Barnard College

Conscious Lifestyle is proud of its ventures and wants to keep them all up to date on each other. All our ventures can learn from each other and take pride in the differences they are each making for people, animals, and the environment.
The Columbia EcoReps venture had a busy, productive year! In response to Mayor Bloomber’s PlaNYC, which includes the goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 30% over the next decade, Columbia’s Environmental Stewardship Office launched the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Council for the University in March 2008. The Council consists of individuals from the facilities, communications, and finance offices and from myriad academic departments. Its job is to identify important principles and goals for lessening the University’s environmental footprint. The Council is currently setting up taskforces and working on campus to make heating more environmentally-friendly, increase use of alternative fuels and energy, manage grounds more effectively, and ensure a sustainable food supply. Also during the Spring 2008 semester, Columbia EcoReps initiated the "Do It in the Dark" energy challenge, which measures energy use in each dorm on a monthly basis and rewards the dorm that shows the greatest decrease in energy consumption with an eco-friendly study break.
The EcoReps have big plans for the future, too! Columbia is putting the finishing touches on its first green dorm suite in Woodbridge Building: it should be habitable by August 2008. Three Woodbridge apartments have been transformed into models of environmental-friendliness for future renovation projects; over the next two years, all of Woodbridge will be renovated. The apartments will save huge amounts of energy by using Forest Stewardship furniture; Energy Star refrigerators, gas stoves, and light fixtures; shower heads with a 2 gallon per minute flow; sinks with a 1.5 gall per minute flow; dual flush toilets; occupancy sensor lighting; a boiler that runs on biofuel; and Bonded Logic insulation. Moreover, the apartments will have low or zero Volatile Organic Compound paint and caulking; cabinets certified by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association Environmental Stewardship Program; Vetrazzo counters; Crossville EcoCycle tiles; National Gypsum drywall; access to recycling centers; and plywood, interior doors, and oak flooring certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
The Woodbridge apartments will be a pilot project to test the possibility of entirely green residence halls. In an article in the "Columbia Spectator," Scott Wright, head of Housing and Dining at Columbia, said that the suite will hopefully set "the standard model for all of our initiatives now." The EcoReps hope that if the apartments are successful, then entire dorms will follow their lead, and that there will eventually be an official EcoRep room in each building on campus.
Aside from the renovations, the EcoReps will also take part in The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education's 2nd biennial conference, entitled AASHE 2008: Working Together for Sustainability--On Campus and Beyond. The conference will occur in November in North Carolina. Hannah Lee of the Columbia EcoReps and Acadia Roher of the Barnard EcoReps will present a workshop on

• Collaborations to advance education and research for sustainability
• Service learning projects to advance sustainability
• Co-curricular learning, such as peer-to-peer outreach and community service
• Funding for sustainability-related research; and
• The growing role of sustainability research centers and institutes

The workshop is entitled "Peer to Peer Sustainability Outreach Programs: From A to Z," and it will allow current program coordinators, and those who are interested in starting a program on their campuses, to hear from coordinators of established programs on everything from how to start a program on campus, to best practices of administration and management, to evaluation methods.
The Barnard EcoReps, Columbia EcoReps' neighbors, are also doing great things. They have pilot green residences, too, one of which was renovated using all recyclable materials, and has Eco-Cem floors and walls and Energy Star-approved appliances. A special interest group of Barnard EcoReps will live in this green suite next year to test its durability. The plan is to soon renovate with sustainable materials kitchens and bathrooms in twenty more suites.
Congratulations to the Columbia and Barnard EcoReps on your great work!

Be sure to check out more information on the Columbia and Barnard EcoRep chapters and on social entrepreneurship, and be in touch with Conscious Lifestyle. We love to hear what you're doing and accomplishing!

The Barnard Eco-Representatives one of Conscious Lifestyle’s ventures, has a new website! These 10 students from Barnard College organize educational programming to help students live “environmentally-conscious” lifestyles. On their site you can learn even more about the EcoReps, what they do, and even get involved in Earth-friendly campus happenings. Take a look at their Green in NYC page, which has lots of good info about eco-friendly activities, restaurants, bakeries, farmers’ markets, and thrift stores in New York City. There are also some good tips on green living in general. Check out the The Eco-Reps today!