Eco-Project FAQ

Q: Do Eco Projects have to be orginal?
A: No. You can get points for an eco project even if it's been done in another house, or even if it's a continuation of an existing project in your house. However, it would need to be very innovative or especially effective to receive one of the top three prizes. Look below to see past projects.

Q: How are eco-projects judged?
A: Criteria include quality of the idea, progress, possibility to continue project long term, possibility to expand to other houses, ability to communicate the idea (in writing and orally), demonstrated buy-in from the University, lessons learned, and support achieved from the House or Yard for the effort.

It is up to you to quantify and illustrate these aspects. When submitting your final report and making your presentation, you may submit whatever supplementary information you feel is necessary.

Q: What if I can't fully carry out my project in the time allotted?
A: Both developed, well-researched proposals and completed actions are permissible. We realize that a great idea could be put on hold for logistic reasons, particularly when your idea involves a change to infrastructure. The reason for the registration and updates is that the Green Cup team, including Reps and the REP Steering group, would like to assist you in advancing or adjusting your project so that you can get as much done as possible.

Q: What if another House has a bigger budget for greening projects than mine does?
A: This will be taken into account. We realize that discretionary budgets do vary among Houses at any given time. However, a team's ability to convince the judges of the worthiness of their project may represent their ability to gain the necessary support for this initiative. You may submit a statement from your House administration regarding budgetary limitations.

Q: Who is eligible to participate in an eco-project?
A: At least one House resident (student or other affiliate) must be on a team. However, team members may include alumni or others who are not House residents but wish to improve their House's performance.

In the Yard, teams must consist only of first-year students.

Q: What is the role of the House Resource Efficiency Program Representatives (REP) in the challenge team?
A: As of 2009, the currently employed REPs allowed to share ideas, publicize the project, act as an adviser and help facilitate -- providing encouragement and referring groups to appropriate resources, contacts and information.

Q: Which were last year's finalist eco-Projects?
A:

Adams:

Incandescent Re-Use Project: Making Vases – Ann Kurrasch
HUDS Four-Day Dishware Return– Ann Kurrasch;
CFL Drive – Jon Husson

Cabot:

Senior Cabot Tradition, Bertram Library (Book Reuse) – Brian Gillis
Recycling Tennis Ball Cans – Jay Miller

Dunster :

Green is the new Crimson – Kelly Blondin;
Battery Recycling – Emily Wilson

Kirkland:

First EVER door-drop campaign-- Alicia Harley
A Pilot Survey on REP Effectiveness, Henry Cowles;
Eco-song for Earth Day, Steve Lin

Lowell:

Lowell Spring Break Photo Contest – Jon Sasmor;
Brain Break Recycling – Josh Goldman

Mather:

Can I Recycle That? – Jill Bunting;
Mather Library Green Team – Nitesh Banta;
Green Web Page – Tommy Liem

Pforzheimer:

Pfoho Green Store – Brandon Geller

Quincy:

Mean Green Cleaning Machine: Charles River Clean-Up Team – Elizabeth Bast + IM crew

Winthrop:

Renaming Global Warming/Climate Change – Rob King

Q: What are some other examples of possible eco-projects?
A: Projects can range from simple to very complex. Projects can change behavior or infrastructure. Projects can be done on your own or in partnership with other campus groups. (The Green Cup team will aim to put you in touch with others with similar interests or who can help you.) Check out the links in resources, the list of Spring 2004 projects, or speak to your Rep for ideas. Your creativity is welcome and encouraged, but just to get you thinking, here are a few examples of projects to consider:

Place recycling bins in a House courtyard;
Place solar panels on a House roof;
Develop composting in a House garden;
Persuade a student-frequented business to stock environmentally-preferred product alternatives (and students to purchase them);
Develop an organic vegetable or flower garden;
Exchange incandescent for CFL bulbs in student lamps;
Make notebooks from recycled paper;
Run a clothing/jewelry exchange or organize a trip to a used clothing store such as The Garment District;
Raise awareness about recycling by running a recycled art sculpture competition;
Install occupancy sensors in common areas;
Encourage a switch from bottled drinks/water to tap/filtered water;
Consult with hosts on how to hold environmentally-friendly parties;
Create an environmental education animation for House website, or a video featuring House residents;
Arrange a House field trip to a recycling/water treatment/energy plant or to area green buildings;
Develop a means of displaying real-time metered utility data in a House common space;
Collaborate with your dining hall on reducing food waste and dishware loss;
Develop a House-based media campaign of environmental role models;
Host a sustainability speakers/activity/film series in your House;
Encourage every House resident to pledge to buy at 30 percent post-consumer recycled content paper and/or ask their professors/colleagues to do so for course materials;
Create discussion circles on sustainability, simplicity, and other lifestyle issues ("good conversation is the first step toward changing the world");
Raise money to purchase green power for your House;
As a House, purchase carbon offset credits for air travel over spring break;
Label your House buildings with explanations of which aspects are and are not resource-efficient
Offer a cooking course on cooking with local foods;
Run a workshop on how you can print using less paper;
Work on reducing waste at an event in your House, such as Junior Parents' Weekend receptions, dances, or other large gatherings;
Work with your HoCo to develop a House online site for selling/exchanging/sharing infrequently used items;
Run a House trash audit to identify how much and what items of items could be recycled rather than trashed (with permission only!);
Develop a suite as model dorm room in your House and give a tour explaining its features;
Create a team from your House who carries all their trash for a week around campus with them (a Green Cup tradition!);
Find volunteers to test alternatives to toxic products (laundry, cleaning) and share their experiences;
Develop a team to help students clear out built-up recycling piles before the end of the year;
Collaborate with housemates and use on-line calculators to determine the overall House ecological footprint, then discuss how it could reduced;
Challenge your House to pick one category off a socially responsible shopping list (available online from Better World Handbook and Conscious Consumer) and commit to buying that items only from a company rated excellent;
Arrange a group pick-up of items needing dry-cleaning to be cleaned at Ecoluxe organic dry cleaners in Brookline;
Determine whether student group funds could be held in a more socially responsible bank or credit union (such as Wainwright);
Collect cardboard boxes being recycled by local businesses and store them for use by House residents during move-out;
Run a Stop the Junk Mail campaign...