© 2009 Harvard-Radcliffe Class of 1984
Green is the new crimson. . .
Once again, the class of 1984 is charting new territory by planning Harvard's first Green 25th reunion. We have incorporated sustainable practices into all transportation, food, activities, and educational aspects of the reunion - check out our press release about the Green 25th. It has been inspiring to work with the Harvard Office of Sustainability and learn the extent to which green efforts have permeated the campus. So let's all join Harvard's green campaign by taking the Harvard Sustainability Pledge - and after the reunion, we'll be able to share the aggregated results with you.
- With the exception of the initial save-the-date and the final calendar, 90% of all communications were done online, and all registrations are done online. Mailings were targeted at the 30% for whom we do not have email info. We embedded requests in our email communications for people not to print stuff out (for example, with the registration email, we asked them to wait to see the mailing for a hard copy).
- We are using Harvard biodiesel fuel buses (all we could get and some school buses) to transport the class to and from the Museum of Fine Arts. There will be no idling at any time.
- We are computing the carbon footprint of the total transportation to/from Cambridge of all attendees. We are then dividing this CO2 usage per classmate attending and as a community going to commit to each of us changing our habits to offset that usage within one year. Information/education about living a more sustainable lifestyle learned here will help us with that goal.
- There will be no single-use bottled water available at the activities. Instead, we are issuing reusable BPA-free water bottles at registration and will have bulk water in jugs/pitchers. As needed, compostable corn-based cups will allow people to get water without their personal bottle. We plan to have intergroup "competitions" for the kids to see which group can remember to bring the greatest number of their assigned water containers that day. Also, one of the first kids' activities of the reunion will be decorating and personalizing their water bottle in order to "bond" with it and be able keep tabs on it.
- We are issuing a "green" tote bag for using during the reunion and beyond as our second giveaway.
- Where possible (and this is often) real plates and glasses will be used. Corn-based utensils, cups, and plates will be used at all other times with a goal of 100% composting or recycling.
- We will take advantage of the standard operating procedure of composting everything for Annenberg and other dining halls. At events outside Annenberg, we will be using bins, signs, and volunteers to compost all waste.
- Predominantly, menu choices will feature food that is from less than 250 miles away.
- Education and signage will promote what we're doing and teach people how they can make adjustments for more sustainable habits. There will be a green topic in the symposia day called: "Protecting the Planet: Climate Change and other Risks to Life on Earth." This session will address global climate change, biodiversity loss, disease and other risks to life on Earth, including human life. It will consider how the understanding of these risks, and of potential responses to them, has evolved over the past 25 years. And it will look ahead to how these risks may affect life in the next 25 + years and what response measures might best be undertaken.
- We are hosting a Community Service morning called the "Green-up" (another Class of '84 "first") which will feature cleaning up the Charles and assisting the Charles River Conservancy, a local environmental organization.
- We will offer tours of Blackstone Street Building to showcase what Harvard is doing in the arena of sustainability. There are many other things Harvard is doing that we can do in our lives and/or for building projects over which we have influence.
- Plants and flowers for the MFA event will be re-used after the event, and we are also using recycled containers for them. Flowers from other events will be used more than once as well.
- Our 25th class survey includes our first set of "green" questions, which we will be able to revisit year after year to track our collective progress. Reviewing the early results show that our baseline reflects positive current green behavior; but our goal is to do better.
- We will work with the Class Report Office to offer an "opt-out" process for next year's class for those who don't want a printed 25th Report (it was too late for this year as planning happens very far in advance to investigate alternatives).
- A typical 25th uses a lot of paper while here for things like photo albums and programs for the memorial service. We're using Shutterfly to collect and make available all the photos we're collecting and we have condensed the memorial service program to 5 - 7 pages shorter than usual and are working to use soy-based ink. In both cases we are using the web site to supplement the information and to retain it after the reunion in a central place.
- We are asking all the Class to take a subtly revised version of Harvard's Green Pledge http://green.harvard.edu/pledge. It is our hope to make an alumni version ready for next fall/reunion season and leverage the concept away from Cambridge to the 300,000 alums who want to join in the effort.
