by Delaney Martin and Sophie Kennedy
“This is saying our generation will never matter. But we have to matter. If we don’t, there is no future worth saving.” (Ms. Marvel #10, Civil War Vol 2)
Comic book characters, UNITE! Here at the Office of Sustainability, we dusted off our green capes, chatted with Mother Earth, and threw some ‘comtastic’ green events to educate and engage the NYU community in sustainability. Here’s a recap of all our Earth-saving events this adventure-filled Welcome Week.
GREEN CAMPUS TOUR: our green super-heroines and heroes flew NYU’s newest around the greenest spots on campus.
Did you know that NYU has a green roof? We brought students to the 7th floor of Kimmel to see and discuss the benefits of green roofs. Just to name a few: storm water management, air quality improvement, and happiness… who doesn’
t love plants?
What’s a green hero/heroine without a green thumb? Students were shown the hidden gems (think emeralds) in Washington Square Village. The CommAg Garden is a fantastic place to put your green thumb to use–not to mention there’s compost! And if you’re looking for an awesome spot to meditate or study, the Sasaki Garden is the place to be. It is a Japanese style garden maintained by the incredible NYU Landscaping team. 
There’s always a villain and ours is Carbon Dioxide. How evil… But NYU battles everyday to reduce its production of Carbon Dioxide. BAM! The Green Team shared NYU’s carbon reduction hotspots including 181 Mercer, a future LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building. Want to know more? Check out the list LEED certified spaces on campus.
Coffee makes the world go round– it’s the fuel of our green thumbs — quite literally in the CommAg garden (coffee grounds are used to enhance soil). We took a pit stop at Think Coffee to refuel and reenergize because saving the Earth is exhausting. Think Coffee’s fair trade initiative provides our heroines and heroes sustainable coffee! Not to mention, all the products served in Think Coffee can be commercially composted. Let’s double take on that, commercial compost products cannot be recycled. So to continue saving the Earth, dump your products in Think Coffee’s commercial compost bins rather than adding them to our overused landfills. Or you can ditch the waste all together and BYO: reusable mug, cup, drinking accessories.
GREEN LIVING NYU: STUDENT PANEL: NYU students talked about how to be NYU’s greatest green warriors
The comic book characters of NYU need to be styling but sustainably. Our Green Team recommends digging through the Goodwill Outlet Store to find some awesome wardrobe additions– grab your cape and head over to 47 Van Dam Street Long Island City, NY. Have a surplus of clothes? Donate them to any Goodwill store in the city. In addition, every residence hall has a textile donation bin. Be super and help cloth the world without extracting new resources. Buying second hand is not only green but cheap. We recommend arranging clothing swaps with your friends, shopping secondhand at places like the Cure, Goodwill 8th st., or L Train vintage.
Coffee isn’t the only fuel Earth Savers need. Food is an incredible source of energy to power the environmental movement but we demand sustainably sourced food. Head to the Union Square Greenmarket (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday) to pick up some local, organic groceries. Looking to reduce your waste? Soar over to your local Whole Foods or the 4th Street Food Co-op to discover the power of bulk bins. The Green Team loves efficiency and food scraps don’t need to end up in landfills. Drop off your compost at the Union Square Greenmarket, Borough Hall Greenmarket, or CommAg.
Trying to further green your BOOM! BOOM! POW!? Explore the Sustainability Map for resources on campus. Or read this article to increase your sustainability brain power: Green Classes to Check out for Fall 2018. And don’t forget to check out these clubs at Club Fest (September 5, in Kimmel) to meet fellow green feens:
- Sprout Up
- Two Birds, One Stone
- Earth Matters
- CommAg
In addition, apply to be an EcoRep –the applications are due September 16.
BIKING IN THE CITY: Our Green Team taught NYU student’s about bike safety in the city. 
Ditch your cape and grab a bike–NYC has a plethora of sustainable transport options. Reducing Carbon Dioxide emissions rocks, especially when you can do so through a mode of transportation that’s also great for your health. A green solution to getting around NYC is biking and we have all the tips.
- Always wear a helmet – because you need to protect your brain power.
- Check your bike before riding for any mechanical issues. Falling is embarrassing–even when you wear a cape.
- Try to ride in bike lanes and make sure to ride with traffic. Earth Savers don’t cause accidents.
- Always be aware of your surroundings and be a defensive biker.
In search of a free bike? Look into NYU’s Bike Share Program.
** the Group Bike Ride has been postponed from August 31 due to weather. Keep those ‘green’ eyes out for a new time.
Now go out there and help make NYU the greenest campus in the nation.
THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY DEPENDS ON YOU.
