From: Christina Honeycutt
Date: September 22, 2023
Subject: Sustainable Bowdoin Weekly Digest - 9.22.23


SEPTEMBER 22, 2023  

Hello Sustainability Student Employees!

Welcome to the first Sustainable Bowdoin Weekly Digest for Fall 2023! Each Friday I'll send out some highlights of the work we've all be doing together, provide some updates and reminders, and share some events or resources that you may be interested in or want to share out with your peers. We had an awesome kick-off event and teams are gearing up for upcoming programs! If you have anything you'd like me to include in these weekly emails - please send it my way! Have a wonderful weekend!

-Christina Honeycutt (she/her), Sustainability Outreach & Program Manager

WELCOME & WELCOME BACK!

We are excited to have all our new and returning students joining us this semester! 

SUSTAINABILITY ASSISTANTS
Violet Apodaca '25 - Office Help/Social Media
Eli Franklin '25 - Energy Dashboard
Ilo Holdbridge '25 - STARS Reporting
Emily Jones '24 - Sustainability Events
Talia Mirel '24 - Energy Dashboard

FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT TEAM
Cedar Greve '26
Ellie Schofield '24
Claire Wyman '25

SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATORS
Caroline Vauclain '25 - Civic and Community Engagement
Angela Delgado '25 - Energy 
Olivia Deane '25 - Green Athletics
Ayanna Hatton '24 - Sustainable Living

COLLEGE HOUSE ECO REPS
Naomi Lopez - Baxter (Civic & Community Engagement Team)
Anna Tran - Boody-Johnson (Sustainable Living Team)
Evan Grauer - Burnett (Energy Team)
Nina Fearon - Helmreich (Green Athletics)
Everett Gordon - Howell (Sustainable Living Team)
Aaniyah Simmons - MacMillan (Civic and Community Engagement Team)
Dylan Petrillo - Quinby (Energy Team)
Charlotte Tagupa - Reed (Civic & Community Engagement Team)

FIRST YEAR ECO REPS
Pablo Riano - Appleton (Green Athletics Team)
Elena LeTourneau - Coleman (Energy Team)
Eli Shifrin - Hyde (Sustainable Living Team)
Noah Goldwasser - Maine (Civice & Community Engagement Team)
Shannon McCall - Moore (Green Athletics Team)
Zara Lall - Osher (Energy Team)
Ethan Hatcher - West (Civic & Community Engagement Team)
TBD - Winthrop
 

FY Eco Reps first team meeting!

 

HIGHLIGHTS

FREECYCLE 2023

We had nearly 1000 items and had over 340 students collect items through FreeCycle 2023! Thank you to Caroline, Charlotte, Aaniyah, Angela, and Ayanna for managing the FreeCycle pick-ups and a special shout-out to Violet for packing all of the remaining items and consolidating them for pick-up! The remaining items were donated to a SHARECenter ME in Lewiston who works to rescue reusable resources and divert waste and provide resources for local schools and nonprofit organizations.

SUSTAINABILITY FALL KICK-OFF

We had a great afternoon together as a group on Sunday, September 17th to connect, learn more about Bowdoin's carbon neutrality and new climate action plan, and discussing our vision and goals as we start preparing for fall initiatives and events! Shout out to the Coordinators for leading the discussion and activities!

I WOULD LIKE SUSTAINABLE BOWDOIN TO WORK TOWARDS A CAMPUS COMMUNITY WHERE...

  • I would like Sustainable Bowdoin to work towards a campus community where sustainability is advocated for through individual supports, accessibility and equitability, and the lens of environmental justice with the goal that sustainability is integrated into Bowdoin culture in a way that everyone feels proud of.
  • I would like Sustainable Bowdoin to work towards a campus community where we build a culture of sustainability with the goal of sustainability being accessible and intersectional for all students, and students take pride in the learning and commitments they make.
  • I would like Sustainable Bowdoin to work towards a campus community where accessibility and education are central and contribute to an inclusive community with ingrained sustainable and inclusive practices in support of community and environmental justice needs that students are proud of.
  • I would like Sustainable Bowdoin to work towards a campus community where sustainable practices are expected, celebrated, accessible, and inclusive.

Sustainability Implementation Committee Meeting

The Sustainability Implementation Committee met on Wednesday, September 20th and Ilo Holdbridge (Sustainability Assistant) presented his summer research work around innovative carbon offset projects with the Sustainability Office. 

FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATES

The Food Waste Management Team members (Ellie, Claire, Cedar) have started their weekly compost bucket empying and monitoring overall campus usage. You can see how things are going in the google spreadsheet and view the campus map for compost locations. 

Agri-Cycle collects food waste from Bowdoin and it is then sustainably managed either at a licensed anaerobic digestion or composting facility (see below for an infographic about what happens to your food waste when it leave campus). Food items that can be composted include (but are not limited to), fruit/vegetable scraps, teabags, coffee grounds, eggshells, bread, meat, dairy products, and much more. NOTE: THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE GREEN CONES AT THE COLLEGE HOUSES. 

UPDATES & REMINDERS

  • TIMESHEETS ARE DUE IN WORKDAY BY MONDAY, SEP 25TH. If you could write in the comments for each entry just a couple of words to describe what you were doing so I know what it is, for example “FY Eco Rep meeting”, “team meeting”, “drafting and sending email”, etc. that would be great. Let me know if you have any issues. Follow this guide for help entering your hours.

MEETINGS

FIRST YEAR ECO REPS - Fridays, 3-4pm, Rhodes 

COLLEGE HOUSE ECO REPS - Mondays, 9am-10am, Rhodes 

SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATORS - Wednesdays, 12pm - 1pm, Rhodes

TEAM MEETINGS - Coordinators will be reaching out to confirm your team meetings 

THINGS TO SHARE

SUSTAINABLE BOWDOIN FAIR
Friday, September 29th, 1pm - 3:30pm, Coe Quad
SUSTAINABLE GIVEAWAYS, SOLAR OVEN COOKIES, LAWN GAMES & MORE! Join us on Friday, September 29th from 1pm - 3:30pm on Coe Quad to connect with local organizations, departments, and student groups to learn how you can get involved with sustainability initiatives at Bowdoin and beyond!
 

SPIRITUALITY & SUSAINABILITY 
Saturday, September 30th, 12pm, Ladd House Living Room
You won't want to miss this annual event! Brought to you by the Office of Sustainability and the Rachel Lord Center, gather with fellow students for a lunchtime presentation and discussion with Rabbi Dr. David Friedenrich and Maureen Goronson, who will share about their work on Goronson Farm, a Jewish organic farm in Scarborough, Maine. Free vegetarian lunch will be served. Spots are limited! RSVP by Tuesday, September 26th on CampusGroups to secure your spot: https://cglink.me/2dK/r1929545

ENJOY THE WEEKEND!

Spirituality and Sustainability, featuring Goronson Farm on Saturday, 30 September 2023 At 12:00 PM. No image description provided

EVENT

Spirituality & Sustainability, featuring Goronson Farm

clock Saturday, September 30, 2023
12:00pm - 1:30pm
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Explore the connections between spirituality & sustainability! This lunchtime lecture will feature Rabbi Dr. David Freidenreich and Maureen Goronson of Goronson Farm, a Jewish organic farm in Scarborough, Maine.

RSVP by 11:59pm on Tuesday September 26 in order to secure your spot at this luncheon event!
REGISTER