This year’s freshmen move-in featured significant efforts in the promotion of sustainability.
Throughout the two-day-long move-in process, Housing Services and Facilities and Real Estate Services took part in the Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs Exchange Program, handing out free bulbs to incoming freshmen in order to encourage the use of cleaner and more efficient energy.
There was also a strong push to recycle, demonstrated by by the recycling of both cardboard boxes and water bottles in all college houses.
In addition, all house deans and residential advisors were briefed on Penn’s Climate Action Plan and trained in what is considered recyclable.
These are all parts of the ongoing initiative to make the move-in process as environmentally friendly and instructive as possible.
“This year represented a change in degree that we’re focused on [sustainability] rather than adopting it as a completely new protocol,” Senior Facilities Planner and Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Dan Garofalo said.
Nancy McCue, associate director of housing operations and communications, noted that the freshmen move-in period is a crucial time to implement these sustainability strategies so as to educate the incoming class.
“It is their first introduction to campus and they don’t have habits that have been established yet,” McCue said.
Garofalo agreed that there was indeed focus on a “more thoughtful outreach to freshmen” in hopes they may become ambassadors for Penn’s sustainability efforts.
Bon Appetit, the Penn Dining service, also took part in the “going green” initiative by distributing free locally grown apples.
New Student Orientation supplemented the FRES efforts with two new proseminars.
Former Sustainability Director for the City of Philadelphia Mark Hughes, professor Robert Giegengack and Garofalo led a seminar on Green Campus Partnership, focusing on Penn’s environmental initiatives, academic opportunities, student groups and Penn’s Climate Action Plan.
Penn Transit and SEPTA partnered for a proseminar focusing on transit options available at Penn and in Philadelphia, and the relationship of public transportation to Penn’s overall sustainability efforts.
