The Office of Sustainability works to improve Boston College's sustainability through its work in the following areas: education and outreach, landscape and natural features, supporting LEED-certified buildings, and waste reduction and recycling.
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Photo by Office of Communication
The Office of Communication has recently published a story about sustainability on 91滴滴's campus. This story provides information on our efforts as a school to enhance sustainable practices. Click the image to read the full article by听Alix Hackett.听
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LEED Certified Silver 245 Beacon St.
The university has made a commitment to have all newly constructed buildings be certified as LEED Silver or greater. 245 Beacon St. is our newest LEED-certified building with a Silver rating. View the building's scorecard on the United States Green Building Council website听
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Fulton Beehive
The Office of Sustainability manages a beehive on the rooftop of Fulton Hall, donated by Fred and Donna Seigel, that provides habitats to bees and annual honey harvesting.听 Thanks to the gracious gift from the Jenks Leadership program, class of 2020, and the Office of Sustainability, we have a Beehive Cam that monitors the honey bee habitat.
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Boston College Sustainability Map
Curious about where our Boston College sustainable initiatives are located? Explore the area with our 91滴滴 Sustainability Map! This map has locations marked for sites including LEED Certified buildings, the university garden, and more.
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Sustainable video team.
The Office of Sustainability, in collaboration with Media Services, has created videos showcasing some of our campus's sustainable initiatives. Our video team is Vasilia Kavadas, Graduate Student Program Assistant '24, Grace Healy, Student Intern '23, Tyler DiFiore, Student Intern '23, and Lauren Dadekian, Undergraduate Student Intern '24.听
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LEED Certified Silver 245 Beacon St.
Yes, 91滴滴 does have a University Garden managed by the Real Food Club. Click on the link for more information. Happy Gardening!
About Us
What We Do
The Office of Sustainability at Boston College pursues campus-wide sustainability goals through collaborating with Facilities Management, Boston College Dining Services, and student groups to organize and support various environmental sustainability initiatives and projects. The office works to:听
- Implement energy conservation measures across facilities
- Develop a comprehensive approach to energy conservation and water management听
- Coordinate a recycling and composting program across campus
- Incorporate and maintain natural features across campus
- Identify potential sustainability opportunities
- Measure and report on annual progress toward sustainability goals
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Sustainability Program Manager
Bruce Dixon
91滴滴 '21, LEED GA, E91滴滴P
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Sustainability Office Interns
Sang Sherpa '26, Office Intern
Alessandra Veveiros '27, Office Intern
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Garden Steward
Aiden DeRuzza '28, Garden Steward
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Contact
300 Hammond Pond Parkway
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Email:听sustainability@bc.edu
Office Phone: 617-552-3738
Office of Sustainability Website:
Sustainable Update
Suscribe to the Office of Sustainability's listserv听for updates about the latest environmental events around campus and the Boston area including events from Boston College's green clubs, campus lectures, and the latest Environmental Eagle newsletter.听
Sustainability Newsletter
Read about the latest sustainability inititatives, activites and events taking place on campus in the newsletter from the student group EcoPledge and The Office of Sustainability.
Environmental Eagle Newsletter
Academic Programs
The interdisciplinary Environmental Studies Program is currently researching ways to conserve the environment, discovering engineering alternatives, and energy efficiency practices.
The Woods College of Advancing Studies offers a professional studies certificate in sustainability. It is an online, six-course program open to students who hold a high school diploma or a bachelor's degree. It allows recipients to demostrate their compentency in pressing questions of the day, including climate change, effects of population growth, shifting demogaphics, and the ensuing natural resource limits of energy, food, water, materials, and waste.
Campus Groups
Join the green community.
Charity: Water
Boston College Charity: Water is an initiative started by students whose goal is to bring awareness to the global water crisis and raise money to support charity: water campaigns. Since its inception, 91滴滴 charity: water has been able to raise thousands of dollars and fund the development of a drilling rig and wells in two different villages.听
EcoPledge
EcoPledge is Boston College's largest student-run environmental club that works toward making 91滴滴 more sustainable. EcoPledge educates the 91滴滴 community about environmental issues by showing films, presenting lectures, and hosting annual celebratory events like Harvestfest and Earth Day. EcoPledge members often go beyond the campus, participating in local community clean-ups, national environmental conferences, and hiking and camping outings throughout New England.
Outdoor Adventures
Run by Campus Recreation, Boston College offers students the opportunity to experience nature through day and weekend trips including rock climbing, hiking, sea kayaking, paddleboarding, and backpacking.
Real Food 91滴滴
Real Food 91滴滴 is a student group on campus that strives for the establishment of a more sustainable food system by promoting the purchase of food from local, green, humane sources to support localized food production and to reduce carbon emissions that result from long-distance food shipments. Real Food manages a garden and hosts food-centered events to raise awareness about food sustainability.
Geology Club听
The Geology Club is open to all students interested in geology, earth science, and the geosciences. The club hosts a wide range of events throughout the year, including career panels, networking nights, and informational sessions to help students explore opportunities in the geoscience field. The club also organizes trivia nights, paint events, and group hikes for fun!
UG91滴滴 Environmental Sustainability (E&S) Division
The E&S Division of UG91滴滴 engages the Boston College student body by organizing a diverse array of sustainability initiatives throughout the year. E&S collaborates with student and faculty groups to promote environmental progress and a greener culture at Boston College.
Entrepreneurs for Social Impact听
Entrepreneurs for Social Impact works to amplify businesses pursuing equity and justice around the globe, with special emphasis on the Greater Boston area. Among other social justice causes, they highlight companies working toward a more sustainable future.
Sea Eagles
Sea Eagles is dedicated to ocean conservation. The group focuses on beach cleanups, marine conservation projects, and environmental advocacy. Members participate in hands-on service opportunities like local shoreline cleanups and help raise awareness about ocean health and sustainability.听
Plant Club
Plant club is a welcoming and encouraging environment for people with all levels of plant knowledge. Join plant club for plant maintenance meetings, propagation workshops, cutting swaps, bonsai workshops, terrarium events, foraging and species identification walks, and more!
Green Ambassador Program
Established in 2014, Athletics, Facilities Services, and the Office of Sustainability have partnered to make the Green Ambassador program to support ongoing campus recycling efforts. Green Ambassadors welcome fans to 91滴滴 at selected sites and offer information on game day activities and respond to recycling questions. For information about the Green Ambassador program, please email sustainability@bc.edu.
Climate Justice 91滴滴
Climate Justice 91滴滴 aims to educate about the dangers of climate change and how students can be agents for change; unite with local and national climate activists to strengthen social support for climate justice; and to engage in activism within the 91滴滴 community.
Bike 91滴滴
Bike 91滴滴 is a student-run bikeshare program serving the entire Boston College community.听
Student Guide to Sustainable Living at Boston College
The Office of Sustainability created this book as reference guidelines for the Boston College student body. These guidelines cover recycling on campus, conservation efforts, green cleaning, and how to join Environmental Clubs.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at听sustainability@bc.edu.
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Student Sustainability Guidelines
How to Recycle and Compost
Single-Stream Recycling
Boston College uses single-stream recycling, which means you can throw all your recyclables in one bin without any need to sort them.听However, make sure to rinse containers before recycling them, and do not recycle plastic bags.
What Can you Recycle?
Most recyclable items can be placed in single-stream recycling bins, including:
- Plastics #1-7
- Glass and plastic bottles
- Empty, clean cardboard food and drink containers
- Aluminum cans: soda, tuna, etc.
- Empty, clean, plastic food containers, etc.
- Newspapers, magazines, junk mail, cardboard
For information click on this !
Why Compost?
Composting helps prevents methane production through aerobic decomposition, reduces dependence on fossil fuels, and reduces landfill waste and incineration.听Compost can be turned into a natural fertilizer, adding nutrient-rich soil to the land and promoting biodiversity.
Composting is a lot easier than recycling. Dining staff will compost for you in Corcoran Commons, McElroy Commons, Lyons Hall and Stuart Dining Hall. All food that you haven't eaten goes into the compost bin.
What Can You Compost?
- Fruit and vegetables
- Meat
- Poultry
- Bones and fat trimmings
- Dairy products
- Eggshells
- Coffee grounds
- Paper napkins
- Tea bags听