After nearly 20 years of hard work on campus, Bates College is now carbon neutral<\/a>! By using renewable fuel oil (RFO) for heating, sustainably sourced electricity, raising campus awareness, behavioral shifts, and lots of small individual efforts, we have reduced our carbon footprint by 11,600 metric tons of CO2. Here’s to a green future for Bates!<\/p>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\n Managing sustainability for the campus is a big job. While there are plenty of long term goals, like carbon neutrality and behavioral shifts, there are plenty of day to day changes the EcoReps are involved in. In 2016, for example, students took up the mission of eliminating paper cups from Commons, and instead the College now provides every incoming student with a reusable mug. There are always new ways to shift our existing systems and avoid waste.\u00a0Scroll to read about past and ongoing sustainability projects on campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>\n The 2018 Garden Party served as the opening event for the Plot. Fresh tomatoes, homemade cookies, and other appetizers were served, and Bates’ own Take Note a cappella group performed.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>\n The Garden group hosted weekly meetings and open hours this year, opening up the\u00a0Plot<\/a>\u00a0to the community for people interested in gardening, farming, and food systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/sustainability\/files\/2019\/03\/IMG_0695-900x675.jpg\")