At Northwestern, there are a variety of residential colleges for incoming students to choose from but only one is putting a tree-mendous effort into sustainability and environmentalism. Rachel Spears has the story.
This story originally aired as part of our WNUR News Touches Grass Special Broadcast.
[nat sound: people talking to each other]
IN 2303 SHERIDAN, GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK.
THE GREEN HOUSE, A RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE ON NORTH CAMPUS, IS FOCUSED ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND AWARENESS. IT SHARES A BUILDING WITH CCS, THE COLLEGE OF CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY STUDIES, BUT HAS A VIBRANT COMMUNITY OF ITS OWN.
ITS NAME IS ACTUALLY AN ACRONYM AND STANDS FOR “Group Residence for Environmental Engagement at Northwestern.” IT CENTERS AROUND THE THREE PILLARS OF EXAMINED LIFESTYLE, ECOLOGICAL LITERACY, AND SERVICE.
WEINBERG THIRD-YEAR CAMILLE REINOSO IS ON THE GREEN HOUSE EXECUTIVE BOARD. EVENT PLANNER FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, SHE HELPS TO RUN EVENTS FOR RESIDENTS AND GENERAL MEMBERS LIKE COLORING WITH CAMI.
THEY HAVE HOSTED EVENTS THAT RANGE FROM PRAIRIE RESTORATION TRIPS, TO WILDFLOWER WATERCOLORS. SHE HAS FOUND THAT AT EVENTS LIKE THOSE, FRUITFUL CONVERSATIONS HAVE MADE CONNECTING WITH THE GREEN HOUSE COMMUNITY EASY.
CAMILLE (0:53-1:01): [GREEN house has always had a really fun, tight-knit community and it was really easy to incorporate myself with it.]
OTHER MEMBER AGREE. WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS FAVORITE GREENHOUSE ACTIVITY, MCCORMICK FRESHMAN, OBA, QUICKLY GAVE HIS ANSWER.
OBA: [Games with Jacob, he makes things so lively around here, just a great time with some friends]
SENIOR JULIEN ZEA IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY MAJOR AND HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH GREENHOUSE SINCE HIS FRESHMAN YEAR. HE SPOKE ABOUT HOW MUCH THE RES COLLEGE HAS GROWN SINCE then.
JULIEN: [it’s definitely grown, it’s come alive… now you have a thriving community, I mean that’s just one part of the community, people working together, people chatting, friendships.]
OVER THE YEARS, GREEN HOUSE HAS BECOME LIKE A SECOND FAMILY FOR ITS RESIDENTS AND MEMBERS. THEY PROVIDE A PLETHORA OF RESOURCES FOR ITS MEMBERS SUCH AS WAYS TO GET INVOLVED WITH RESEARCH AND VOLUNTEERING, BRINGING COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTALISM TOGETHER IN A FUN WAY.
REINOSO SAID.
CAMILLE (1:17-1:31):[it was a lot about the friends that I made…we all do have that focus for environmentalism ….This is a really nice community, I want to serve it.]
For many, finding the intersections and connections between aspects of student life and sustainability is important. Through events like recycled origami, green house members are able to foster creativity in a way that is better for the earth.
ONE FRESHMAN AND GREEN HOUSE MEMBER, MEADOW, CHOSE TO JOIN GREENHOUSE BECAUSE OF HER INTEREST IN THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN INDIGENOUS RIGHTS AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS. SHE WANTS TO DO WHAT SHE CAN TO PARTICIPATE IN SUSTAINABILITY ON CAMPUS.
MEADOW: [I just like the fact that it’s sustainable living. The showers are low flow and it’s more energy efficient and their compost and stuff.]
OBA’S CHOICE TO BE A PART OF GREENHOUSE ALSO CENTERED AROUND ENVIRONMENTALISM.
OBA: [Sustainability and being energy efficient is really important so I wanted to engage with that at Northwestern so that is why I came to greenhouse.]
RESIDENTS AS WELL AS NONRESIDENTS ALL HAVE DIFFERENT REASONS FOR JOINING GREEN HOUSE.
FOR STUDENTS LOOKING TO BRANCH OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONES, GREEN HOUSE IS OPEN TO STUDENTS FROM ANY SCHOOL AND YEAR PLUS, FOR WHAT IT’S EARTH, IT’S COMPLETELY FREE.
CAMILLE (4:07-4:20): [You are always welcome into this community, and it’s not necessarily something that you have to be a part of at the very beginning to fully enjoy it, you can really jump in at any time that you want.]
ZEA REFLECTED ON HIS GREENHOUSE EXPERIENCE SAYING,
JULIEN: [Why did I join GREENHouse: for environmentalism and why did I stay: for the community.]
TOGETHER, THE RESIDENTS OF GREEN HOUSE ARE PLANTING THE SEED FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
FOR WNUR NEWS, I’M RACHEL SPEARS
