What We Do
Through the support of Auxiliary Services, Green Campus Initiative strives to be involved with as many sustainable initiatives as possible. We often partner with various other UMaine organizations to reach our goals with other groups including UMaine Greens, the Campus Compost Facility, and the Black Bear Exchange, to name a few.
Our student employees promote GCI and our efforts through many different avenues. Featured below are examples of our current work.
Green Themed Community
The Green Themed Community, is a residence floor supported by Green Campus Initiative. Students can choose to live in this sustainability-themed community. GCI hosts events for the Green Floor, including weekly tea times, seasonal activities, volunteer opportunities, and off-campus outings. Through the school year this fosters an outstanding feel of community that has grown on the floor. You can learn more by visiting the housing website here.
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- Pumpkin Painting at Tea Time OCT21
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- Treworgy Family Orchards SEPT19
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- Mug Cakes at Tea Time APR22
Zero Waste Events
Throughout the school year, GCI partners with Dining Services to lead educational efforts at Zero Waste events where we aim to reduce the amount of waste produced at functions such as the Maine Day BBQ in the spring, the Summer New Student Orientation BBQs in the summer, and the President’s Welcome Dinner in the fall.
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- Maine Day Zero Waste Event MAY19
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- President’s Dinner Group Photo SEPT19
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- Presiden’ts Dinner SEPT19
Tabling
We offer tabling on various sustainability topics on campus like what GCI does and recycling education.
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- Earth Week APR19
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- Metal Straw Event SEPT19
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- Tabling in Cumberland
Food Recovery
Every Friday, GCI, Green Team, or Gamma Sig alternate picking up leftover food from the dining halls on campus and bring it to the Black Bear Exchange to be distributed to UMaine students who need it.
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- Helping Pack Food at the Black Bear Exchange MAR19
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- Collecting Food FEB19
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- Dining Hall Walkthrough JAN19
Bulletin Boards
Every month we create a new sustainability-centered bulletin board in the common area on the first floor of Androscoggin Hall.
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- Summer 19 Bulletin Board
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- March 2019 Bulletin Board
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- December 2018 Bulletin Board
Volunteering
We volunteer around campus and the surrounding community to promote sustainability efforts.
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- Hirundo Wildlife Refuge Volunteer OCT19
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- Maine Day Volunteering at Rogers Farm MAY19
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- Orono Land Trust Volunteer SEPT19
Sustainability Handbook
The Sustainability Handbook provides useful information to students about environmentally friendly living on campus. It is not always easy to recycle more, reduce waste, reduce electricity usage, or decrease reliance on automobiles but this handbook helps by presenting sustainable practices and alternatives.
GreenZines
The GreenZine is a semi-monthly zine featuring up-to-date sustainability-related information geared toward the UMaine community. GreenZines can be found on bathroom stall doors in all campus residence halls. Click on the link below to view the current edition of our GreenZine.
Educational Videos
Closing the Loop: University faculty, staff, and students engage in a campus-wide effort to promote sustainability via an advanced composting initiative.