Spurred by the new wave of construction that was about to happen in the University of Chicago , the Green Campus Initiative (GCI) was formed in 1999, as an outgrowth of the Environmental Concerns Organization (ECO), which is a part of the University of Chicago's Environmental Center (environment.uchicago.edu.) The goal of this green initiative was to influence the design of these buildings in order to make them more energy efficient. In 2001, GCI was revived, and started expanding its areas of focus.
Past projects have included:
- Expanding campus recycling to include batteries and printer cartridges
- Writing a green guide to the University where students can learn how to reduce their environmental impact while at school
- A proposal for the purchase of Wind Energy, submitted to Facilities during the winter of 2003. Ultimately, the University decided against many of the recommendations in the report.
- The creation of the Sustainability Council
- Working with campus dining services to provide more organics in the dining halls
- The creation of a native plants garden located behind Rockafeller Chapel, across from the GSB
We plan to continue to encourage the University to green its practices and look forward to new suggestions and ideas that you may have.
Click here to join the email listhost.
Direct any questions about the club to Kate Michonski or Dan Schnitzer