Some food groups on campus  are associated with Campus Kitchen, an organization focused on reducing food waste and food insecurity on campuses, which gave Williams a grant in 2016 and offers continual support and guidance, while others have been involved with the Real Food Challenge -- a movement started by a Williams alum, that focuses on colleges investing in local, sustainable, ethical food. In the past few months, different food groups have come together to discuss how best to engage with Campus Kitchen and the Real Food Challenge and a couple of smaller events and conversations have been held, including a viewing of a webinar related to the Real Food Challenge's new movement "Uprooted and Rising." If you are interested in joining the discussion, email Eco-Advisor Alice Carnell '22 (aoc2) to be included in conversations or look out for larger campus events or conversations as the year progresses. 

On November 11th, almost 150 students from Williams College, Bennington College, and MCLA participated in the eleventh annual Winter Blitz. The Zilkha Center supplied the event with weatherization materials, including spray foam, reusable window kits, door sweeps, and pipe insulation. Weatherization helps reduce energy usage and heating bills for families in the community. We are also able to track the carbon emissions by weatherizing these... READ MORE

With the first frosts of the season setting in, Garden interns Morgan Noonan '22 and Sofia Barandiaran '20 have been busy winterizing the Envi Center garden. Late last month, they hosted an Herb-Harvesting Tea Party, where students and faculty gathered to enjoy fresh herbs from our garden. Some of those herbs were dried and put aside in the Zilkha Center kitchen, where they will be available to the public throughout the winter, as supplies last. They also collaborated with Goodrich to provide fresh chives for Homecoming. Now, they're busy weeding, soil-amending, pruning, and raking to make sure the garden will emerge healthy and blooming next spring!

Real Food interns Cris Young ‘22 and Morgan Noonan ‘22 started off the semester by helping Chef Mark in preparation for Food Day. The event brought local vendors and potential food suppliers to students for an informational and taste testing event. In December, they are looking forward to welcoming Chef Philippe and his sustainable Silver Fin fish cakes to campus in Williams' first Mississippi Winterfest, featuring live Cajun music. With the winter season coming around, they have been working on food preservation events for apples and butternut squash in order to extend the life of this locally grown produce into the winter months. They are excited to continue Williams' efforts with the Real Food Challenge and are working to reach their goal of 20% local, humane, ecologically sound, and fair food by 2020!

"Sustainability After Williams" is a  series of monthly workshops and newsletters designed to help Williams students maintain easy yet sustainable habits after graduation, hosted by Krushangi Maisuria '19 (ksm4) as her role as an Eco-Advisor. In November, the workshop focused on food sustainability, so students shopped at the Williamstown Farmer’s Market, learned about carbon footprints and cooked a homemade vegetarian brunch of egg curry, roasted vegetables and herbed bread. The December workshop and newsletter will focus on making environmentally friendly arts and crafts. All students are encouraged to attend!

Campus Sustainability Tour
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9 @ 3:00 PM - ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER

Take our sustainability tour! Learn more about sustainability in our built environment and be the first group to experience our newly developed tour. Dress for the weather, and then join us afterward for a warm drink and festivities! Email Korinna (kig1) to sign up.

Zilkha Center Holiday Party
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9 @ 4:00-6:00 PM - ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER

The Zilkha Center Tour Guides will be hosting a Holiday Party this year! There will be freshly baked goods, hot chocolate, sustainable arts and crafts, student group performances, and good vibes. Come celebrate the holiday and end of the semester with us!

Environmentally Friendly Arts and Crafts
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9 @ 4:00 PM - ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER

Eco-Advisor Krushangi Maisuria '19 is hosting a sustainable arts and crafts workshop in conjunction with the Tour Guide Holiday party! Stop by to make environmentally-friendly wrapping paper, paint pinecones, and decorate cookies and glass bottles.

The bathrooms at the Class of 1966 Environmental Center are the only ones on campus with informational posters about the toilets lining the walls, but at first glance they don’t seem much different from any other toilet on campus. It wouldn’t appear to take much thought to press down on the flush button, but the waterless toilets require more engagement than the others. They’re “composting toilets,” and the posters are there to show both how to use the toilets and what occurs after you’ve left. There’s more to the story than what happens inside the bathroom... READ MORE

When the clock is ticking on finishing final papers and take-home exams, packing, sorting, and moving out is last on the agenda. Even with that time crunch, donating any unwanted items should be seamless and simple. During Spring semester move out, the Give it Up! pods have been that opportunity. This fall we worked on how to continue improving waste reduction efforts during move-out time and increase contributions to Give It Up! Williams has a system to track how much trash goes to the incinerator trends, but it doesn’t necessarily clue us in to why those... READ MORE

End of Semester (Sustainable) To-Do List
 

The end of the semester is a stressful time for everyone, but as you finish your exams and prepare to leave campus, make environmentally-conscious choices with this handy to-do list! Sustainable choices are often easier on you in the long run, but most importantly, your community and your planet will thank you. Here's a list of what to do to... READ MORE