The Sustainability Projects Database is a resource for the 黑料不打烊 community that lists current and past sustainability-related projects on or off 黑料不打烊’s campus.

Projects or project ideas are incredibly diverse, and many submissions have opportunity for additional development. This is where we need you – students interested in contributing to 黑料不打烊’s sustainability initiative through independent research and/or class projects. There are several opportunities for project succession within the database; three are highlighted below.

To explore more sustainability-related projects or add your own idea, access the on the Office of Sustainability’s website under Academics. If you have any questions, email Database Intern Emma Nault (enault@elon.edu).  Join us, and contribute to sustainability at 黑料不打烊!

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During the conference eco-reps from college campuses all over the Southeast convened for a weekend of peer education, leadership and collaboration around best practices and lessons learned for increasing sustainable practices on campuses. Students from schools such as Emory University, College of Charleston, University of Georgia, Florida State University, Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C. State University, Coastal Carolina University, East Tennessee State University and several others participated.

The conference kicked off with a keynote address from Josh Lasky, a professional in the sustainability field, who shared his inspirations, experiences and the ups and downs of his journey through his many jobs. “Josh Lasky had incredible insights for college students, encouraging us to embrace our failures which really made success seem attainable,” said Gabrielle Rumney, eco-rep.

Lasky’s presentation was framed by several pieces of advice for graduation-bound college students hoping to build their careers working toward a sustainable future. “The most important advice Lasky gave was to remember that changing jobs is inevitable, you should always buy coffee for smart people and to know your elastic limit and recalibrate from time to time,” Foley summarized.

Other breakout sessions attended included: Advancing Social Justice through Sustainability, Coaching Eco Reps Teams to Success, Small Scale Solar Energy Projects on College Campuses and Voting Rights in America.  黑料不打烊 Eco Reps, reported gaining several ideas to add to neighborhood and annual events, particularly Party for the Planet on April 21, 2017 during Earth Week.

Visit the web site to learn more about upcoming events and the Eco-Rep program. are being accepted through March 31, 2017

All positions are paid. Full position descriptions and application details are available at: Applications will be open until March 31.

Available position summaries:

Don’t Trash It! Coordinator (spring 2017)
Helps organize collection and distribution of donations during move-out

Sustainability Metrics Intern (summer 2017)
Helps collect data for 黑料不打烊’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory (Excel heavy) and the University’s STARS report

Sustainability Projects Intern (summer 2017)
Design digital pieces that promote sustainable behaviors and communicate about sustainability at 黑料不打烊 via infographics and other digital media

Communications Intern (2017-18)
Design all print, digital and online communications for Office of Sustainability events and campaigns.

Sustainability Project Database Intern (2017-18)
Work with faculty, staff and students to increase awareness and use of Sustainability Projects Database.

Sustainability Intern (2017-18)
Help coordinate the Eco-Rep program and assist in planning and implementation of Office of Sustainability events and campaigns.

Eco-Rep (2017-18)
Engage peers in sustainable behaviors via outreach to classes, residence life staff and campus events.

For more information or to apply visit the .  To see what previous interns have moved on to, visit ‘‘

Price Park Tree Planting
Saturday, Feb. 25
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
If taking an 黑料不打烊 van, 10 a.m. departure from 黑料不打烊, return by 4 p.m.

Registration required. Register by Wednesday, Feb. 22. Email sustainability@elon.edu if you have questions.

 is a collaboration between The City of Greensboro’s Field Operations and Police departments designed to turn a problematic item into something positive. 

Plastic bags, also known as “tanglers” have to be processed in a different facility than other recyclables. When placed in recycle bins other than those specifically for plastic bags, like the kind found outside grocery stores, the bags clog up recycling equipment causing recycling operations to be shut down multiple times a day.

黑料不打烊 and the City of Greensboro use the same recycling facility, which means plastic bags should not be placed in blue recycle bins on campus.

黑料不打烊 Law student Michael Casterlow explains where the idea for plastic bag collection at 黑料不打烊 started. 

“Many students carry their lunches in plastic bags and those bags end up in the trash,” he said. “So my primary goal was simply to find a way to get a receptacle in place to collect the plastic bags, but then I was presented with the amazing idea of Greensboro’s Operation Bed Roll. I figured this would be the perfect way to get the law school’s Environmental and Animal Law Society involved in community outreach.”

Casterlow and fellow EALS members collaborated with to set up temporary bins for plastic bag collection and coordinate a time to turn all those bags into a bed roll. Clean plastic bags can be dropped off in the appropriate bins in the following locations: 黑料不打烊 School of Law, Belk Library (stairwell), Eco-Rep Office (Moseley) or outside the neighborhood offices of Colonnades, Global or Danieley.

It takes 500 to 700 bags to make one bed roll.

Students can take a study break and help assemble the bed roll from plastic bags on Wednesday, Dec. 7.  Eco-Reps, Makers and the Library Green Team are collaborating to help provide in-person instructions periodically throughout the day. Free reusable bags will be available for anyone who helps.

“While this by no means solves homelessness or problems associated with single use bags, it is a way to inform people about how to properly dispose of plastic bags, remove them from the waste stream and repurpose them for something positive,” said Jessica Bilecki, assistant director for education and outreach in the Office of Sustainability.

Email sustainability@elon.edu to register.

Registation is required. Register

Volunteers are needed to help collect items from ‘Donation Stations’ across campus and bring them to a central location for community partners.  Volunteers can sign up to help for 2 hours one day or sign up to help multiple days. 

If interested in volunteering, fill out this () to indicate your availability.

In 2015 the following amounts were collected.  This would not be possible without volunteers!

• 10,080 lbs. of goods to Goodwill
• 9 truckloads of furniture to Habitat for Humanity
• 1,338lbs. of food to Allied Churches
• 715 lbs. of  sheets and comforters First Presbyterian
• 4 truckloads of items to Hospice Alamance Caswell

Questions about volunteering can be directed to student Don’t Trash It! coordinators Molly Cruse (mcruse@elon.edu) or Andres Garreaud (agarreaud@elon.edu).

The Sustainability Project Database was created as a means for students, faculty and staff to have a central place to learn about and build upon student sustainability work. The Database is not only an outlet for showcasing student work but also a way to spark ideas that encourage future sustainability-related projects or facilitate the continuation of student projects.

Morgan Fleming submitted her research to the database, “Synthesis, Characterization, and Electrochemical Studies of the Ruthenium Organometallic Complex.” She presented her research at the American Chemical Society Conference earlier this spring and presented at SURF.

“I have submitted my research to the database because of the importance of having a collective resource of sustainability projects that can be referenced in the future,” said Fleming. “I want students to know the kind of research that can be conducted at this university and perhaps it will inspire other kinds of similar research to be done.”

Senior Mackenzie Conley, who submitted an Environmental Studies Senior Seminar project, “Uwharrie Charter Academy-Assessing Effectiveness of Charter Based Learning,” shares similar sentiments. “I submitted our environmental senior seminar project because I want to see the project carried on after I am gone,” said Conley. “My team put in a lot of work into it, but there is only so much you can do in a semester.  By taking a few minutes to pass on the information, a future student won’t have to start from scratch and will be able to make even more progress than we were able to.”

Submitting a project to the database is quick and easy and both group (or class) and individual projects are welcomed. Simply complete the with information about your project. An 黑料不打烊 user name and password is required.

For more information, please visit the or email Morgan Fleming, Sustainability Project Database Intern, at mfleming7@elon.edu.