Campus Initiatives
Student Campus Greening Fund
The Student Campus Greening Fund is a student-run program designed to help put into action greening initiatives that increase awareness and decrease the school’s ecological impact. Every GMC student contributes to the fund through a $30 allocation from the college activities fee. Students design projects and submit proposals, and awards are based on a student vote.
In the most recent funding round, five proposals received the full amount requested for a total of $28,988. The money will be used to construct a campus yurt, install additional bike racks, purchase outdoor recycling bins, use bio-diesel in campus maintenance equipment and upgrade the alternative energy systems that power the farm greenhouse.
Farm & Food Project
Green Mountain College's Farm & Food Project is divided into four parts: The Local Food Program, the Academic Program, the Family Farm Forum and the Farm Crew. The Local Food program works to bring more local food to the dining hall, while the Academic Program integrates experiential learning opportunities involving agriculture and food production into the curriculum. The Family Farm Forum, an annual series of talks and open discussions, features agriculture experts and farmers as well as scholars from GMC and other organizations. Lastly, students on the Farm Crew keep the GMC farm running, and gain valuable hands-on experience.
Central to the Farm & Food Project, and life at GMC, is the on-campus farm. Boasting a two-acre market garden, livestock, two working draft oxen, a rotational-grazing program, an extensive composting system, and a greenhouse powered by sun and wind, the farm has been called a living learning laboratory that embodies the mission of the College.
Sustainability Council
A campus Sustainability Council, consisting of faculty, staff, students and the provost, coordinates all sustainability initiatives and brings new projects to administrators for action. The council is also working closely with students on fulfilling the goals of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.
Additional Initiatives
- A robust, student-managed recycling program
- A natural areas crew dedicated to protecting and restoring a buffer zone along the Poultney River
- A sustainable living floor where students communally cook their own organically-grown food
- An active adventure programming office that allows students to experience the natural world while developing leadership skills
- An annual, grant-funded, weeklong GMC Farm Camp to teach holistic farming practices to area youth
