Many libraries like mine often offer free coffee to students during exam times. I love the idea but hate the waste of it all. I was pleased to read that Wake Forest’s Z. Smith Reynolds Library during their “Wake the Library” week worked with their Office of Sustainability “To reduce waste from the more than 2,000 cups of free coffee consumed in the library during exam time” by supplying collected ” tasteful and tacky coffee mugs” for students to use from folks around campus! Hopefully many students also carried with them their own reusable mugs as well.
students
Student Video Contests!
Two opportunities to offer to students:
- Green Living Project – their biannual Student Film Project, open to any middle or high school, community college or university student, either in US or international. Films must be 5 minutes or less in length, and tell a unique, creative, story, around important local and global sustainability issues. See rules for more info. and resources and tips for examples and help. Entries due May 25, 2012.
- Northwest Institute for Social Change – their 2012 Student Sustainability Film Festival, open to high school and college students across North America. Students create short films about programs, projects or “things” that their campus or community is doing to create sustainable solutions to environmental concerns. Here is how to apply. Entries due May 17, 2012
2011 Write On! Wetlands Challenge Contest
Environmental Concern is now accepting submissions for the 2011 Write On! Wetlands Challenge Contest. Students in grades 6-9 are welcome to enter stories on this year’s theme World Wide Wetlands: “There are many different types of wetlands all over the globe. Did you know that a mire, carr, pocosin and slough are all types of wetlands? Research the varieties of wetlands around the world and write a story that tells about their characteristics as well as how they benefit the plants, animals and people of the region.” Entries are due by February 1st.
Environmental Documentary Films
Check out these films created by students at Guilford College (in Greensboro NC) representing environmental beliefs and values and as stated on their web site: “producing a documentary film allows each student team to communicate and demonstrate not only mastery of key concepts and values of American environmental thought, but also to demonstrate mastery of technical and practical skills such as defining goals, idea development, time management, logical development, and cooperative learning. Creating films not only challenge student teams to confront the difficulty of translating complicated legal and policy issues into a form the average person can understand, but also to engage in interdisciplinary creative and critical thinking and analysis.” View Films
Maybe a school, academic, or even public library could offer eco-documentary video creation contests to involved students, or even adults, in the education and discovery process of environmental connections and issues facing our world.
At my University this spring, the Communications & Outreach subcommittee of the UNCG Sustainability Committee lead by the enthusiastic eco-librarian Sarah Dorsey, offered “Sustainable Shorts” film contest – films produced by our students, highlighting a particular issue of sustainability. You can view the winners of the UNCG Sustainability Shorts Film Competition.
Green Directory for Colleges
From AASHE bulletin:
Duke University (NC) has launched a free directory of environmental information at nearly 2,000 U.S. colleges and universities. The directory provides listings of environmental degree programs as well as environmental opportunities and organizations at campuses around the country. The directory was created by student volunteers at 40 campuses nationwide, including undergraduate and graduate students at Duke. It offers information on undergraduate, masters and PhD degree programs and includes links to campus carbon inventories and recycling opportunities, environmentally focused student clubs and organizations, and environmental opportunities in the local community. Duke U Press Release
Green @ the library
Our Green Library Group came up with a list of ways to be green @the library to tell students (& promote the library) in honor Earth Day. We created a bookmark with the ideas (which also promotes our sustainable film series):
Save Gas. Talk to your librarian online.
Buy Local—Borrow Local. Why pay for your books when they are available for free?
Do the Commute Challenge. Bike lanes and buses end right in front of the library.
Unplug. (and visit the library.) We’re open 24 hours and paying the heat and electricity anyway. Ditch your utility bills for ours.
Want a cheap night out? Come see a (free) sustainable film.
Save a Tree. Ask your professor about emailing your paper or uploading it to blackboard.
Don’t pay for entertainment. Borrow movies from the TLC (5,000+ popular DVDs for free)
Get exercise. Climb up nine floors of Jackson Library.
Stop your junk mail, catalogs and magazines. The library has them in the Reading Room.
Forcast Earth Summit for Students
High School Librarians, let your students know about a chance to attend the Weather Channel’s Forcast Earth Summit in Washington DC December 5-7, 2008. Apply by October 19 using the online form, which includes submitting an essay describing the your love for the Planet and waht you are doing to keep it clean and green. Review the rules and details or visit last year’s summit site. Only 20 students will be selected to attend the summitt which inlcudes hands-on activities, speakers, and discussions, and the chance to create individual public service announcements (PSA) that will air on The Weather Channel network.
Going Green @your library 
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