In the spring of 2019, Temple University Rome started its sustainability initiative in order to go green and promote environmental awareness within our campus and to the community in Rome.
Project 1
Although recycling was never a widely discussed topic in Italy, things are now beginning to change. At Temple Rome, we would like to add more accessible recycling containers on campus to begin recycling our glass, paper, metal, and plastic waste.
Project 2
Water fountains are a very unique element in Rome’s urbanisation. The water is free and of excellent quality. Temple University Rome takes advantage of that and now has two water fountains. With the renovation of our lower level complete, we decided to install an additional water fountain so our students can fill their water for free and encourage the use of reusable bottles.
Project 3
Temple Rome has just taken the first steps to launching the Temple Orto Botanico. With this project, we are creating some spots on campus where we will be growing plants to be used in art classes, Italian language classes, and cooking classes. The concept here is circular sustainability, where we will grow items to be used in our courses, and what is produced during them, where possible, contributes to fertilizing and nurturing the plants. Click here to see photos of our progress.
Project 4
Temple University is dedicated to combating degradation and debris. Our collaboration with students, faculty and staff allows us to tackle weeds, trash, and graffiti in an effort to beautify Rome. When the community comes together for the common good, the environment thanks us immensely. On Monday, November 25th, staff, faculty and students joined in repainting a part of the University’s gate and picking up trash around the campus.
To learn more and to help us in our efforts, please click the link below. Thank you for your support!
Meet Temple University Rome’s Student Sustainability Coordinators!
Chelsea Badri
Chelsea is a Senior studying international business at Temple University. As the Sustainability Coordinator, Chelsea incorporates her marketing experience to bringing awareness to bad habits and promote a green lifestyle at TU Rome.
1. What’s your internship title and what does that entail?
I am TU Rome’s student marketing and sustainability coordinator. In my position, I inform the student body on current sustainability initiatives on TU Rome’s campus and within Rome. It is my duty to promote projects and events through social media, flyers, and word of mouth in ways that students, faculty, and staff can become aware of and reduce their effects on the environment.
2. Why are you passionate about sustainability?
Sustainability is significant to our existence and well-being. Waste has become such a huge issue that we are often unaware of the impact that we can have on our environment. To be idle bystanders means we are complicit in the destruction of our planet. It isn’t enough to simply verbally dissent but to be an active participant in education, action, creating change, and maintaining that change for our environment.
3. What initiatives do you have around campus for this semester?
This semester includes maintaining ongoing initiatives such as updating our recycling bins, keeping the vertical garden thriving and cultivating relationships with local groups on community clean up projects. Additional projects include composting for TU Rome’s garden, promoting reusable water bottles, and interactive projects such as a waste monitor contest that would keep TUR aware of the footprints they leave in the world. A long term goal is to align the five R’s: refuse, reduce, reuse, re-purpose, and recycle into our daily lifestyle so that sustainability is instinctual.
Taylor Weaver
Taylor is a rising Junior studying marketing at Temple University. She is very passionate about living a sustainable lifestyle and encouraging others to do the same. Taylor is studying at Temple University Rome for the summer of 2019, and decided to combine her marketing experience with her passion for sustainability by taking on the position as Sustainability Coordinator.
Although the summer term is short, there are many exciting events and sustainability initiatives happening throughout the next 6 weeks. Taylor hopes to continue to inform teachers, students and faculty on how to implement sustainable and environmentally conscious practices!
Check out this short interview to learn more about Taylor’s passions and semester goals below!
1. What’s your internship title and what does that entail?
I am TUR’s student sustainability coordinator. I help educate students on sustainability issues present on campus and in Rome. Through this position, I keep the students informed about recent news and initiatives currently taking place such as the installation of the new water fountain or the implementation of new recycling bins. I also promote future events going on in Rome such as Retake Roma’s Retaking the River event.
2. Why are you passionate about sustainability?
I think that it’s more important than ever before for people to be more conscious about their energy consumption and waste. Not only do I believe that this is essential in preserving our planet, but it is also a key component to living a cleaner and healthier lifestyle. Many people don’t realize this, but by reducing the use of plastics and keeping the community clean, we are significantly reducing the amount of harmful chemicals that we are exposed to every day. I hope to educate more people on their environmental impact so that we can all take steps in reducing our carbon footprint.
3. What initiatives do you have around campus for this semester?
One of duties is to let students know about the sustainability initiatives that Temple University Rome has taken, so that they can take full advantage of them. This includes posting on the website and on social media about new recycling bins or the installation of the new water fountain. I also want to encourage students to reduce their carbon footprint by exploring their local community and walking instead of taking public transportation (there’s so much to see and do right here in Rome!). I’m also promoting the Retaking the River Event which is a huge community clean-up for the Tiber River.
Celine Bibonne
Celine is a Junior Temple student studying Environmental Studies and Business, and she has always been passionate about the protecting the environment- no matter what part of the world she is in! This is Celine’s second semester attending Temple Rome, and as soon as she heard about this new internship position on campus for the Spring semester, she knew she had to seize the opportunity and apply.
She is in charge of many exciting sustainability initiatives this semester, and she is ready to set the bar high by keeping teachers, students and faculty informed on how to implement sustainable and environmentally conscious practices!
Check out this short interview to learn more about Celine’s passions and semester goals below!
1. What’s your internship title and what does that entail?
I am TUR’s student sustainability coordinator. I help educate the TUR students on sustainability issues present on campus and in Rome. Through this position, I keep the students informed about recent news and initiatives currently taking place, as well as, researching and aiding the school to implement more progressive changes such as: installing recycling bins, selling reusable water bottles, increasing the availability of water fountains, helping install a TUR garden, and suggesting other ideas that will move Temple Rome to a more sustainable, positive future.
2. Why are you passionate about sustainability?
In today’s day and age, being conscientious about our environment and being environmentally friendly is no longer a suggestion but it has become a necessity. There is no Planet B so we need to take care of the planet we have. By doing this, we take care of ourselves and future generations to come. Being environmentally conscientious and practicing sustainability will help keep our earth, water, air, and other living organisms healthy and safe, while improving our quality of life.
3. What initiatives do you have around campus for this semester?
This semester we are hoping to install more recycling bins of various sorts: glass, aluminum, paper, plastic, electronics, and organic waste. We are hoping to introduce compostable utensils and kitchenware on campus and install our own vegetable garden with a composting site. TUR is also looking to get more involved with Roman community groups to better the local community and environment and to get the students further involved in positive change.
As a part of Celine’s internship duties, she makes extremely informative posts for our students in our Facebook page like these. They’re helpful, popular among the students and they really make a difference! On behalf of TUR, thank you for all your hard work Celine.
