We do our best to update this every semester. If you have specific questions about projects we’ve funded, please reach out!

FALL 2023

Student Ambassadors for Sustainability Strategic Plan: Student Sustainability Strategic Plan (SSP) Ambassadors will work on SSP education and publicity and/or work with a team of faculty, staff, and students to implement a specific initiative. They emphasize interconnectedness between environmental sustainability, environmental justice, and social issues in all initiatives across the program.

Traverse Square After School Programs: Traverse Square Center is a Wesleyan student-run after school program at Traverse Square next to the High Rise apartments. The program runs Monday through Friday, providing academic enrichment and mentorship to a group of about 30 children. The program transitioned towards more sustainable materials, such as using compostable cups and utensils instead of plastic and styrofoam, and providing healthier snack options.

Forest Bathing: Forest Bathing is an initiative held by the Wesleyan Outing Club that brings a professional forest bathing therapist to campus. This is an educational opportunity to learn and engage with the practice of forest bathing, which helps individuals relax and unplug from technology to embrace the present moment.

SPRING 2023

The Cotton Coat: The Cotton Coat is an Eco-Facilitator led project that aims to provide a more sustainable PPE option for students who take laboratory courses in the Chemistry and MB&B departments at Wesleyan. The project also seeks to educate students about the negative externalities which occur during the manufacture, purchase, and lifespan of laboratory goods.

FALL 2022

The Fray Magazine: The Fray is a digital fashion publication created during the pandemic to connect the campus community through the intersection of fashion, clothing and art. Fray hopes to foster meaningful conversations around sustainability, accessibility, and affordability in college-aged fashion and provide a platform where creatives have agency to direct shoots that embody their work. Fray’s multimedia publication represents one of the largest communities at Wesleyan; throughout its last four publications, there have been over two hundred student collaborators.

SPRING 2022

Convergence Documentary Screening: This event is an exhibition and interactive exercise of Ama Houedjissi's "CONVERGENCE", an experimental documentary based upon Bhanu Khapil's poetry book THE VERTICAL INTERROGATION OF STRANGERS. The documentary asks black women the same 12 questions about their experience and expresses sentiments of kinship, betrayal, connection to nature through elaborate dance sequences captured on 35mm film.

FALL 2021

Resource Center Compostable Dining Utensils: The Resource Center’s Sustainability & Spirituality interns offer a fund for student-hosted events that provides compostable dining utensils. The fund will be free of charge, and open to all student groups hosting events whose goals are compatible with the Resource Center’s guiding principles and mission.

Wesleyan Period Project: The Wesleyan Period Project organized and operated through the Resource Center offers students free menstrual products to Wesleyan students/faculty/people on campus.

Wit’s End Dinner Series: Wit's End is a Performance Space/Dinner Series/Community which explores how Food, Artistic Expression, and Community can intersect in a way that resists Time Economies/Narratives of Production and focus on the shared meal as a site for embodiment and understanding.

SPRING 2021

Generation Conscious: Generation Conscious is a sustainable toiletry refill start-up that’s committed to environmental justice. The Green Fund initially funded a pilot program for zero-waste, low-carbon laundry detergent sheets in the Spring of 2021. It is now a collaborative project between the FGLI board and the Resource Center to bring these detergent sheets to laundry facilities across campus.

Middletown Mutual Aid Crafting Fundraiser:

Middletown Mutual Aid fundraised by selling creative projects created by Wesleyan students creators, where all proceeds went towards the Middletown Mutual Aid fund to support the direct needs of the community. Wesleyan and Middletown creators were able to use Green Fund funding to ensure that creators were able to fund design proposals received and that project materials could be sourced sustainably. 

Middletown Community Fridge Community Consultants Honorariums:

The Community Fridge Community Consultant Honorariums were a series of virtual talks hosted by Middletown residents who were volunteers at the Middletown Community Fridge. The talks were an open discussion format and Wesleyan and Middletown residents were able to chat about the importance of the community fridge, mutual aid, and issues within the community. The event inspired many students to get involved with the community fridge and Middletown Mutual aid.

FALL 2020

Naomi Klein Honorarium: Honorarium for Naomi Klein, the keynote speaker at the First Year Matters event for the Fall 2020 Orientation program. Naomi Klein is an author, journalist, syndicated columnist, filmmaker, and environmental activist. Read more about the event on the Wesleyan newsletter!

Reusable Cutlery: Sets of reusable cutlery were offered to students to offset plastic waste during the implementation of COVID-19-safe practices around campus.

Trans Asylum Seeker Support Network: Honorarium for two members of the Trans Asylum Seeker Support Network to discuss the impacts of Hurricanes Eta and Iota on queer and marginalized communities in Honduras.

No-Touch Refillable Water Filter Stations:
Purchasing new no-touch, filtered water bottle fillers in high-traffic areas on campus.

SPRING 2020

Film Studies Building Green Roof: In collaboration with Physical Plant and FIP Construction, 960 square feet of green roofing was installed as part of new Film Studies building addition.

Tofu Co-op Reusable Containers: As one branch of the local food co-op, Tofu Co-op looked to address issues of plastic waste at weekly pickups by purchasing reusable plastic containers to offer students. The reusable containers are offered to members of the co-op without their own containers at no cost instead of plastic wrap.

Ankhsgiving: An event hosted by the Resource Center which highlights the struggle and achievements of people of color at a predominantly white institution. The Green Fund helped provide vegan/vegetarian options as well as local vegetarian eating guides to acknowledge the fact that sustainable-eating is often a privilege for communities of color. Going vegan or vegetarian can often be inaccessible economically or culturally, this event provided multiple local and culturally diverse vegan eating options to spark conversation about environmentalism and how what we eat relates to environmental justice.

Natural Haircare Workshop: A workshop on environmentally friendly alternatives to hair products run by the Resource Center. Funding paid for natural ingredients which were used to demonstrate the sustainable alternatives to mainstream hair styling and hair care products. Students were also able to make their own products to take home and learn how they could do this themselves.

FALL 2019

Urban Farming Symposium: Funding honorarium fees for a food justice workshop/conference which invited local farmers, community activists, government officials, and Wesleyan students together to discuss the issues with food accessibility in Middletown. Featured two days of speakers, workshops, and field visits to help reimagine the food system in a more equitable and local form.

Long Lane Farm Hoop Houses: Repairs for the hoop houses on Long Lane Farm (LLF). Hoop houses are crucial for providing warmth and shelter to allow crops to grow in colder conditions. Growing crops through the winter allows LLF to grow food for Bon Appetit dining services as well as for donations to Middletown soup kitchens, North End Farmers Market on Main Street, food pantries, and other local food justice organizations.

Emcee Elvee at Pumpkin Fest: For the second year in a row, the Green Fund has brought musician, activist, and Middletown resident Emcee Elvee to perform at Long Lane Farm's annual Pumpkin Fest. Pumpkin fest is an annual event celebrating the fall harvest, featuring live music, local vendors, crafts, and more. Emcee Elvee's original music engages with the political and social history of Middletown, bringing social commentary to Pumpkin Fest.

Woodcraft in Art and Design Student Forum: Funding the wood to be used in Woodcraft in Art and Design, a student forum in September 2019 that offered an introduction to the techniques of woodworking. The Green Fund covered the cost of sustainably-sourced wood so that cost would not fall to the students, making the course accessible to all students.

SPRING 2019

Compost Bins: In collaboration with the Sustainability Office and the Eco Facilitators, industrial compost bins were installed in centralized locations across campus in order to increase community composting.

Wes Period Project: Partnered with the Period Project to provide free and accessible sustainable menstrual health products as well as education for the Wesleyan community.

Precious Price lecture and discussion: Brought Precious Price, director of racial justice coalition in Middletown and Community Director for North End Action Team, to campus to discuss environmental justice in Middletown. After her presentation, students and Middletown resident attendees split into small groups to discuss problems and solutions regarding our city.

Sustainable Hair Care Workshop: Workshop held at the Resource Center teaching sustainable methods for hair care for students of color. Students learned about the history and importance of homeopathic, plant based hair care products that are environmentally friendly. 

Olin water filters: Installed two new water filter units in Olin Library and one new unit in the Science Library in order to meet the demand for filtered water while reducing the use of single-use plastic water bottles.

pattrice jones: pattrice jones is an ecofeminist writer, educator, activist, and co-founder of VINE Sanctuary, a LGBTQ-run farmed animal sanctuary in Vermont. Her talk on campus focused on intersectionality within the animal rights movement.

FALL 2018

Race & Technology student forum: Provided online coding materials for students in a forum examining the intersection of race, technology, and the environment.

Earth House Garden: The Earth House community planted a vegetable garden next to their house in order to gain experience growing and managing their own food supply.

Richard Wolff lecture: Brought Professor Richard D. Wolff to deliver a lecture centered on environmental and economic justice under 21st century capitalism. Professor Wolff critically examined the environmental movement and how it plays out under overarching capitalist structures.

Tennis ball recycling: Installed tennis ball recycling containers at Wesleyan’s 8 tennis courts. Recycled tennis balls can be used to create park and turf surfaces. 

SPRING 2018

Solar Rover: Wesleyan students, faculty, and staff worked collaboratively to build a solar-powered roving generator, a sustainable alternative to non-renewable generators!

http://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2018/06/11/students-showcase-design-and-engineering-projects/ 

Edgar Beckham: The Edgar Beckham Helping Hands Awards honors students' commitment to social justice, one of which is the Excellence in Environmental Justice Initiatives Award. The Green Fund provided funds so that the event could rent reusable silverware and china, rather than using disposable alternatives.

Vegan Cooking Series: Community Engagement House and Earth House co-hosted an informative vegan baking workshop, aimed at demonstrating that vegan baking can be simple and delicious.

Senior Thesis Greenhouse Project: The Green Fund helped Katherine Paterson '18 construct a greenhouse as part of her honors thesis, which sought to connect urban farming, communal activity, and theater. The greenhouse involved the wider campus community through collective construction, seeding, and tending of the greenhouse. 

http://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2018/04/25/patersons-thesis-explores-urban-farming-communal-activity-performance-with-photos/ 

Espwesso Ceramic Mugs: Espwesso, Wesleyan's student-run café, partnered with local artists to develop a sit-down coffee culture by using handmade ceramic mugs. 

Intercut Magazine: Intercut Magazine is Wesleyan's only film publication. It aims to provide a platform for students to write about film outside the classroom. In collaboration with the SBC, we funded a percentage of the printing costs on sustainable paper from Paladin.  

Wild Wes Summer Internships: We funded the cost of summer interns to continue work on WILD Wes, a project aimed at transforming the WestCo courtyard by reviving the land that had been facing sustainability problems and creating a long-lasting intelligent landscaping design system.

Fall 2017

Water Warriors: Alongside The College of the Environment, VEG OUT, the Green Fund co-sponsored the screening of “Water Warriors”, a film detailing a community’s successful fight to protect their water from the oil and natural gas industry. The film was followed by a question and answer session led by the film’s director and featured a day-long exhibition of environmental art.

Composting Lesson: In collaboration with Wesleyan Eco Facilitators and Pumpkin Fest, Wesleyan students taught a series of lessons on composting to local Middletown elementary school children.

Supplies for WILD Wes: WILD Wes, Wesleyan’s permaculture site, was funded to redesign portions of the garden in response to major erosion. The Green Fund provided supplies that were used to incorporate new plants into the site and repair erosion damage.

Spring 2017

SAGES Sustainability Stickers: We funded stickers that have been hung up in every classroom/room to remind people to turn off the projects, turn the lights off

The Ankh’s spring publication: Funded the difference to sustainably print the spring 2017 edition of Wesleyan's student of color publication.

Wesleyan Refugee Project Exhibition: We funded a pop-up exhibit in the CFA called "Stronger Shines the Light," which follows the stories of resettled refugees in Idaho.

Middletown Area Transit Signs: We funded signs to be hung on signs outside of WesShop and Fisk Hall for a project taken on by Alex Garcia who is trying to promote equitable transportation for students at Wesleyan by integrating the Middletown Area Transit with the Wesleyan community.

Symbolizing the West Bank Barrier: Students for Justice in Palestine constructed an annual “wall” installation, central to generating discussion about the Palestinian struggle on campus. The wall highlighted water issues in Gaza, adding an environmental perspective and previewing planned campus discussions about how water rights are related to settler colonialism.

Scott Beibin Groucho Fractal Show: Scott Beibin's eco stage show—a bicycle-powered show—is a cross between Bill Nye and Whose Line is it Anyway. It features a home-built 3D printer that prints vegan snacks for the audience. The aim is expose students to the vanguard of citizen science/ independent science research communities and to encryption and cyber security. The show features wearable technologies, like a gauntlet with screen and keyboard that controls projections. Beibin is a citizen scientist, hacker, and conceptual artist.

Connecticut Campus Sustainability Conference: Provided the honorarium for guest speaker Gina McCarthy, environmental health and air quality expert, and former administrator for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Sistah Vegan Talk & Dinner: Veg Out and the Women of Color Collective invited Dr. A. Breeze Harper, author of Sistah Vegan: Black Female Vegans Speak on Food, Identity, Healthy, and Society, to speak about the intersections between identity and food alongside a vegan meal.

WildWES Summer Internships: The Green Fund provided funds for summer interns for the student group "WildWES" which maintains naturalized spaces on Wesleyan's campus including the WestCo and Butterfields Courtyards.

Wesleyan Refugee Project’s Syrian Refugee Crisis Teach-in: Katty Alhayek and Basileus Zeno led a teach-in about the causes and consequences of the Syrian refugee crisis.  It was specifically focused on the destruction of the environment in the Middle East, the gender dimensions of the refugee crisis and the disproportionate impact foreign military initiatives have on land.

SOC Fashion Show Costume Design: Funded costumes which each represented a natural disaster to talk about how people of lower socioeconomic status are predisposed to the effects of the natural disasters and often have the hardest time recovering from them. This project worked on target the SOC community on campus in a manner that is very low stakes and is fun for the audience. This makes this sector more engaging and also less intimidating. We hope for this event to be a part of changing the culture of environmentalism on campus.

Cupanion Pilot Program: Worked with Office of Sustainability and Eco-Facilitators to launch a trial period for new reusable mugs that could be distributed to next year’s incoming freshmen and reduce the amount of disposable cups used on campus.  

Fall 2016

The Ankh’s fall publication: Funded the difference to sustainably print the fall 2016 edition of Wesleyan's student of color publication.

Chief Arvol Looking Horse: Chief Arvol Looking Horse spoke in a fully packed room at the Daniel Family Commons about his experiences at the #NODAPL protests as well as a spiritual leader of the Lakota Nation. His talk was entitled Global Healing and Environmentalism.

Trip to Standing Rock: Under exceptionally urgent circumstances, a group of Wesleyan students travelled to Standing Rock to partake in the #NoDAPL resistance against a colonial pipeline project. Students also created a film using clips from the camp, various protests, and other locations.

Bike Co-Op Bike Rental: Subsidized bike rental fees so that bikes were free to rent for the semester. Promoting bike transport introduces green travel and alternative methods of "getting around" to the first years who haven't been exposed to WesBikes and encourages conversation about travel and carbon footprint on campus through the bike program.

Food Justice Feed: Communal meal to raise awareness of campus sustainability groups and discussion about food systems with Professor Kathryn Gillespie.

Letter Writing Campaign: Funded materials for Wesleyan Climate Ambassadors’ campaign to write to senators about Standing Rock, the Keystone Pipeline, and other environmentally-related events.

Out House’s Annual Fall Fest: Funded advertisement-related materials for Fall Fest, an annual event to celebrate the season and generate awareness of the Outing Club community and resources.

Spring 2016

Long Lane Farm Capital Projects: (Drip Tape) Funded the purchase of a drip tape irrigation system in order to increase efficiency while irrigating fields during periods of high heat and low rainfall. (Summer Interns) Provided funds for four students to work full-time at the Long Lane Farm.

Wishing Well Water Stations for WesRAVE: WesRave, the yearly silent rave, was able to provide an environmentally friendly water fountain and biodegradable cups for thirsty participants to use.

Etiquette Luncheon: This luncheon, hosted by Invisible Men, Ujamaa, My Brother’s Keeper, and My Sister’s Keeper, brought together Wesleyan students and Middletown high school students to discuss table etiquette and issues surrounding food justice and sustainability. 

Radical Inhabitation: A collective action to unite Wesleyan students and explore our relationship to green spaces on campus through a workshop, overnight camp-out, and a culminating human banner.   

Real Food Challenge (RFC)/Local Food Co-op Program with Mcdounagh Elementary: A pilot program to extend the local co-op to the Macdonough Elementary School through Middletown Urban Gardens. Co-op shares are made available to the families of the 30 students in the garden club and given out in conjunction with cooking classes and education about sustainable food systems.

Sustainability Education Workshop for Professors: Helped fund the development of a program to encourage the integration of sustainability and sustainability-focused modules into existing courses by facilitating workshops allowing professors to understand how best to incorporate ideas about sustainability into all kinds of classes and learning environments.

WildWES Summer Internships: The Green Fund provided funds for summer interns for the student group "WildWES" which maintains naturalized spaces on Wesleyan's campus including the WestCo and Butterfields Courtyards.

Alternative Week of Learning (Chocolatada): A week of seminars and workshops focused on labor systems, radical publishing, and sustainable food production, facilitated by guest professors from México.

Ecofeminism, Eco-Grief, and Climate Justice Workshop: A conversation with Dr. Heidi Hutner, Associate Dean and Director of Sustainability Studies at Stony Brook University, about ecofeminism, eco-grief, and climate justice. Dr. Hutner addressed the dangerous Algonquin Pipeline and Indian Point power plant, as well as nuclear issues, fracking, and climate justice at large. She also facilitated a workshop in which students discussed their own activism and community-building at Wesleyan.

DarkMatter Poetry: The Green Fund helped bring DarkMatter, performance art duo consisting of Alok Vaid-Menon and Janani Balasubramanian, to Wes where they performed spoken word and comedic skit pieces about gender, race, class, sexuality, etc.

The Ankh's Spring publication: Funded the difference to sustainably print the spring 2016 edition of Wesleyan's student of color publication. 

Veg Out "Overthrow the Food Regime" Zine: A zine published by the student group "Veg Out" detailing the environmental tolls, risks and challenges of consuming large quantities of meat as well as including guides and instructions for preparing simple vegan meals and various vegetables.

Wes For Peace: A group of 17 students attended the Friends Committee on National Legislation's Spring Lobby Weekend thanks to funding from the Green Fund. Students received intensive lobby training from experienced lobbyists and congressional staffers, and put these skills into practice through lobbying around the issue of mass incarceration. Upon returning to campus, students will hold two workshops for the broader activist and the sustainability activist communities at Wesleyan, in which they will impart what they learned about effective lobbying and mediation tactics from the weekend. 

Shower Timer Program: A pilot program to install shower timers in Wesleyan dorms to promote water conservation and consciousnes.

Fossil Fuel Divest: Funded informative literature to advertise education on environmental racism and climate colonialism using environmentally sustainable ink and recyclable paper.

Papermaking Workshop: a workspace for creatively transforming waste and plant material into paper and thereby promoting a personal connection with paper

Club Sailing Team Boat Trailer: Purchased sailing trailer to reduce emissions in transporting Wesleyan sailing team boats & equipment

Edgar Beckham Environmental Justice Award: Subsidized the establishment of an environmental justice award for the Edgar Beckham Helping Hand Award.

Long Lane Farm Greenhouse: Funded a green house to increase the growing season of Long Lane Farm's farms crops and decrease the farm's dependence on heated spaces for seedlings early in the growing season.

Fall 2015

Feet to the Fire Riverfront Encounter: Second year of an outdoor arts festival celebrating the river and environmental awareness

Zymurgy: A fermentation collective to inspire a movement to emphasize community food preparation and healing practices   

Climbing initiative: Gear and certifications to expose a broader Wesleyan community to climbing and the outdoors through "retreats"

Isaac's Eco-Film: Creating the infrastructure to make film production more sustainable with pilot through Jules Lighter's Senior Thesis

Dorceta Taylor: A speaker to engage the Wesleyan community in a conversation about environmental social justice for MLK Jr. day  

Ankh Environmental Racism Zine: A brief publication to spread awareness of the intersection between environmental and social issues

Esque Workshop: A performance and workshop to explore a relation between abject spaces in our bodies and the planet 

Jumbo Wild: A film screening to protect British Columbia's Jumbo Valley and appeal to a broader audience through ski team exposure

Spring 2015

Sustainability Coordinator: Last semester for partial funding of Wesleyan Sustainability Coordinator's salary

Bee Keepers: Beekeepers Club start-up funds including hives and safety equipment 

WILD Wes: Supplies and summer student labor for WILD Wes permaculture garden sites  

Damnation: Film screening to spread awareness of the environmental (and social) devastation caused by dams

Veggies in Butts C: Seeds, soil, cinderblock & plywood to create frames for an indoor garden in Green Hall 

LOAM magazine: Production costs to continue Wesleyan's first environmental magazine 

Broccoli City Fest: Sent students to an environmental justice music festival to bring back ideas manifested in "Vibes Fest" on campus

Bag It: Film screening to spread awareness of plastic waste 

RFC Speakers: Representatives from RFC facilitated discussion about the environmental and social impact of our food systems 

Long Lane Biochar: Construction of ovens to facilitate use of biochar soil remediation at Long Lane Farm  

***Long Lane Farm Capital: 

Long Lane Farm Interns: Full-time summer farm interns at Long Lane Farm

Solar Picnic Tables: Solar-powered picnic tables with outlets for students to study outside on Exley patio 

Feet to the Fire Riverfront Encounter: Inaugural year of an outdoor arts festival celebrating the river and environmental awareness

Food Panel: Discussion with seniors on their research theses followed by a reception of student artwork and related student groups 

2014

Environmental Justice Conference: Wesleyan-hosted Climate Justice Conference speaker and organizing expenses

LOAM magazine: Production costs for Wesleyan's first environmental magazine

Long Lane Farm Capital: Hoop house, soil revival specialists, soil amendments, Middletown Food Project, equipment

Long Lane Farm Interns: Full-time summer farm interns at Long Lane Farm

Middletown Urban Gardens: Seeds for Ferry St. Community Garden in Middletown

Stethoscope: Student written and illustrated bird guide for birds found at Wesleyan

Waste Reducing Stickers: 100 “These come from trees” stickers for paper towel dispensers to help reduce waste

WILD Wes: Supplies and summer student labor for Summerfield Courtyard WILD Wes permaculture garden site

Sustainability Coordinator: Partial funding of Wesleyan Sustainability Coordinator's salary

2013

Bike Co-op: Materials for bike repair co-op

Faculty/Staff Garden: Additional supplies for Wesleyan Community Garden

Long Lane Farm Capital: Long Lane Farm equipment and fence to protect produce from hungry animals

MacDonough Garden: Materials for school-based garden program at MacDonough Elementary School

Mountaintop Removal Awareness: Spoken word poet Laura Lamb Lavoie reciting poetry about environmental issues in collaboration with WeSlam

Sustainability Coordinator: Partial funding of Wesleyan Sustainability Coordinator's salary

Water Design: Conference tickets and student travel to present Wesleyan plastic waste reduction measures

2012

Biochar: CoE professors testing biochar productivity on lawn of CoE building

Faculty/Staff Garden: Gardening supplies and plants to begin Wesleyan community garden and farm for staff and Middletown residents

Housing and Hunger: Crates for transporting recovered bread from bakeries to local Housing and Hunger Program

Laundry Signs: Informational signs to encourage reducing energy use during laundry

Long Lane Farm Interns: Full-time summer farm interns at Long Lane Farm

Long Lane Farm Rainwater Collection: Restoration of rainwater collection system on the roof of a farm shelter

MacDonough Garden: Supplies for a gardening and food teaching space at MacDonough Elementary

Radial Performance Machine: Bike electricity generators

WesFRESH: Real Food Challenge student wages, marketing fees, equipment

WILD Wes: 2nd round funding for WILD Westco courtyard construction: Wildlife décor, supplies/grounds, capital equipment

2011

Composting: Incorporating the Bayit and apartments above WesWings into the student composting system

Dorm Energy Competition: Expenses for a two-week dorm energy reduction competition

Faculty/Staff Garden: Supplies from Home Depot to create a community garden at Long Lane for faculty/staff

Freeman Human Energy: Exercise powered energy generating bicycle in the Freeman Athletic Center

Long Lane Farm Interns: Full-time summer farm interns at Long Lane Farm

PowerShift: Student travel to national environmental conference in Washington DC where the Wesleyan Green Fund idea originated

St. Vincent Project: Support for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry's recycling and composting efforts

WILD Wes: Initial funding for WILD Westco courtyard construction: Conference, wildlife décor, supplies/grounds, equipment