You may not know it, but let this exciting news sink in for a moment: Teachers College is definitely going green.

A year ago, a group of fellow TC students and I founded the Go Green Committee in an effort to make the College more environmentally friendly. Through various events, including a highly successful Earth Day celebration last April, the committee educated the community about environmental issues. Our efforts have struck a chord, as many TC offices have joined the initiative to make the College a greener place.

 

One notable example involves the Office of Admissions, which in March created a Web site for admitted students that replaced paper mailings and produced a CD catalogue that drastically reduced the amount of paper used for printing. Thomas Rock, Executive Director of Enrollment Services, believes that prospective students “appreciated that we were being conscious about our environment.” In the spring, the admissions office will review applications online instead of printing hard copies for admissions committees.

 

The Office of Student Accounts went paperless in May “in order to offer better service to students and to join the many other institutions that have gone green,” says Jacqueline Diaz-Solano, Director of Student Accounts. And in September, the payroll office stopped distributing paper copies of pay stubs. They can now be accessed online.

 

In addition, Document Services is encouraging the use of a new, environmentally friendly paper for the same price as its harmful counterpart, bright white paper. The new paper has been tested with positive results, and Robert “Rocky” Schwarz, Manager of Document Services, says it is a better choice because it “uses less water, fewer chemicals, more of the tree” and is made at a plant using hydroelectricity.

 

Academic Computing is now using recycled paper and has set printers in computer labs to automatically print on both sides of the paper. TC has made duplex printers the standard for College purchases. George Schuessler, Director of Academic Computing, believes that “the use of duplex printing and recycled paper is consistent with good stewardship of the Earth.” Schuessler also hopes that members of the TC community “will find it easy and logical to extend this habit to their homes and other places of business.”

 

By being environmentally responsible, these offices are not only enhancing TC but also the community at large. Be on the lookout for more transformations as we continue working together toward a greener community. To join the initiative to make TC more environmentally friendly, please contact me at gogreentc@gmail.com. And, as always, keep it green.

 

Please use the NEW pilot recycle centers in Horace Mann!