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Table of Contents

Tours

1. Student Programs

   Tour several student-led sustainability programs.

   Stops

   1. North Woods Stewards

      The North Woods Steward program provides two students with experiential learning opportunities in conservation work and leadership opportunities as they coordinate peer and community education programs. The Stewards complete several projects that help maintain the health, diversity, and accessibility of the North Woods. Each student is responsible for removing invasive plant species, maintaining the trail system, leading educational tours, and completing an independent project. Summer projects have included proposals for new and improved trail signage, proposals to eradicate specific invasive species from the developed portions of campus, educational videos about the North Woods, proposals to build and improve trail infrastructure, and more. The Stewards also maintain the North Woods social media pages as a way to share their experience and encourage visitors to explore the area. One Steward continues working into the academic year to plan service days and maintain the trail system.

       

      Over the years, the Stewards have proposed and completed several projects with lasting impacts for the College. For instance, in 2013, the College committed to removing all burning bush and Japanese barberry from the developed portions of campus, due in part to work completed by North Woods Stewards. The North Woods Stewards have also collaborated with Facilities Services, an Environmental Sociology class, and the Skidmore Student Conservation Corps to build boardwalks on the Red Trail and Blue Trail to minimize soil erosion and improve trail accessibility.

   2. Skidmore Compost

      The Skidmore Compost program is a student-run composting and waste education program that serves our Northwoods and Sussman Apartment Villages. Student managers coordinate food scrap collection in all 22 apartment buildings (using bicycles and trailers) and collect coffee grounds from our dining facilities. The material is composted on campus, and finished compost is used in the Skidmore Community Garden. The student managers also organize events to highlight the connection between food waste and global food insecurity issues, climate change, and more. Skidmore Compost has organized events such as film screenings, lectures, compost demonstrations, and even community dinners where chefs teach participants knife skills and proper food preparation and storage methods to minimize food waste.

       

      Skidmore's compost program recently expanded to an off-campus site. This larger-scale site manages manure from our horse stables, groundskeeping debris, and coffee grounds. Student compost managers are responsible for maintaining this site, but they do receive support from the Sustainability Office and Facilities Services. The compost will be used on campus grounds and in landscaped beds.

   3. BikeMore

      BikeMore is Skidmore's free campus bike share program. Each year, two students are hired by the Sustainability Office to manage the program. Anyone with a Skidmore ID can check out a bike from BikeMore. Bicycles are used to get around campus, run errands downtown, or for leisurely rides with a friend around Saratoga Springs.

   4. Sustainability Representatives

      The Sustainability Representatives (S-Reps) are Skidmore’s peer-to-peer education team. The S-Reps develop and implement sustainability education campaigns, host campus activities, and organize annual events like Skidmore Unplugged, the Big Green Scream, Sustainable Service Day, and the Give+Go. The team consists of six students, each working about six hours per week during the entire academic year.

       

      The S-Reps organize a variety of campus events including community dialogues, keynote lectures, film screenings, and community-building activities to expand our community's awareness, understanding, and engagement in sustainability. They also help Resident Assistants develop and implement sustainability-focused residence hall programming.

   5. Environmental Action Club

      The Environmental Action Club, known as EAC, is a student-based group committed to sustainability initiatives on campus, in the community, nationally, and world-wide. EAC's goal is a 100% clean energy future, and an ecologically, socially, and economically just environment. To work towards this goal, the EAC focuses on four general themes - energy, transportation, waste, and food issues. The group plans events, campaigns, projects and more around these issues to generate awareness and inspire change.

       

      EAC meets every Monday at 9pm in Ladd 207, all are welcome.

   6. Skidmore Community Garden

      The Skidmore Community Garden is a student-run campus garden that grows and sells food, grown using organic practices, to Skidmore's dining hall. It facilitates a connection to, and appreciation for, the food that we eat, and offers hands-on learning opportunities to the Skidmore community. The program is open to the entire Skidmore community. The Sustainability Office recruits students through email lists, campus announcements, and during class presentations and tours. The Garden Manager salary is supported by the Sustainability Office, however, other expenses are covered by the funds that the garden receives from its fundraising events and sales.

   7. Step Up For Sustainability

      Step Up for Sustainability is a donation program run through the Athletics department. The program, started by a student in 2014, allows anyone to donate new or used athletic shoes to those in need. A drop off bin is located in the fitness center lobby.

   8. Sustainability Internships

      The Sustainability Office offers 15 student positions each year through work study, as well as other internships for academic credit and volunteer positions. In these positions, students research and learn about a variety of sustainability topics and apply learning from course curriculum in their projects. Students will not only gain hands-on work experience, they build leadership and job skills that allow them to be effect change agents for sustainability while at Skidmore and after graduation.