By: Chloe Sandifer-Stech I don’t know about you, but I’ve found it very interesting to see the positive effects that economic and industrial limitations have had on the natural environment. It’s refreshing to see images of cleaner air in China, and pictures of the crystal-clear Venice water. While these may only be temporary outcomes of our current situation, it shows how a society, under necessary … Continue reading Sustainability: In light of our current situation

By: Weston Dripps Executive Director at Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities and Furman University Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences What started in 1970 as a grass roots teach-in in the United States has become a massive global movement today. The overwhelming outpouring and success of that first Earth Day celebration that had an estimated 20 million Americans participating really sparked the modern environmental movement. … Continue reading Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary – Building on the Earth Day Legacy

By: Amanda Egan Greetings, Furman community! My name is Amanda Egan, and I am the Bon Appetit Student Fellow for the 2019-2020 academic year. The past few weeks have brought unexpected change to all of us as we learn to maintain our community digitally. While challenging, it has been wonderful to see how we have adapted and persevered. All of the Shi Center fellowships look … Continue reading Bon Appetit!

By: Dominique Martin Hello! My name is Dominique, and I am the current Student Assistant Compost Manager for the Furman Farm. My fellowship entails picking up food waste from various locations across campus and depositing them at our compost site on the R.L. Grace property. In addition to this aspect of my job, I am also the lead student that maintains the compost on our … Continue reading It All Comes Full Circle!

By: Will Ridley Having lived in the south my entire life, it’s no surprise when the weather fluctuates. Every summer in the south is miserably hot and some winter weeks are colder here than up north. It could rain four days in a row and be sunny without a cloud in the sky for the entire week following. I have learned to expect the unexpected … Continue reading What’s Up with This Weather, Greenville?

By: Tyler Carlson My name is Tyler Carlson, I am a senior here at Furman University and I have held the Recycling and Compost Auditor position for the past three years.  Here at Furman University’s Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities, I am responsible for ensuring the campus is kept clean by collecting recycling and compost in designated bins. In my free time, I have created … Continue reading Recycling and Trash

By: Whitni Simpson As the Furman Farm Student Manager, I work alongside Bruce Adams and our Composting Fellow to help Furman’s food system function sustainably. At the farm, we grow and harvest an abundance of vegetables, herbs, and fruits using organic practices. This food then goes directly to the dining hall and the waste leftover comes right back to us and is repurposed as compost … Continue reading On the Farm

By: Gracie Bartel My name is Gracie Bartel, and I am the Garden and Arboretum Fellow. I work in conjunction with the Shi Institute and the Biology Department here at Furman University. Did you know Furman is a Level 1 Arboretum, accredited by the Morton Register of Arboreta, and a Tree Campus USA? There are about 90 different species of trees located on Furman’s campus, … Continue reading Trees, Trees, Trees

By: Charlotte Moore It’s hard to implicate sustainability programs in unstable communities. After all, how can we expect residents to focus on recycling and reducing impact when they feel insecure in their neighborhood?  If you’re familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, this might sound familiar.  Maslow explains that people can’t meet more complex needs, like self-esteem and belonging, if their more basic needs, such as … Continue reading Fostering Sustainable Communities