Student Engagement

"Sustainability at Bowdoin is an ever-evolving process. The ideas, energy, and effort from the students really help push Bowdoin in new directions and ensure we 'walk the talk' regarding the important issues they learn about in class."
—Keisha Payson, Assistant Director of Sustainability

Green Girls of Bowdoin

Green Athletics at the Bowdoin Colby Hockey Game

Students Employed by the Office of Sustainability

Programs Completed by Eco Reps in the 2017-2018 Academic Year

100

Hours a Week of Student Work on Sustainability Initiatives

Like the green dorm room programs at other schools, Bowdoin's Green Living Commitment (GLC) is an easy way for students to learn about the individual steps that can be taken in daily life around campus to live more sustainably. Student commit to an easy 10 actions like turning off lights and using drying racks to get to the basic Bronze Level, and raise their level by making further commitments on a point-based scale. Students achieve Silver, Gold, or Green Level certifications and are entered in monthly drawings to local businesses. All students receive a sign for their door that shows their level of GLC, with space to add in more stickers as they get greener and greener. In 2017-2018, 18% of Bowdoin students participated in the GLC program.

Each October since 2001, twenty-two of the residence halls are challenged to reduce their energy usage from the 1st through the 31st. They are divided into three brackets: first-year dorms, college houses, and upper dorms, and work within those brackets to reduce energy more than any of their peers. Overall, the focus is on collective energy reduction, but many students get much more excited about trying to be the most energy efficient first-year dorm, college house, or upper dorm. Prizes are awarded to the residences that reduce their energy by the highest percentage. Some folks (Howell, October 2017) manage to do so by nearly 30%!

At this time, Bowdoin's metering system allows for Chamberlain, Coles Tower, Howard Hall, Stowe Hall, Stowe House Inn, and 52 Harpswell to compete as the Upper Dorms. All other Upper Dorms and Apartments are metered through CMP and are not yet able to compete with their peers.

In 2017, the October Energy Challenge had a minor assist with a giant windstorm and power outage at the end of the month, bringing us to a grand total reduction of 14%. For 2018, we are hoping for 18%!

The biggest things students can do to help their dorm win are:

Flip off the lights when not in use
Unplug chargers once devices are fully charged
Use drying racks rather than clothes dryers

Have fun!

Each spring, a small team of students are hired to help sort the Goodwill and food pantry donations made by departing students. The job entails working to separate reusable goods from unsalable, coordinating with Goodwill staff and departing students, and operating efficiently under a strict timeline as campus must be left clean and tidy by the end of Commencement Weekend. In 2018, Bowdoin collected 37,800 pounds of donations, which would have ended up in the landfill without the necessary work of these student employees.

Greenstock is an all-day barbeque, music festival, and sustainability fair that is hosted during the fall semester and highlights sustainability initiatives and green clubs on campus, as well as Bowdoin bands. Like Earth Day, it works to engage that entire campus in eco-themed projects, while also contributing to campus culture.

Earth Day is an all-day environmental festival held on the main quad. Student groups host games and info sessions, and the Yellow Bike Club hosts a particularly popular bike tune-up session. Earth Day is nationally celebrated on April 22th, and was first begun in 1970. It is now one of the most important days of the year for promoting sustainable values and environmental stewardship, both at Bowdoin and across the country.

Eco Service Day is hosted in the spring, and connects Bowdoin students with local land trusts to do outdoor service work like trail maintenance and clean-up. Last year about 20 Bowdoin student groups worked with the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust and the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, helping to maintain our local environment and the college's relationship with the Brunswick community.

Student Engagement

Green Living Commitment

Energy Competition

Give and Go

Greenstock

Earth Day

Eco Service Day