsible culture on campus, in our community, and in the world.
Geothermal Heating and Cooling
Chester and Sassafras residence halls, which opened in 2008, were the first College facilities to adopt eco-friendly geothermal heating and cooling systems. See how the energy efficiencies work (PDF). Hodson Hall Commons, Miller Library and William Smith Hall also use geothermal energy harvested from beneath the campus grounds.
Community Garden Boxes
Three years ago, WC SIFE began an initiative to help local families in need supplement their food pantry supplies with fresh, homegrown vegetables. SIFE provided Earth boxes so families could establish home gardens with minimal investment.
Shoes for Ghana
Since 2008, WC SIFE has been collecting gently used athletic shoes to give to a non-profit organization called PPPF Africa. The shoes are shipped to Ghana and sold to street vendors, diverting them from landfills and stimulating the Ghanaian economy. The money raised through sneaker sales is used to purchase farming supplies, animals, and plants, and to provide irrigation systems and training for Ghanaian families. In 2011-12, WC SIFE collected 600 shoes—enough to adopt one Ghanaian family.
Ecological Programs
Dining Services
Enlarge the image below as a PDF for more detail about the Commitment Dining Services has made to sustainability.
