Day: January 26, 2018

Do you want to get more involved with sustainability this semester? Good news! There are dozens of “green” organizations on campus that help foster a more sustainable world! In the next few weeks, there will be plenty of General Interest Meetings (GIMs) to check out. These are just a few of the amazing groups on campus to join.

The Tufts Mountain Club (TMC) encourages all students to explore outside, whether that means a quiet walk in the Fells or a hiking trip to the Loj in New Hampshire. TMC helps students with all ability levels get outside. TMC has owned and operated the Loj in Woodstock, New Hampshire for over 75 years, which allows for the Tufts Community to explore the great White Mountains of New Hampshire. Josh Cohen, who is currently a Junior and an Education and Verification intern here at the Office of Sustainability, is also the TMC Historian. Here is what TMC has meant to Josh over his time here at Tufts:

I’m currently serving my second term on the TMC executive board, now as the Historian and previously as the Loj Director. I was introduced to TMC through the climbing program, and I spent much of my first year at Tufts climbing at Metro Rock. I have spent many weekends up at the Loj hiking in the White Mountains, and that space really feels like home to me. TMC’s tradition of teaching skills and leading trips has given me the ability to enter outdoor spaces and feel confident, and I also have met many of my closest friends through the club.

Max Migdail, who is the Bush Eco-Rep, is also currently on the TMC executive board. He has been a member with TMC since his first semester at Tufts:

I’m very involved in TMC. I spend most of my weekends at the Loj and am the Loj Director for the club. This means I oversee caretakers, groups at the Loj, Loj upkeep, and other various goings on around the New Hampshire property…. When I got to Tufts, I sought out the Mountain Club and started developing relationships within the club and just going outside….The club has been like a home to me as well as the source of many of my deepest friendships. Perhaps most importantly though, the club has been an incredible resource to aid me in going outside, fulfilling both the purpose of the club and many of my own ambitions.

There is no set date for the TMC GIM yet, so be on the look out for it in the next few weeks!

If generating grassroots support for divestment from the fossil fuel industry, then Tufts Climate Action (TCA) is perfect for you! TCA is hosting their Spring GIM on Sunday, January 28^th from 7-8pm in Eaton 201. Celia Bottger, who is a Programing intern for the Office of Sustainability, is also an organizer for TCA. Celia explains what the club has meant to her during her time at Tufts:

I have been involved in TCA since the fall of my freshman year…. I wanted to be a part of a group on campus that was doing work on climate change past sustainability initiatives. TCA has introduced me to the concept of climate justice, which highlights the intersectionality of climate change and social, economic, and racial justice struggles around the world. It has revealed to me the deep truth that climate change is above all a human issue, and that climate change work is inherently about working to support and sustain communities over corporations. I value the passionate and socially minded people I have met through TCA, as well as the fresh and worldly perspectives I continually encounter as co-leader of the group.

Is biking your main mode of transportation? Have you heard of Tufts Bikes? Tufts Bikes teaches students proper bike safety and upkeep and fosters a community for fossil free transportation. Tufts Bikes is hosting their GIM on January 28^th in Campus Center Room 219 at 1pm. Mandy Rosengren, who is Metcalf’s Eco-Rep, is also involved with Tufts Bikes. Mandy explains here involvement in the club:

I am Head of Communications at Tufts Bikes and have been a member since Fall Freshman year. I signed up on a whim because my friend was in charge of the Tufts Bikes booth at the student club fair, and I love being a part of the club. It is so satisfying to fix someone’s bike, and it is part of the reason that I decided to switch into Mechanical Engineering for my major.

Would your friends call you electric? Have you ever considered joining the Tufts Energy Group? The Tufts Energy Group educates students about the surrounding energy. They are hosting their Spring GIM February 10^th in Eaton 208 at 8pm.

The Tufts Food Rescue Collective helps prevent food waste and provides food for those in need. Students package leftover food from Dewick and Carmichael every day of the week and partner with Food for Free to deliver the meals all around the Medford/Somerville area. The Food Rescue GIM is apart of the Lenard Carmichael GIM, which will be on February 6^th fro 9-10 pm in Cabot Auditoriums.

What more information about green organizations on campus? Check out our Get Involved publication!