In a strange new place, the first turn of the key and push of the door can give way to feelings of anticipation, excitement, and even exhaustion for students coming to Harvard from all over the country and the world. Those moving in to a Harvard Real Estate Services (HRES) rental apartment for the first time hopefully added pleasant surprise to that list when they found a “green” welcome bag provided by HRES. About 1500 bags designed for toting recyclables were filled with recycled toilet paper, eco-friendly all-purpose cleaners, CFL bulbs, Turn-Me-Off stickers, and invitations to take part in the Harvard Sustainability Pledge. These bags were more than just a friendly welcome. They served as a testament to Harvard Real Estate’s commitment to sustainability. All returning residents were also greeted with recycling bags or reusable shopping bags as well. The hope was that they could get a little help in starting off on the right, green, foot. And while residents will continue to hear about sustainability at HRES throughout the year via the newly launched Green Living Program, it’s never a bad idea to make a great first impression.
