Welcome Home!
As one of the top Green Colleges in the U.S. we want to encourage new students to #greenyourscene! You can do this by getting involved with clubs, activities, and events here on campus. To learn more check out our Get Involved page. You can also keep track of what you bring and use while at SMCM to minimize your impact on the environment.
Sustainable Guide to life at SMCM
Move-in
Move-in day can be very stressful! Its also a time when the trash and recycling dumpsters get extremely full with packing and packaging products. This can lead to contamination of the recycle bin and pollution from spillage of the dumpsters. For more information on recycling, click here.
Reduce
In order to minimize your environmental impact, you should consider reducing the amount of new and prepackaged items you bring to campus. It’s important to note that styrofoam, plastic bags, and small plastic utensils are NOT recyclable on campus.
Try looking in your local thrift store or Facebook Yard Sale page for college dorm items. You can also check out the FreeStore when you get here. The FreeStore has a range of items like dorm decorations, clothes, furniture, cooking utensils, and more! It might be easier to purchase things after you arrive, then see if you really need it or not.
Reuse
If possible, load up your items into containers that you already use, such as: laundry baskets, large cooking pots, pillow cases, and buckets.
For cardboard boxes, you can also go to grocery stores, shipping retailers and shipping departments. Often, there are free boxes that can be useful for packing. When packing your items, don’t buy styrofoam or bubble wrap (not recyclable). Instead, use packing materials that such as these:
- Washcloths
- Bath Towels
- Clothing/Socks
- Blankets
- Old newspaper and wrapping paper
- Scarves
Recycle
Good news! The Office of Sustainability will be there to help you out on move-in day. We have interns and volunteers stationed around campus to make sure that cardboard boxes are donated to us or end up in the recycling dumpster.
Why collect the cardboard boxes?
You got your stuff in there, but how are you going to get it out? Using the boxes we collected in the beginning of the year! The cardboard boxes are deconstructed and stored in the SMCM FreeStore, where they are accessible for everyone.
Getting Around Campus
Most students are encouraged to walk or ride bikes to class. Long boarding is another popular option at SMCM! If you don’t have a bike, you can rent on from the Bike Shop!
Driving around campus is unnecessary and releases more greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Not to mention, sf students are found parking in a lot that they don’t has a parking pass for, they will be fined.
Getting Around St. Mary’s
There are many options for carpooling around campus. Finding a ride with a friend can be tricky, so there are other options available. To check out our options such as the shopping shuttle, bike rentals, and SMCM RideBoard, check out our transportation page!
Move-out
Seahawk Salvage
In order to prevent students from throwing away items during move-out, we created the Seahawk Salvage. During the last couple weeks of the Spring semester, we rent storage containers that are set up around campus. They are open during the day so that students can put their donations inside.
Many items like couches, chairs, mini fridges are left out or thrown away, when they could be perfect for someone else. The items are taken to the FreeStore or distributed to the local community.