Week's Venture into Eco-Friendliness Proves Triumphant!
The College of the Holy Cross, a Jesuit school with a commitment to environmental action, recently concluded its annual Purple Goes Green week, an event focused on environmentalism. This week-long programme offered various activities throughout the week to inform students about ways to positively impact the environment.
Highlights of the week included a Hogan lobby table offering baked goods in exchange for students' personal sustainability plans and practices, and a box truck with a tiny home made of repurposed dumpster material, available for touring. On Thursday, students could also pick up individual pies at Campion House and participate in a discussion about environmentalism and faith.
One of the key features of the week was an interview with Cathy Liebowitz, the first Director of Sustainability at Holy Cross, who assumed her position in April 2021. The interview, which took place on a specific date (details not provided), provided insights into the college's sustainability initiatives and its aim to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Looking ahead, the main upcoming Holy Cross event tied to environmental sustainability is the Laudato Si’ Mass scheduled for July 19, 2025, at Holy Cross Lake View. This open-air Green Mass includes ecological prayers, choir and liturgical dancers, and gathers young environmentalists and educators to unite faith with climate action and sustainability practice.
Other major sustainability conferences in 2025 exist, but they are not directly affiliated with Holy Cross. For instance, the Regenerative Futures Education & Sustainability Leadership Conference from September 25-27, 2025, focuses on Indigenous knowledge and regenerative leadership.
In addition to the Purple Goes Green week, Holy Cross has made significant progress on several environmentally-progressive initiatives since the establishment of the Office of Sustainability in April 2020. Sustainability practices are incorporated into various facilities and buildings at Holy Cross.
Other related articles include "Holy Cross to Hire Director of Sustainability" and "The Office of Sustainability and a Commitment to Environmental Action: Holy Cross's and Other Institutions' Progress on the Climate Crisis". The former article discusses the College's plans to hire a new Director of Sustainability in the coming months, while the latter provides an overview of the progress made by Holy Cross and other institutions on the climate crisis.
In other news, the Men's Rowing team participated in a community clean-up off campus last Sunday, despite the rain. The 57th annual Howland Memorial Lecture was also hosted, featuring former Secretary of State John Kerry discussing Geopolitics and Sustainability.
Lastly, it's worth noting that John Cannon, Director of Facilities Operations, is not the new Director of Sustainability at Holy Cross. The identity of the new Director is yet to be announced.
[References] [1] Regenerative Futures Education & Sustainability Leadership Conference. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://regenerativefuture.org/ [2] Laudato Si’ Mass. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.holycross.edu/laudato-si-mass [3] Purple Goes Green Week. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.holycross.edu/purple-goes-green-week
- The College of the Holy Cross, a school with a focus on environmental action, recently concluded its annual Purple Goes Green week, an event featuring activities promoting sustainability.
- Students could engage in various activities throughout the week, including a discussion about environmentalism and faith and a tour of a tiny home made from repurposed dumpster material.
- A highlight of the week was an interview with Cathy Liebowitz, the first Director of Sustainability at Holy Cross, providing insights into the college's plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
- Upcoming Holy Cross events include the Laudato Si’ Mass scheduled for July 2025, focusing on faith, climate action, and sustainability practice.
- Other sustainability conferences in 2025, such as the Regenerative Futures Education & Sustainability Leadership Conference, are not directly affiliated with Holy Cross but focus on topics like Indigenous knowledge and regenerative leadership.
- Since the establishment of the Office of Sustainability, Holy Cross has made progress on various environmentally-progressive initiatives, incorporating sustainability practices into campus facilities.
- Related articles include discussions about the College's plans to hire a new Director of Sustainability and an overview of progress made by institutions on addressing the climate crisis, while the Men's Rowing team contributes to the community by participating in off-campus clean-ups.
