Going Green at Juilliard

Earth Day at Juilliard

Juilliard is stepping up sustainability efforts and reducing our carbon footprint in the process. Earlier this month, Lesley Rosenthal, chief operating officer, announced a set of new initiatives inspired by a shared concern for environmental sustainability demonstrated in part by survey responses, Student Council discussions, and student-led and faculty-supervised artistic projects.

These initiatives include a new combination drinking fountain and water bottle-filling machine on the third floor, which is to be the first of many, and new recycling stations throughout the building. Additionally, our food service provider, AVI, will use more sustainable materials including paper/plant-based straws, compostable paper dishes, paper bags at the coffee bar, and compostable coffee and soup cups. Rosenthal concluded the announcement by saying that there’s more work to be done and that anyone who wants to participate in forthcoming sustainability programs should contact Cameron Christensen, associate vice president for facilities management.

On Earth Day, April 22, the President’s Office and the Office of Student Affairs co-produced a student-led celebration. It featured two Vocal Arts students, a guest speaker from climate change organization 350NYC who spoke about how individuals can participate in the movement toward a more sustainable planet, and a performance by string trio 1.5 Degrees. (The trio's name is a reference to a commonly quoted figure for what scientists believe to be a safe limit for global temperature increase by the end of the century.)

At the event's conclusion, attendees helped inaugurate the building's new recycling bins by depositing a recyclable object as they departed.