On Earth Day (April 22, 2012), Stonehill Collegebecame the 12th Catholic college tocommit tothe St. Francis Pledge.
The St. Francis Pledge of the Catholic Climate Covenant calls upon those who study, live and work at Catholic colleges to protect God’s creation and to advocate on behalf of people in poverty throughout the world who are hardest hit by climate change. The pledge’s namesake is St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment.
In the Holy Cross spirit of educating both the heart and mind and engaging students to be citizens of the world, Stonehill President Rev. Mark Cregan, C.S.C., signed thepledge committing the College to support sustainability efforts on campus. Stonehill has taken a number of steps to become more sustainable by eliminating bottled water, composting cafeteria waste, car sharing on campus, and reducing paper, waterand utility use and increasing recycling.
Creating The Farm at Stonehill is also part of this effort. The Farm at Stonehill is an acre and a half organic farm that grows and distributes produce to local organizations to feed the needy and local families who lack access to affordable fresh fruits or vegetables. It was founded by the Mission Division at Stonehill in 2011. The Farm distributes produce to some 400 people through three organizations. On May 4, it was awarded a 2012 Green Difference Award from Project Green Schools, a Massachusetts nonprofit dedicated to creating “greener and healthier learning environments through education and awareness.”
