Our Green Committee exists to define, encourage, measure, and promote IES Abroad's environmental initiatives in the Chicago office and at Centers abroad.
To further these initiatives, the Committee established an annual award recognizing excellence in eco-friendly initiatives at an IES Abroad Center. Centers submitted a list of their current eco-friendly practices and the Committee reviewed them based on the categories of orientation, curriculum, field trips, internships and/or service learning placements, student accommodations, reduction of waste, recycling, and the promotion of public transportation and responsible living.
At the 2011 Annual Conference, the Committee honored the IES Abroad Rome Center with the award.
To prevent negative environmental impact and to promote the IES Abroad Go Green Initiative, the Rome Center:
Created the IES Abroad Rome Sustainable Community Garden Project on the Center terrace. The garden has three elevated container garden plots, which are cared for by students and IES Abroad staff. The produce from the garden is used in cooking classes at the Center.
Partners with Slow Food, a organization dedicated to promoting local food traditions, building the community, and protecting the enviroment. Through the partnernship, IES Abroad Rome offers internships, farm tours, seasonal feasts, film screenings, cooking classes and tasting workshops.
Set up scrap paper collection
Has recycling bins on all floors of the Center
Provides students with USB for Student Handbook and other informational materials
Uses reusable silverware, plates, and glasses at welcome and farewell events
Converted field trip travel for two of three field trips to be done by train instead of coach bus
Increased number of staff regularly shutting down computers and monitors at night to 100%
Donated books to the Santa Susanna English language library in Rome
Donated leftovers from IES Abroad catered events to Centro Astalli refugee center soup kitchen
Donated 8 computers to the International Red Cross and Sant’Egidio community.
Collected donations of gently used or new items students didn’t want to take back home to the Casa Famiglia teenage girl home
Green Center Award
Our Green Committee exists to define, encourage, measure, and promote IES Abroad's environmental initiatives in the Chicago office and at Centers abroad.
To further these initiatives, the Committee established an annual award recognizing excellence in eco-friendly initiatives at an IES Abroad Center. Centers submitted a list of their current eco-friendly practices and the Committee reviewed them based on the categories of orientation, curriculum, field trips, internships and/or service learning placements, student accommodations, reduction of waste, recycling, and the promotion of public transportation and responsible living.
At the 2011 Annual Conference, the Committee honored the IES Abroad Rome Center with the award.
To prevent negative environmental impact and to promote the IES Abroad Go Green Initiative, the Rome Center:
Past winners of this distinguished award:
2010
IES Abroad Dublin Center
2009
IES Abroad Freiburg Center