HLS wins Cambridge GoGreen Award for sustainability efforts
In May, the city of Cambridge awarded Harvard Law School a 2012 GoGreen Award for Waste Reduction and Recycling for a Large Organization. The award recognizes sustainability initiatives of Cambridge businesses and organizations in the areas of transportation, waste reduction/recycling, energy, storm water management, climate protection and initiatives by community organizations.
The law school’s new Wasserstein Hall, Caspersen Student Center, and Clinical Wing Building recently received LEED-NC (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – New Construction) Gold certification for the energy efficiency, waste reduction and resource conservation features that were incorporated into its design.
Reusing furniture
When HLS departments moved into new offices in the Wasserstein Hall, Caspersen Student Center, and Clinical Wing Building this winter, 12 tons of furniture remained behind. The law school hosted a Furniture FreeCycle, for students, faculty and staff. Leftover furniture was donated to local charities.
Earth Day at HLS
On April 22, HLS celebrated Earth Day with live music and free food donated by local, sustainable vendors.
HLS recovers most compost ever
In March, HLS recovered almost 10 tons of clean organic refuse, thanks to expansion and improvement of a campuswide composting program. When the law school began composting in April 2008, 38 percent of refuse was recovered for recycling, with 493 tons of trash generation. In 2011, HLS recovered 64 percent of refuse for recycling, and trash generation fell to 145 tons. Today, nearly all dorms and most offices have access to organics recovery stations, an elaborate set-up which includes recovering food scraps from cafeterias, as well as paper towels from dormitory rest rooms. The refuse is picked up daily and is composted at Brick Ends Farm in South Hamilton, Mass.