Eco Columbia

The Recycling Program was profiled along side a couple other departments in this week’s Student Loop. You can read the article below or check out some multimedia on the original post.

A few members of the Recycling staff pose with their mascot, Polar Pete, on Earth Day.

You just finished your venti tazo green tea frappuccino with extra whipped cream and are looking for a handy waste receptacle. You could throw it in the green recycling bin, but that’s about a ten-step walk. Eh, too far. The second it takes to toss away your tasty beverage is a miniscule, seemingly insignificant portion of your day. But it plays into the much bigger picture of green initiatives going on at Columbia.

From the recycling cans all around campus to the motion-detection lights in some washrooms and the green roof on top of 33 E. Congress Pkwy., Columbia is working to become an eco-friendly member of the Chicago community.  (more…)

Formed last year, the Sustainability Task Force at Columbia has made it their goal to increase sustainability on campus through green policies that will save money, lower environmental impact, and engage the campus community.

The team, which includes students, faculty, and staff, will work closely with two sustainability consulting firms, Sustainametrics and TerraLocke, to improve current initiatives and  start new ones on campus. The seven month partnership is expected to include small group meetings, town hall gatherings, online forums, and surveys that allow students to participate and contribute their ideas as well.

Anyone wishing to get involved can contact Joe Leamanczyk at jleamanczyk@colum.edu or 312-369-7119.

For more information, and the full list of task force members, visit the Recycling Program’s website.