A Rocha is a Christian nature conservation organization working in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North and South America, Asia, and Australasia, focusing on science and research, practical conservation and environmental education. Wheaton College’s is the first A Rocha college chapter, and has been involved in:
- 2008: Co-hosted Creation Care seminar with Earthkeepers and Care of Creation USA
- The 2007 Summit for Climate Change, drawing environmental leaders from 10 Christian college campuses to Wheaton College
- Vernal pool research in partnership with Du Page County Forest Preserve
- Campus Sustainability Day
- Evangelical Youth Climate Initiative
- Climate Change Task force with Student Government
- Creation Care chapel with guest speaker, Peter Harris, founder of A Rocha
- Creation Care seminar at Wheaton Chinese Alliance Church, with Wheaton College president, Duane Litfin
- Served on a panel discussing Sustainable Eating Habits, along with Earthkeepers
Earthkeepers is a college club devoted to recycling and other environmentally responsible initiatives. Activities include:
- Expanding student recycling by lobbying for more recycling bins on campus
- Holding an annual benefit concert with proceeds donated to an environmental agency or organization chosen each year
- Cleaning a stretch of Roosevelt Road in Wheaton four times a year
- Partnering with Residence Life to redistribute disposed couches from residence halls
- Conducting a “Sustainable Gifts at Christmas” event, where students are shown how to make, rather than buy, gifts
- In March 2008, held a residence hall energy and water use reduction competition. Electrical savings of $5,000 were donated to Lifewater International to provide sanitary water in Ethiopia
- With the assistance of Bon Appétit, conducted a food waste reduction drive in 2008 and 2009, raising student awareness of the amount of food wasted in the dining hall
SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) partnered with the college bookstore to recycle books, batteries, and printer cartridges.
Residence Life sponsored a “Sustainable Living Project” in which groups of students voluntarily participated in a variety of “green living” practices.
The Plowshares student organization led a drive to reduce the amount of bottled water consumed by faculty, staff, and students.
Student Government has, as one of its four stated goals, a commitment to stewardship and creation care.