Current Initiatives
Composting Program
Approximately 15,000 pounds of pre-consumer scraps are collected each year from the dining hall for composting on campus grounds. Composting in all residence halls was implemented in 2016 from a student-initiated pilot project and continues to be student-run.
Edible Campus
Scripps has 23 varieties of edible plants on campus, including oranges, figs, and pomegranates.
Food Recovery Network
Scripps’ chapter of the national Food Recovery Network delivers food that was not served in the dining hall to communities in need.
Browning Garden
Browning Garden is a small lot of crops and fruit trees, student murals, and study areas. The space is maintained by Scripps student volunteers, who also staff seasonal farmer’s markets in Seal Court.
Scripps College Olive Oil
An annual community-wide harvest of the olive trees in the Humanities Building courtyard leads to the creation of Scripps’ award-winning extra-virgin olive oil.
Water Conservation
In response to chronic drought-like conditions in southern California, Scripps is taking measures to conserve water, including the removal of over 15,000 square feet of turf, the adoption of low-water grasses and ground cover, the building of a green roof, and low-flow plumbing in new buildings.
Green Building
The campus’ newest residence hall, Schow Hall, is Scripps’ first LEED designated building. It boasts sustainability features such as low-flow water fixtures, LED lighting, ENERGY STAR® appliances, drip irrigation, and a stormwater retention system that assists with percolation and ground water recharge, among others.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation
The pool at the Sally Tiernan Field House uses a variable speed drive pump, so that energy supply never exceeds demand. Further, the Garrison Fine Arts Building, Lang Art Building, and Routt Residence Hall have solar panels. Energy-efficient LED bulbs are in use throughout campus.
Green Bike Program
Launched in the fall of 2011, the Green Bike Program loans, fixes, and repairs bicycles so that more people can be empowered to repair and ride on their own and reduce their environmental impact. The Scripps Green Bike Program is run for students, by students.
Scripps Scrapps
Occurring at the start of the fall semester, this sale of goods donated by students in the previous spring includes household items, clothes, books, and more, diverting over three tons of goods from landfills.
Green Towers
The College has initiated a pilot program with Lettuce Grow, an urban garden company that supplies equipment and education for eco-friendly farming in urban settings. The grow towers feature recovered plastic plant stands and soil-free, water-efficient growing. There are currently 32 plants, including baby bok choy, herbs, and kale that are served in the Malott Dining Commons.