• 6 ways Baylor works to steward the natural resources God’s given us

    As Christians, we’re called to be stewards of God’s creation. We’re also proud of the beautiful campus we’ve been blessed with. With those things in mind, Baylor aims to take good care of all that we’ve been given — including our natural resources.

    Here are just a few of the ways Baylor works to be responsible with what we’ve been given, year-round:

    1. Focusing on sourcing locally, reducing food waste, and growing our own food — Baylor has a goal of sourcing at least 20% of the food in dining halls from within 150 miles of Waco. Campus Kitchen BU, a student-led organization, tends its own community garden and works with Baylor Dining to recover leftover food from the university’s dining halls; the good they grow and collect is then used to create fresh and nutritious meals used to help feed Waco’s hungry each week.

    2. Encouraging and providing ways to donate, not throw away — As students move out of the residence hall as the end of the year, Baylor Sustainability teams up with several local non-profits to providing easy, on-site opportunities for students to donate their used items rather than throwing them away. Avoiding waste is a huge step to living more sustainably!

    3. Educating and aiding students in recycling — With students living on their own for the first time, there’s often a lot to learn when it comes to the specifics of recycling. Baylor Sustainability works to both inform students about how to recycle and make it easy to do so! For instance, in August, large receptacles are set up all across campus to collect leftover boxes and other cardboard used during the move-in process.

    4. Keeping our city clean — Baylor Sustainability’s student advisory board has adopted an area in Cameron Park, regularly putting in volunteer hours to keep it clean. Pitching in to keep our city clean makes a huge difference.

    5. Teaching students to be conscious of energy and water usage — Baylor Facilities encourages students to pay close attention to their energy and water usage, urging students to sign a “Zero Energy” pledge during breaks and even holding energy saving competitions between residence halls. (Baylor Facilities is also part of the Report It! system linked on every Baylor webpage. See a malfunctioning sprinkler? Don’t just complain on social media; report it!)

    6. Constantly providing tips and tricks to be more green — The Baylor Sustainability blog shares tips for the Baylor Family on to stay sustainable. From ways to be more green in the classroom to reasons to walk or bike to campus, it’s helpful to have such small, easily applicable suggestions on how to do better.

    Sic ’em, Bears!