This year, Connecticut College celebrated Earth Day with several festivities accompanied by a big announcement: a pledge to go carbon neutral by 2030. While this day was jam-packed with sustainable events and tips on how to reduce one’s footprint, it certainly cannot be the only day dedicated to saving our planet. Here are some easy ways to make Earth Day, every day, at Conn:
In order to be more sustainable on campus, think about what items you can re-use and swap instead of throwing out. I highly recommend bringing reusable coffee tumblers to the student coffee shops, using tupperware while getting food to-go at Harris, and keeping a couple of real dishes in your room that you can wash instead of buying single use utensils and plates. I also think everyone should start swapping clothes with friends as they do some spring cleaning and clear out their closets in order to reduce clothing waste and unnecessary spending!
– Maria Sell ‘23
A sustainable switch I made in college is using a menstrual cup in lieu of other feminine hygiene products! Conn’s GSP makes it easy by providing a menstrual cup to any student that requests one, delivering it straight to their mailbox. If you’re thinking about little ways to reduce your waste, give a menstrual cup a try!
– Kendall Foley ‘24
If you’re interested in being an advocate for planet earth every day on campus, get involved with the Office of Sustainability as a Sustainability Fellow! Every semester, you will be placed on a team dedicated to a specific project that promotes sustainable living at Connecticut College. Some current student-led initiatives include developing a reusable grab-and-go CONN-tainers program, running the on-campus swap shop in Larrabee, generating an electric vehicle fleet, working in the SPROUT garden, and expanding our solar capabilities on campus through coursework and volunteering. Be sure to follow @ccsustainable on Instagram for updates!
– Lara Beckius ‘24