Date of Award

Spring 2009

Degree Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Department

Environmental Science

Advisor(s)

John Van Buren

Abstract

Fordham received its 2008 College Sustainability Report Card, scrapping by with a C‐ while Columbia received an A‐, and NYU a B‐. Adding to this low score is a C grade on student involvement, which is the essentially why I am writing this proposal. There is an increasing awareness, in college students, of human caused effects on the environment, and its potential degradation due to human action. Many Fordham students would consider themselves environmental citizens, and most are willing to be active. There is a need for an educational application of solutions to the everyday problems that involve human action and the environment. Fordham’s environmental studies, engineering, architecture, and ecology students would all benefit from an environmental study project. In this essay I will discuss a proposal for an environment‐based project that could potential involve over 5 different departments and many students. It could serve at an educational tool allowing Fordham to look towards the future in the way of environmental studies and scientific applications to environmental problems. In addition, I will include a basic feasibility study, including an estimated cost report for this project, which I am calling the Fordham Eco‐Roof project. Also, there has been a discussion among Fordham environmentally literate students, who would like to see some form of an organic garden on campus. I will discuss how this could be integrated into the Fordham Eco‐Roof project as well as other potential sites on campus that could be potential organic gardens. This project will strengthen Fordham’s sustainability report card by adding student involvement to the list of already developing environmental practices.

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