Our Vision

From GreenQuadWiki

Green Quad serves both as a model and an advocate for sustainability, here on campus and in the community. Green values and a holistic perspective guide all aspects of our programs, operations, management, and facilities, creating a unique “green bubble” on campus. West Quad also serves as an inspiration and motivation for other campus and community organizations and challenges everyone to explore how their actions can lead to a sustainable society.

Contents 1 Green Quad Goals 2 Mission 3 Green Learning Community 4 Recycling Centers 5 Green Quad Community Garden 6 Learning Center for Sustainable Futures Green Quad Goals Embody green values and a holistic perspective throughout all aspects of programs, operations, management, and facilities. Create with residents an environment that promotes academic success, personal development, and a respect for diversity. Offer a wide variety of opportunities for residents to begin or continue their journey toward a more sustainable lifestyle. Structure initiatives and educational programs to facilitate learning and action related to sustainability. Provide residents with opportunities for service learning, study abroad, and undergraduate research related to sustainability issues. Promote the West Quad as a convenient laboratory for research and assessment. Maintain and elaborate the “green building” features of the West Quad and promote these as a model for other educational and community organizations. Create a sense of personal engagement and community within the context of a “green bubble.”

Mission

The mission of Green Quad is to create a living and learning community which incorporates sustainability into all aspects of its operations and which serves as a model and advocate for sustainability on campus and in the larger community.

Green Learning Community

One aspect of the Green Quad which exemplifies our mission is the Green Learning Community, an innovative, core community of 25-30 students who take the initiative to experiment with the personal, cultural, and environmental changes required to create a more sustainable society. Students in the Green Learning Community live on the same floor in Green Quad and participate in special programs they have helped organize. These include field trips to places and events of interest, a food co-op and garden, occasional community meals, informal meetings with faculty members, visiting scholars, and activists, plus ongoing research projects. These activities are included in the one-credit course members of the Green Learning Community register for each semester (UNIV 290).

Recycling Centers

Green Quad also features a recycling system that aspires to serve as a model for the rest of the university. New collection bins, a new collection system, and new informational posters have been added for the fall 2007 semester.

Green Quad Community Garden

Another key feature of Green Quad is the Green Quad Community Garden. Both Green Learning Community students and other residents have the opportunity to tend individual plots. The Community Garden is a resource for exploring issues related to food production, giving participants the chance to learn about bio-diversity, organic gardening techniques, native plant species, permaculture design, edible landscaping, and composting.

Learning Center for Sustainable Futures

The mission of the Green Quad Learning Center for Sustainable Futures is to promote collaborative relationships among students, faculty, staff, and community members for exploring the changes required to create a sustainable society.