Greener by Degrees

A Grist special series on college eco-activism 2

It's that time again. College students have settled into their dorms, started their classes, checked out some parties, and started cramming for the gnarliest pass-fail test of all time: saving the planet. Not all students are engaged in green endeavors, of course, but fast-growing numbers are -- and the results have been eye-popping.

Students today join green frats, launch green business ventures, and host green bashes. At many U.S. colleges and universities, buildings are going efficient, cafeterias are serving local and organic fare, administrators are pledging to fight climate change, and some lucky students are even getting degrees from new programs focused wholly on sustainability and the environment.

Many students are crusading for the environment beyond their campuses as well. Since 2007, student- and youth-driven campaigns like Focus the Nation, Step It Up, and Power Shift have brought together more than a million people nationwide in demonstrations and other actions to stop climate change. This year, the Power Vote campaign aims to mobilize a million young voters who will prioritize climate change at the polls. Voters between the ages of 18 and 29 -- some 68 percent of whom voted for Democrats in the 2008 primaries -- could be a deciding force in choosing the next president.

In short, the college crowd deserves a special series, so we're giving it to them. Dig in:

Tips, ideas, and resource

Profiles of green student activist

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  1. Colin Bennett Posted 3:28 am
    17 Sep 2008

    The Environmental FuturistsAll this talk about campus organizing is well and good, but it's really not complete without reporting on The Environmental Futurists at Southern Connecticut State University; the most effective youth environmental organization in Connecticut and arguably one of the best in the country.
    We have just started an on-campus bicycle program and are in the midst of several other major campaigns, including one to make SCSU sweatshop-free. For a small sample of our accomplishments (in less than a year and half) take a look at the following (incomplete) list of our media hits.
    Seriously, if you're talking about campus organizing you should be talking about the Environmental Futurists! To contact us send an email to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

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  2. Arnold Creek Productions Posted 1:47 am
    18 Sep 2008

    Forward-thinking schoolsA growing number of colleges and universities are embracing sustainability, for a variety of reasons ranging from social responsibility and PR to cost savings and student pressure. Organizations like AASHE are helping to build lines of communication among greening campuses. In fact, we established a Web-based presentation on sustainability in higher education at http://www.arnoldcreekproductions.com/SustainabilityHighe .... It features videos, descriptions and links about over a dozen institutions with innovative initiatives. The key in all of this is student commitment. That is the driving force that can transform every educational institution. Higher ed is a significant industry section in the U.S., so changing it for the better will have enormous impacts on suppliers, on local communities and on the students who eventually move on.

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Series Intro
A Grist special series on college eco-activism 2
Student activist gets Phoenix buzzing with green biz expo 0
15 creative ways that students and colleges are going greener 1
Seven tips on green campus organizing from a Harvard pro 1
Incoming Yale student plans to ramp up her activism for the big leagues 0
Resources to help you green your college experience 0
To engage other students, green activists put their best fête forward 0
A recent grad follows her passions and finds a green job she digs 0
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