What is the Green Team?
The Green Team is a service-learning program dedicated to sustainability and the environment. Through a series of projects and classes devoted to conserving the Earth’s natural resources and lessening the impacts of climate change, members of the Green Team learn valuable leadership skills and gain experience working with new environmentally friendly technologies. If you have watched television in the past year, you know that nearly everyone is starting to “think Green.” No matter what you plan to study or what type of career you want to pursue (science, politics, business, education, etc.), being eco-friendly will be important in the future.
Recent Green Team Accomplishments
- Organized community-wide electronics recycling collection events resulting in over 22,000 pounds of electronics being recycled in 2014.
- Awarded 2014 "E-Cyclemania" National Champions!
- Organized Move-Out collections of clothes, food, furniture and other used items each semester since 2012. Move-Out collections have resulted in a lot of clothes and food being donated to the community and thousands of pounds of material being kept out of the landfill.
- Southwestern College was given an award for Excellence in Environmental Education by the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE) in 2013.
- Collaboration with the City of Winfield to develop a single stream recycling system on campus.
- 10 members of the Green Team went on a service trip to Montrose, CO in 2012. We worked at Sonrise Family Ranch, remodeling family cabins.
Other Past Accomplishments
- Developed a new Minor in Sustainability and Environmental Studies (SES). The SES minor is available to all students, regardless of major.
- Won the Wind for Schools grant and installed a new Skystream wind turbine on campus.
- 8 members of the Green Team went on a service-learning/Green education trip to Chicago, Il. We worked at Riverwoods Christian Center, attended the Chicago Green Festival and had a lot of fun sightseeing.
- Installed the new SmartSynch Energy Monitoring system. we hope to determine ways to reduce the amount of electricity used in the residence halls and apartments on campus.
- 5 students and 3 staff members attended the 2010 AASHE Conference in Denver, CO (Oct. 10-12)
- Participated in Recyclemania 2011.
- Hosted the Creation Care Day concert.
- Performed numerous community education presentations.
- Participated in Recyclemania each year since 2009. Over 22,000 pounds have been recycled by SC each year during the 10 week competition.
- Hosted the Kansas Envirothon competition in 2009, 2010 and 2012 (www.envirothon.org)
- Toured the Flat Ridge Wind Farmnear Medicine Lodge, KS
- Service Project to Greensburg, Kansas. Helped rebuild houses lost in the 2007 tornado. Toured Greensburg GreenTown and learned about the steps the town is taking to become the greenest town in the world.
- Began composting some of the college’s organic waste
- Calculated the carbon footprint of the entire campus
- Investigated the environmental impact of eliminating the serving trays from the cafeteria.
- Developed comprehensive Carbon Emission Reduction Plan for Southwestern College
- Participated in Recyclemania 2010 and increased amount of material recycled. (View Article)
- Hosted the Kansas Envirothon 2010 (May 12, 2010). (View Article)
- Purchased a SmartSynch Energy monitoring system which will accurately monitor the amount of electricity used in each campus building. The data will be able to viewed in near real time online. The system is currently being installed.
- Began investigating ways to reduce the amount of paper used on campus.
- Toured Greensburg Greentown and the Spearville Wind Farm.
- Hosted the first Creation Care Day for area high school youth groups.
- Participated in the Cowley County E-Waste Recycling Collection event. (View Article)
- Coordinated Sweep Winfield (View Article)
Green Team Vision:
The Southwestern College Green Team is a service-learning program dedicated to changing the overall culture of Southwestern College toward one of responsible citizenship in the area of environmental sustainability. We will accomplish this shift in culture by:
- Creating a living laboratory of sustainable learning in which faculty, staff and students are educated both inside and beyond the classroom in the principles of environmental stewardship of which all constituents of the university will be expected to implement practically in their own actions and behaviors.
- Implementing organizational changes that move the institution toward a more environmentally sustainable future, eventually achieving carbon neutrality on our campus and beyond.
- Reaching out to influence the communities of Winfield, Cowley County and beyond with the principles and practical applications of environmental sustainability.
Shared Values:
- Respect
- Cooperation/Teamwork
- Honesty and Integrity
- Human Relationships
- Responsibility
- Service
- Determination
