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Department of Anthropology

anthropology department green team

The Department of Anthropology has more than 80 employees, including faculty and staff members and graduate students who work in the department’s three locations, including their office is at 1810 Hinman in Evanston. Starting around 2015, a group of graduate students in the department noticed that operations could be handled in much more environmentally friendly ways.

Students, faculty, and staff members in the office started getting organized to make changes. They soon found that the Green Office certification program provided effective resources a process for strengthening their efforts and getting everyone on board.

One of the first activities they took on was to do an audit of recycling bins in the department's buildings. They found that bins were unevenly and ineffectively distributed and immediately made the changes needed to make recycling bins easily accessible. They have also replaced plastic water bottles at catered events with a large water pitcher and recyclable cups, and have posted reminders in strategic places to encourage energy conservation, recycling, and reductions in printing.

A representative from the department said that the most exciting aspect of the certification process was learning just how much faculty, staff, and graduate students supported the efforts and wanted to contribute to the process.

For the Department of Anthropology, the benefits of participating in the Green Office program included taking advantage of resources available through sustainNU and earning recognition for their efforts. They hope that their example will encourage other departments on campus to take sustainability seriously in their everyday activities.

Going forward, the department is taking on new initiatives to encourage students, faculty, and staff members to plan their summer travel in greener ways. They are also working to keep up their momentum on the proper disposal of electronic waste.