• Eco-Olympics - October 1st marked the beginning of the 2007 dorm vs. dorm energy, waste, and water reduction competition on East Campus. See the Eco-Olympics section for more detail!

• STARS - Environmental Alliance is working to establish a fund to support investment in renewable energy and energy conservation as well as more general sustainability projects on campus. Money for the fund, known as STARS (Students Taking an Active Role in Sustainability) will come from a nominal tuition increase ($10 per semester) and would additionally be fed by the money Duke accumulates over time as these conservation efforts see energy and other operational efficiency savings. The fund will be overseen by students, who will make allocation decisions based on student interest in projects and recommendations from the Facilities Management Department. For more information, email kes31{at}duke.edu.

• Community Service and Outreach - TBD

• Recycling and Waste Management - TBD

• Green Dining - TBD

• Alternative Transportation - TBD

• Field Trips - Past excursions include picnics at Eno River State Park and at a local, family-owned dairy farm as well as tours of a nearby biodiesel production facility, the Duke Primate Center, and the campus steam plant.

What have we done recently?

• Duke Bikes - In the fall of 2007 Duke is piloting a bike-loan program designed to promote exercise and alternative transportation on campus. The initiative was initially proposed and advocated for by Environmental Alliance and our members were heavily involved in the program's planning and design. Please take advantage of this great new service!

• Get Caught Recycling! - In an effort to increase the visibility of and participation in Duke's recycling program, Environmental Alliance implemented a program called "Get Caught Recycling" in the spring of 2007 in which students were randomly rewarded with small prizes and public recognition for their green behavior.

• Millennium Village Project - Environmental Alliance collaborated with the MVP folks during their week of action in early November 2006 to highlight environmental sustainability and its connection to ending poverty.

• Print Green and Recycling Reform - In spring 2006, Duke Student Government passed two resolutions drafted and introduced by Environmental Alliance. The first resolution required OIT and Duke Libraries to make double-sided printing the default option on campus and encouraged the purchase of recycled content paper. The second resolution called for the uniform placement of recycling bins next to all trash cans in every campus dorm and urged increased education about recycling for housekeepers.

• Hands-On Sustainability - In early spring of 2005, Environmental Alliance worked closely with the EPA center located in Research Triangle Park to bring its interactive multimedia "Sustainability Works!" exhibit to campus.

• University Green Purchasing - Duke purchases millions of dollars worth of goods every year and thanks to Environmental Alliance, the university now gives preference to environmentally friendly products. During the summer of 2004, Duke adopted a comprehensive set of green purchasing guidelines following a conference we organized in March entitled The Power of Environmental Purchasing. Read our original proposal.

• Renewable Energy Conference and Network - In April of 2004, Environmental Alliance co-hosted the first annual Southeast Student Renewable Energy Conference, which drew 200 students from 40 different schools across the Southeast. We also co-founded the Southern Energy Network, which arose directly from the conference.

• Duke Green Power Challenge - During the spring of 2003, Environmental Alliance asked the university to put up $25,000 in savings generated by energy conservation measures to match student, faculty, and staff purchases of wind power. The Duke Green Power Challenge, which carried on through the fall, was a tremendous success, resulting in the purchase of 2.5 million kWhs of wind power and Duke's introduction into the EPA's Green Power Partnership.

• Biodiesel in the Buses - Since the summer of 2003, the university has been using a 20% blend of biodiesel--a cleaner, renewable, domestic alternative to diesel--in its bus fleet. Environmental Alliance lobbied Duke Transit for the switch and co-wrote the $30,000 grant from the Triangle Clean Cities Coalition that made it possible. Read our cost/benefit report.

• Duke Stores Green Purchasing - During Earth Month 2003, Duke Stores adopted a green purchasing policy drafted together with Environmental Alliance. Products that satisfy the purchasing policy are marked on store shelves by the green leaves logo. Read our proposal and the official policy.

• Energy Efficiency Projects - In November of 2002, Environmental Alliance proposed energy conservation measures for the school that were adopted by the Facilities Management Department (FMD). FMD implemented the measures over winter break and estimated the savings at $800,000 over 10 years.