FOOD
In 2025, Bard College ranked first in food waste reduction among small colleges in the U.S. thanks to its successful implementation of this practice. You can do this at Kline when you return your plates and cutlery, and it is one of the most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
What is compost?
Check out this composting guide! file:///C:/Users/lizzi/Downloads/Bard%20Compost%20Guide.pdf
Bard College separates this recyclable material from containers and cardboard. This material can be recycled easily by shredding it and submerging it in water, but only if it is clean and not contaminated with food or mixed with plastic.
What is paper?
This form of renewable energy harnesses heat from the earth’s crust to generate electricity. To do so, deep wells are dug deep into the ground and heat pumps are built. The Stevenson Library is heated with this kind of power, and the flat stretch of land behind Kline and the Library is where the deep wells are located.
This website can tell you the schedules for the Tivoli-Red Hook shuttle, the accessibility shuttle, the weekend train shuttles, the Walmart shuttle, the Massena shuttle, and the route C bus, helping Bard students reduce their carbon footprint by taking public transportation instead of driving.
Bard college participates, alongside many other colleges in the Hudson valley, in a project to help creatures like frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders get across roads without being hit by cars. This is called the _____ Migration and Road Crossing Project
This meat product is responsible for more than double the CO2 emissions of chicken or pork, even when excluding methane gasses.
What is beef?
For a full graph, see our source! https://ourworldindata.org/carbon-footprint-food-methane
This thrift store costs no money to shop at, and is located in the garage next to Kappa House. You can find many of the things you need to set up your dorm here, instead of buying them new, which reduces waste and CO2 emissions associated with production of new goods.
This amenity accounts for 38 percent of the average household's carbon footprint, which is why it is important not to leave windows open when it is hot or cold outside!
What is heating and cooling?
these two-wheeled vehicles are three times faster than walking and much smaller, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly than cars. That's why so many bard students use them to get around!
What are bicycles?
You can find this beautiful wildlife reserve and collection of waterside trails by walking behind the fisher center or by following the road between Brown Hall and Cruger Village. It's a great place to birdwatch, and if you follow the trails far enough you can end up in Tivoli!
What are the Tivoli Bays?
Here's a trail map! https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Parks/docs/tmstivolibays.pdf
You get one of these objects every time you go into the Clean Plate section of the dining hall. These should never go in the compost bin, even if they say "commercially compostable."
What are paper plates?
Bard uses this recycling system, which means that we have several bins for different kinds of recycling (paper, containers, cardboard). Many other places use Single-Stream Recycling, which is only sorted at the waste facility, and is much less efficient.
What is Dual Stream Recycling?
Learn what is recyclable at Bard with this handy guide! https://ucrra.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2021-DualStreamRecyclingGuide.pdf
In April, members of congress introduced a bill to shield this industry from legal liability for climate change. This is in response to states and municipalities suing these corporations for harm to the environment and the health of their constituents. This industry lied about the harmful effects of climate change for decades.
What is Oil? Also acceptable: what is Fossil Fuel?
Contact your legislators and say no to shielding fossil fuel companies from accountability! https://secure.ucs.org/a/2025-congress-no-immunity-big-oil
This vehicle reduces traffic by drastically decreasing space per-person on the road. It also drastically reduces carbon emissions for a similar reason. One of these can carry 40-80 people, while taking up the space of around three cars.
What is a bus?
A 20-30 minute walk off campus down River Road will take you to this historic site now owned by Bard College. Here you will find historic buildings and gardens, trails, and a farmstand. This location is also a frequent place for Professor Ellie Diamant's Bird Walks!
These protein and fiber packed legumes are always available at Kline's salad bar and are a great alternative to meat! Per serving size, they produce just one fifth of the greenhouse gasses of the lowest emission meat, which is fish, and one fiftieth the emissions of beef.
This club is located in Sawkill Cafe on campus, and provides access to sewing machines, thread, scrap fabric, and anything else you might need to repair clothes instead of throwing them away.
What is Bard Makerspace?
Follow them on Instagram! @makerspacebard
Bard uses this renewable energy source to power hot water in South Hall, Keen, and Tremblay. You can also find evidence of Bard's ongoing projects to increase this energy source behind the soccer field!
What is solar power?
What does it cost to use the local C Bus, the Red Hook shuttle, and all Dutchess County bus routes?
What is Nothing?
If you are on South Campus, past the campus center, you can turn into the parking lot where the trailer dorms are, and find yourself at Zabriskie's Waterfall! If you continue down this trail, you will end up at a small building that is a hub of student research. This location is a collaboration between Bard College and Hudsonia Ltd., a nonprofit research institute focused on science and conservation in the Hudson Valley.
This organization connects Bard directly to sustainable food production. You can sign up to to be a hands-on volunteer, or stop by their stand outside Kappa House on Thursdays for fresh produce. Connecting with this organization is a great way to learn about food systems!
This is the closest repair cafe to Bard, just a 10-minute shuttle ride away. Here you can bring clothes, zippers, electronics, and more to get fixed while you enjoy coffee and great company! And if you have a skill, come volunteer!
What is Red Hook Repair Cafe?
Learn more about repair cafes and find a time to join one at https://www.redhookny.gov/307/Red-Hook-Repair-Cafe
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has been in local news this year for calling for on expansion of this renewable energy source. While some express concerns about safety, this energy source is actually very safe. In fact, coal plants push 100 times more radiation into the surrounding environment than this renewable energy plant.
Walking along 9G to get to Red Hook can be difficult and even dangerous. This proposed trail, with a punny name, is in the works to connect Bard and Red Hook with a combined walking/biking path.
What is The Hook Trail?
Here is the website! They are always looking for volunteers and donations! https://hooktrail.org/
This word means "a botanical garden devoted to trees." At Bard, we have worked to turn our whole campus into one! This involves lots of efforts to care for the environment we live on, as well as to educate people about the plant life around them.