Batten House
In the fall of 1999, Batten House shifted from housing McBride Scholars to accommodating undergraduate community members interested in an environmentally friendly living cooperative. Batten House is located next to Brecon Hall and functions as Bryn Mawr’s vegan cooperative on campus. Members of Batten House prepare community vegan dinners Monday through Thursday and host weekly discussions during dinner on Wednesdays to address issues regarding the environment. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the Bi-College undergraduate community can apply to live in Batten House by submitting an application during Room Draw in the Spring Semester.
Follow Batten at https://www.facebook.com/BattenHouse.
Garden Committee
In the spring of 2010, three students in conjunction with Ed Harman, Assistant Director for Grounds, developed the BMC Community Garden and its associated committee. This student-run group maintains a plot of land (30×31 feet) on campus and grows produce that is given back to the Bryn Mawr Community. The produce is most commonly seen in Haffner Dining Hall and Batten House. The committee also strives to educate the individuals that consume their produce about issues regarding agriculture and to raise awareness of food accessibility in Philadelphia.
Check out the garden at https://www.facebook.com/BMCGreensGarden.
BMC Greens
BMC Greens is a student-run environmental group on campus and is funded by the Student Governance Association. Greens promotes environmental awareness on campus and works to create social movements in favor of our environment. Frequently sponsoring projects and collaborating with other groups on campus to cultivate environmental responsibility, BMC Greens’ mission is to support and create environmental leaders.
Environmental Justice League
Environmental Justice league, a student-run group working through non-violent direct action, addresses issues of environmental justice on Bryn Mawr’s campus and beyond. Through canvasing, singing, sit-ins, marches, and street theater, Environmental Justice League calls on the Bryn Mawr community to act within their means to create an environmentally conscious campus and society. Although most commonly known for their efforts in the Divestment Campaign, the Environmental Justice League has also participated in efforts for Mountain Justice.
Follow Environmental Justice League and their latest efforts for divestment at https://www.facebook.com/DivestBMC.
The Real Food Challenge
Although the Real Food Challenge at Bryn Mawr got its start with the Sustainable Food Committee, it is now a student-run group that is looking to increase the consumption and distribution of local, fair, ecologically sounds, and humane food within the Bryn Mawr Community. The Real Food Challenge is a national effort to reduce the amount of food that colleges and universities purchase from industrial farms and reallocate their funds to support the purchase of “real foods.” Bryn Mawr is officially a part of this collaboration, and the Real Food Challenge Group is teaming up with Dining Services to get 20% of the food in Dining Services to be “real” by 2020!
Learn about the national campaign here: http://www.realfoodchallenge.org/about-real-food-challenge.
Join Bryn Mawr’s efforts by following the group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/525882690767356/.
Recycling Committee (Green Ambassadors)
Two appointed co-heads from the Student Governance Association work with two elected representatives from each dormitory to promote Bryn Mawr’s single-stream recycling program and to compile various dorm items for special recycling. In addition to their recycling responsibilities, these individuals also develop general greening efforts for the dorms and create sustainable projects for the larger campus. As their role on campus continues to expand, they are looking to pass a plenary resolution in the upcoming semester to change their official name to the Green Ambassadors.
Want more information? Contact the 2013-2014 co-heads: Piper Martz & Rudrani Gollapudi
Sustainable Food Committee
The Sustainable Food Committee works closely with the Head of Dining Services and other Dining Services’ members to develop sustainable and healthy meals for the Bryn Mawr Community. Recently, this group has established the Real Food Challenge, and in the past, they have held sustainability dinners and supported composting efforts. This committee functions as a link between the student community and Dining Services.
Want more information? Contact Piper Martz.
Sustainability Leadership Group
Unique to the previously mentioned groups, the Sustainability Leadership Group is comprised of individuals from the President’s Office, the Chief Administrator’s Office, the Alumnae Association, Facilities Services, Faculty, Resources, and students. Collaboratively, this group works to help the college achieve their goals from the Climate Action Plan, specifically to cut the College’s carbon footprint by 10% by 2020. The Sustainability Leadership Group currently has two student interns and sponsors many green projects around campus. The involved students play a large role in connecting student goals with administrative ones.