Local venues, student organizations and the Farmer’s Market are partnering with Sustainability@BU to promote environmental consciousness for the second annual Sustainability fest today, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the George Sherman Union.
The Sustainability team is networking with more student organizations and venues this year than last year, said sustainability program intern Rebecca Morgan, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
“We just wanted to do more. Last year was the first and it went well, so we’ve brought in more vendors, more clubs, more things to do.”
Venues such as Goodwill, Save That Stuff, Urban Adventures and Zipcar are participating, Morgan said. The geography and environment department is also joining the cause, in addition to student organizations such as the Energy Club, Environmental Student Organization, Global Water Brigades and the International Affairs
Association.
The festival also includes a SCVNGR competition, where students use their mobile phone applications and Facebook account to
complete 19 challenges related to sustainability programs on campus, Morgan said. The winner will be awarded a new 21-speed bicycle.
“I think it’s good that student groups are making an effort for something that’s not specifically their issue,” said Ella Clausen, a
freshman in the College of Communication.
Morgan, who works with Sustainability’s Communications and Outreach Working Group, said she has focused on working more closely with
student groups on the subject of sustainability.
“We’re trying to get people to connect with student organizations and see what kinds of things are going on here, like gardening and
biking,” she said.
“Sustainability is a wonderful idea, but not enough people know about it,” said COM sophomore Laura Grant. “[Waste] always gets sorted
wrong, so a festival would bring more awareness to the cause. Basically, BU just needs to emphasize that almost everything can be recycled. Not a lot of people know that all the plastic we use is made from corn.”
“The festival is definitely effective, but also necessary,” said CAS senior Courtney Federico, one of this year’s First Year Student
Outreach Program coordinators for the environment issue area. “A lot of people aren’t aware about how important it is to do these small things, and the festival brings these issues to the forefront of people’s minds.”
Morgan said the sustainability program, just going on its third year, is still in its early stages.
“In general, we’re still in the process of assessing where we are now, and figuring out how to do things better, and innovative,” Morgan
said.
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