The Office of Green Initiatives coordinates sustainability efforts on and off campus with an emphasis on curricular engagement and connecting students to all that Kenyon has to offer at the BFEC, the Kenyon Farm, the Philander Chase Conservancy and the Kokosing Nature Preserve.  Student Interns work as leaders in several areas including programs and events, outreach, and carbon neutrality planning.

Programs and Events

Throughout the year, interns with the OGI design and deliver programs and events geared towards improving campus sustainability literacy and engaging the Kenyon Community in our shared goal of carbon Neutrality by 2040.  Hosting informational sessions, bringing speakers to campus and directing a multi-school conference in the spring are all the work of the OGI interns.

Outreach

Students with the OGI are the primary voice of the office.  Whether it’s working with Community Advisers to improve recycling rates or coordinating with clubs and program houses to diversify sustainability messaging, we understand that there’s no communication more effective than peer to peer.  Interns also routinely generate content to inform our entire Kenyon Community about ongoing efforts and opportunities.

Carbon Neutrality Planning

As student advocacy led Kenyon to pledge carbon neutrality that same energy remains an essential component of our efforts.  OGI Interns are the force behind our emissions tracking and reporting.  They tirelessly hunt down and compile the data we require for an honest accounting of our progress.  Additionally, select interns serve on Kenyon’s Sustainability Steering committee; directly contributing to the strategic planning that will see us through 2040 and beyond.

Composting at Kenyon

Kenyon's Peirce Dining Hall composts all of its food waste — everything from kitchen scraps, to food left on plates, to the napkins used by students and guests. The dish room operated by AVI Food Systems is outfitted with a system to grind all compostable wastes into a slurry, which is pressed to remove liquids. The paste that results from this process is rich in valuable nutrients and organic compounds. Our compostable material is transported by truck to a maintenance facility that uses time and heat treatments to process the compost. The former food waste now resembles mulch and is used to fertilize the plant and flower beds around campus!