Spring 2007, Volume 10 Newsletter:
Harvard's Undergraduate Resource Efficiency Program (REP) Continues to Thrive
The Undergraduate Resource Efficiency Program (REP), a joint initiative of the HGCI, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University Operations Services and Harvard University Dining Services, trains student representatives, ("REPs"), to be environmental leaders and peer educators in Harvard's undergraduate residential houses. REPs communicate conservation with the 6600 students in their residential communities and act as liaisons between students and administrators about sustainability, comfort, health, and efficiency. REPs teach their peers why and how to conserve energy, water, and materials. The REPs also suggest infrastructure and policy improvements that remove barriers to student conservation.
Fall ’06 was particularly successful for REP. With 7 returning REPs, we got an earlier start than ever before, advertising the Habitat for Humanity Move-In Sale and distributing compact fluorescent light bulbs to incoming freshmen. Our freshman “eco-Reps” program burgeoned to 76 volunteers.
Cabot celebrates a tie for 1st place in Green Cup 2007.
Our dedicated crew has capitalized on this early momentum, and we’ve made strides in all our campaign areas, with record results from the Habitat sale, record recycling numbers, lower food waste during audits, reduced energy use, and a record 40% of all undergraduate students signing the Campus Sustainability Pledge, for which 5 houses and 2 dorms won renewable energy purchases by reaching 50% participation.
The home Harvard-Yale football game tailgate was a highlight for REP this fall, as our presence, vigilance, and advocacy resulted in 1/3 of all refuse by weight being recycled at the undergraduate tailgate, an extremely high recycling yield for a crowded public event with alcohol.
This spring, REP and its partners have:
1) Achieved great increases in first-year dorm recycling, and maintained increased recycling rates in the upperclassman houses;
2) Reached 11% reduction in electricity use in our buildings relative to our 2000-2002 pre-REP baseline, helped in part by REPs and REP-recruited volunteers swapping out over 1100 light bulbs to Compact Fluorescent in student-owned desk lamps;
3) Facilitated the submission of more than 60 “eco-projects,” designed to reduce waste throughout the dorms in innovative ways
Highlights of the spring included public art displays, light bulb swaps, paper waste reduction, and clothing swaps, in addition to our annual campaigns -- the Green Cup competition, CERP’s cartoon competition, RecycleMania, and Green Move-Out donations.
The HGCI’s project leader is Philip Kreycik and other team participants include Meryl Brott and Leith Sharp. Other partner leaders include Jay Phillips of FAS, Bob Leandro of HUDS and Rob Gogan of UOS.