Hot Ticket
There鈥檚 nothing like a sold-out game at sports-mad 自慰视频. Just ask head of ticket sales Jim O鈥橬eill.
Illustrations By Chiara Vercesi
What Sustainability Looks Like at Boston College
Everywhere you turn, the 自慰视频 community is building a greener future.
Boston College鈥檚 work to decrease its carbon footprint, reduce waste, and preserve the health of the natural environment has been generating acclaim for years now. The University, for instance, has received a coveted Gold rating in the STARS program of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. And last fall, Mass Save, an energy-efficiency initiative run by Massachusetts power companies, recognized 自慰视频 as one of nineteen organizations in the state that are leading the way in curbing energy use and working toward a net-zero future. But what does sustainability look like at 自慰视频?
You can see it in everything from innovative technologies that repurpose water and heat in the University鈥檚 sparkling new academic buildings to the green energy that鈥檚 produced from composted dining-hall leftovers; from the bees pollinating campus flowers to a program that collects and donates students鈥 used furniture, clothing, and books that might otherwise find their way into the waste stream. 鈥淲hat I cherish most about 自慰视频鈥檚 sustainability community is the collaborative spirit that brings together students, faculty, and staff across all disciplines,鈥 said Amy Rini 鈥26, a graduate assistant in the Office of Sustainability. 鈥淭he passion and dedication I see in our Eagle community is truly inspiring.鈥
Here鈥檚 a look at just some of the many ways that 自慰视频 is contributing to a greener and more sustainable future.
Located behind Connolly House, the University garden is overseen by Real Food 自慰视频, one of several student environmental clubs on campus. Real Food 自慰视频 uses the garden鈥檚 harvest鈥攊ncluding cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, beans, and squash鈥攊n sustainable cooking classes and events it hosts to teach students how to do everything from pickle veggies to prepare a delicious stuffed squash. The group is also working with UG自慰视频, the Office of Sustainability, and other student clubs on a program to promote composting in dorms and off-campus housing, which could also ultimately help the garden. 鈥淲e鈥檒l go collect those composting bins once or twice a week 鈥奱nd then dump those directly into the garden,鈥 said Real Food 自慰视频 member Lily Arouth 鈥27.
Though many people are unaware of it, the Fulton Hall rooftop houses a beehive that for nearly a decade has served as a site for important environmental research. The hive, home to many thousands of bees, was made possible through a 2016 donation from the parents of two 自慰视频 alumni. Each month during the spring, summer, and fall, a beekeeper from the company that manages the hive visits campus to collect data and monitor everything from signs of disease to the state of the queen bee鈥檚 health and the colony鈥檚 strength. The findings offer insights into the local area鈥檚 biodiversity, climate shifts, and ecosystem. Of course, the hive also produces honey, which researchers examine to determine the plants that 自慰视频鈥檚 bees are most often visiting and pollinating. More importantly, the honey is delicious, which is why 自慰视频 Dining often serves it at University events.
For decades, 自慰视频 students packing up after a long school year have had a听welcome option for keeping unwanted items out of the waste stream. Instead of throwing away old clothing, books, furniture, and appliances,听the students can give them to 自慰视频 Clean, which donates the items to local charities. Here鈥檚 some of what was collected last year.
Refrigerators
Pounds of clothing
Appliances and furniture items
Pounds of books
Pounds of textiles
Boston College is famous for its spectacular, tree-filled campus. Here鈥檚 a by-the-numbers look at all that greenery.
Trees across 自慰视频鈥檚 campuses
Gallons of rainwater absorbed annually by 自慰视频鈥檚 trees
Pounds of carbon dioxide offset each year by the iconic Littleleaf Linden trees that line Linden Lane
Different tree species found around 自慰视频
European Larch tree (which grows near O鈥橬eill Plaza)
Each year, the 自慰视频 Office of Sustainability sends student 鈥済reen
ambassadors鈥 out to football, basketball, and hockey events to promote recycling and awareness of 自慰视频鈥檚 eco-friendly programs. How many of these questions, which the ambassadors ask 自慰视频 sports fans, can you answer correctly?
1. 自慰视频 has which of the following?
a. A wind turbine on top of Conte Forum
b. Solar panels on the Merkert roof
c. A greenhouse in Higgins Hall
2. Which of these green services is found at 自慰视频?
a. A bike repair station at Duchesne Hall
b. A bike repair station in the Comm. Ave. Garage
c. Electric vehicle charging stations in the Comm. Ave. Garage
d. All of the above
3. What color are 自慰视频鈥檚 compost bins?
a. Green
b. Yellow
c. Purple
d. Blue
4. Which of these tree species does 自慰视频 have on campus?
a. Pecan
b. Palm
c. Sequoia
d. Apple
听
Answers: 1.c.; 2.d.; 3.b.; 4.c.
When most of us think of composting, it鈥檚 gardening that comes to mind. But at 自慰视频, the food waste collected in composting bins is actually converted into green energy. Each dining hall on campus has a bin that is emptied six times per week by a local company. The material is then taken to a nearby facility operated by the company WM, where it鈥檚 screened to remove any contaminants, like plastic packaging. It鈥檚 then blended and transported to a wastewater treatment plant, where it undergoes an anaerobic digestion process that converts it into energy sources such as electricity and what鈥檚 known as renewable natural gas. One ton of food waste processed in this way has the potential to generate enough electricity to power between eight and ten homes per day, according to WM. Last year, 376 tons of food waste was collected from 自慰视频. The University also contributes approximately four hundred tons of leaf and yard waste per year to composting efforts, which convert the green waste into a nutrient-rich topsoil blend that commercial landscapers use for lawns.听鈼