Reduce Your Pawprint
While institutional change is critical for global climate health and conservation, anyone can take practical steps in their daily lives to make a difference for the planet. Whether through grants, volunteering, internships, or participating in the Green Grad or Green Office Programs, every individual contribution makes a significant impact. Be a part of the movement towards a more sustainable campus—your actions matter!
Student Involvement
- Become a sustainability champion and earn a green cord for graduation through the Green Grad Program
- Join the EcoReps student organization
- Write a grant for a campus sustainability project
- Write a grant for a food-related project
- Complete an internship with the Office of Sustainability and its community partners
- Join the Sustainability Leadership Cohort program
- Volunteer with the Office of Sustainability
- Attend the annual Indiana Sustainability and Resilience Conference at Indiana University Indianapolis in the spring. Apply for a scholarship to attend.
Faculty and Staff Involvement
- Rally your office or division to participate in the Green Office Program
- Volunteer to support campus sustainability, contact sustainability@joe-yan.net to learn more
- Consider how your courses can be reimagined to be a sustainability-focused or sustainability-related course.
- Encourage your students to get involved in sustainability initiatives including internships.
- Attend the spring annual Indiana Sustainability and Resilience Conference at Indiana University Indianapolis. Apply for a scholarship to attend.
Sustainable Lifestyle Tips
The Office of Sustainability strives to support students, faculty, and staff in their pursuit of eco-friendly lifestyle change. Below is a compilation of tips and resources for your sustainability journey.
- Learn about campus sustainability by taking a virtual or walking tour
- Improve your wellbeing by using our ecotherapy trails
- Learn about current environmental policies and upcoming bills and write your local lawmakers demanding change.
- Eat in the cafeterias when possible—Bon Appetit uses reusable tableware and source ethical, local food ‘Eat in the cafeterias when possible—Bon Appetit uses reusable tableware and source ethical, local food
- Use the Blue To-Go Program containers when taking items to go
- Only take the food you will eat
- Reduce meat, poultry, and dairy intake to reduce your carbon and environmental footprint
- Prioritize purchasing Fair Trade and locally sourced products that ensure farm worker rights and environmental sustainability
- Pick some free fresh veggies at the U-pick Irvington beds.
- REFUSE. Commit to avoiding single-use products, especially plastic which is difficult to recycle. Use a reusable bottle or mug, a reusable bag when shopping, and the Green to Go option in Atherton.
- REDUCE. If you must use disposable packaging, buy in bulk and prioritize items packaged in glass or metal.
- REUSE. Donate unwanted items, buy second-hand, and repurpose items into storage containers, art, blankets, etc.
- RECYCLE/COMPOST. This should be the last resort! Butler uses single-stream recycling. Items must be empty and rinsed; plastics #1 and #2, aluminum, paper, cardboard, and glass are recyclable on campus. Compost bins are available in Irvington and Fairview Houses. Batteries can be recycled in GH118 or by contacting Tim Downs Service Center Room 118/Operations or drop them off in Gallahue 118, M-F 8am-5pm).
- Turn the lights off when not in the room.
- Unplug electronics or turn off power strips when not in use to avoid unnecessary energy usage.
- Set your thermostat 2–3 degrees warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter.
- Take shorter showers.
- Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth.
- Do full loads of laundry.
- Hang your clothes to dry outside.
- Walk, bike, or scooter to class.
- Take the IndyGo bus off-campus.
- Carpool.
- Coordinate with roommates and only bring what you need.
- Donate gently used items to Goodwill, Salvation Army, or Thrifty Threads.
- When ordering catering, order vegan or vegetarian meals, ask for no individual packaging when possible, and decline single-use tableware and utensils.
- When purchasing swag, consider higher quality, sustainability sources and produced goods—B Corporation-certified businesses are a great way to explore options.