The Big Green Bus
Encyclopedia
The Big Green Bus is a project that was founded in 2005 to promote sustainability
and renewable energy
sources run by Dartmouth College
students. Students originally converted a used school bus to run on waste vegetable oil, (WVO), but in 2009 upgraded to a 1998 MCI coach bus.
The BGB is part of the Dartmouth Outing Club
and is entirely student-run. The group stops at various public events, as well as schools, camps and other gatherings of people to make educational presentations. The program also educates participants about how to manage an environmental project.
In 2006, a new group of students decided to continue the program, some were Ultimate players, but others were not and the focus on Ultimate as a means to deliver the message was dropped. Eventually, the program became a regular program of the Dartmouth Outing Club
and an application and selection process was adopted.
Many of the bus' improvements are made of sustainable materials: the countertops, flooring and furniture are made from recycled glass, bamboo and FSC certified wood.
The BGB provides tips and educational points through its presentations and its websites.
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
and renewable energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
sources run by Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
students. Students originally converted a used school bus to run on waste vegetable oil, (WVO), but in 2009 upgraded to a 1998 MCI coach bus.
The BGB is part of the Dartmouth Outing Club
Dartmouth Outing Club
The Dartmouth Outing Club is the oldest and largest collegiate outing club in the United States. Proposed in 1909 by Dartmouth College student Fred Harris to "stimulate interest in out-of-door winter sports", the club soon grew to encompass the College's year-round outdoor recreation and has had...
and is entirely student-run. The group stops at various public events, as well as schools, camps and other gatherings of people to make educational presentations. The program also educates participants about how to manage an environmental project.
History
The Big Green Bus project began as an idea with a group of Dartmouth Ultimate Players. They wanted to do something together after graduation, but thought that a road trip in multiple cars would too greatly impact the environment. So, the idea of converting a school bus to run on WVO was born. Quickly, the potential for environmental advocacy became obvious.In 2006, a new group of students decided to continue the program, some were Ultimate players, but others were not and the focus on Ultimate as a means to deliver the message was dropped. Eventually, the program became a regular program of the Dartmouth Outing Club
Dartmouth Outing Club
The Dartmouth Outing Club is the oldest and largest collegiate outing club in the United States. Proposed in 1909 by Dartmouth College student Fred Harris to "stimulate interest in out-of-door winter sports", the club soon grew to encompass the College's year-round outdoor recreation and has had...
and an application and selection process was adopted.
Mission
The Big Green Bus seeks to educate Americans about simple lifestyle choices they can make to reduce their impact on the environment. To do this, the Bus acts not only as a vehicle for travelling around the country, but as a mobile classroom with many features that allow it to demonstrate simple things that ordinary Americans can do. The bus is equipped with solar panels, deep cycle batteries and a state of the art inverter to sustainably power the computers and cell phones required to keep the bussers connected to the outside world and enable them to continue planning their trip while on the road.Many of the bus' improvements are made of sustainable materials: the countertops, flooring and furniture are made from recycled glass, bamboo and FSC certified wood.
The BGB provides tips and educational points through its presentations and its websites.