Big Hill Farm
Big Hill Farm is a student-managed farm that values local food production and sustainable agricultural practices. Each summer, student leaders hire new student interns to plant, grow, and harvest food, experiment with new techniques, and oversee the management of the farm. Upon harvest, students bring food from Big Hill Farm to the cafeteria for use in the salad bar. Ultimately, Big Hill Farm serves as one step to integrate the student body into the process of sustainable food production.
ThriftyGold
The mission of ThriftyGold is to create a fun environment for people to learn how to reduce clothing related waste by donating and reusing old or unused clothing, as well as to provide inexpensive ways to keep wardrobes fashion forward!
Environmental Action Coalition
The Environmental Action Coalition (EAC) is an on-campus organization promoting climate justice, zero-waste, and campus sustainability through awareness, stewardship, and mobilization. This student-led group has organized various events such as pop-up thrift shops, campus phone banks, and educational workshops within the Saint Peter School District. As a group, the EAC strives to educate the campus community and inspire meaningful action.
Bike Share
The Gusties on the Go program has a fleet of bicycles and electric bicycles (e-bikes) that can be rented out free of charge to Gusties, providing a sustainable means of transportation for students looking to get around campus and explore the Saint Peter area during the fall and spring months.
Bikes are checked out through the Campus Activities Office.
Those who want to check out an e-bike must complete training prior to check out.
Â鶹ÊÓƵ is certified as a Bike Friendly campus - Bronze level.
Kitchen Cabinet
The Kitchen Cabinet (KC) is a group of students and employees who informally advise the dining service director about how the Dining Service can continue more deeply to serve the educational mission of the college.
The KC meets monthly to address the questions, concerns and opportunities the Dining Service faces as it creates meals for the community that support and advance the educational goals of the college, and embody its commitment to excellence, justice, community, service, and faith.
Over the years, the KC has been a moving force behind a variety of sustainability initiatives, including the Gustieware program, the campus composter, Big Hill Farm, the campus fair trade designation, and the Coca Cola Sustainability Grant program.
Education and Research
Sustainability education is an integral part of our liberal arts curriculum. Our Environmental Studies program incorporates interdisciplinary learning by offering four different tracks for their majors: physical science, life Science, social science, or humanities. Many Gusties study sustainability and climate change through independent study research projects in departments across campus from Art and Art History to Religion to Physics.
Every year the Environmental Science Senior Seminar (ES399) collaborates with sustainability staff and interns to identify and complete sustainability projects on campus.
President’s Environmental Sustainability Council
The President's Environmental Sustainability Council meets monthly to develop Â鶹ÊÓƵ's environmental sustainability vision and goals. These goals include diversifying and expanding the Â鶹ÊÓƵ community, delivering a distinct and integrated liberal arts education, and achieving environmental sustainability on the financial, institutional, and environmental levels. The council also maintains a living document of their strategic sustainability plan moving forward.
The Arboretum
The Arboretum at Â鶹ÊÓƵ seeks to provide the College and community with a living sanctuary of plants for education, environmental stewardship, reflection, and recreation. Located on the south end of campus, its 130 acres are home to the three major vegetation communities located in Minnesota: the coniferous forest in the north, the tallgrass prairie in the south and west, and the deciduous forest in between. Its three miles of walking trails showcase the trees, prairie species, and wildlife that share this space on campus.