Faqs
Q: What is Green Tower Sustainability?
A: Green Tower Sustainability is a non-profit group that provides FREE consulting services, resources, and leadership training to environmentally or socially progressive student organizations across the country.
Q: Where are you based out of?
A: We were based out of California but we are a virtual organization and our staff are located around the United States.
Q: How old is GTS?
A: Believe it or not, GTS was created in January of 2010 by former student leaders.
Q: Are Green Tower’s services really free?
A: Yes, though we provide very high level service, we realize student orgs simply don’t have the budgets to pay for consulting. That is why we spend A LOT of time seeking out grants and sponsorships. If you find our services to be helpful and you have the means, please donate. Our operations are limited by our budget and we could really use all the help we can get.
Q: How do I get involved?
A: Direct any inquiries for consulting or any general questions to greentowersustainability@gmail.com. To become a GTS Member, click here and to become a Mentor, click here.
Q: What experience does Green Tower staff have?
A: We have carefully chosen our staff, which is almost completely composed of former student sustainability leaders. We also have an extended network of GTS Mentors who have experience in a number of areas including: implementation of bike lanes, effective lobbying for LEED buildings, energy audits, recycling solutions, green IT, student government, using the business argument for sustainability to convince decision makers, grass roots marketing, web design, and much more!
Q: How does the consulting process work?
A: Geography permitting, Green Tower staff will travel in style via hybrid and do an introductory meeting. In this meeting, we get to know each other and the major initiatives your group is undertaking. This generally leads into a brainstorm and brand new ideas tend to emerge. Then in subsequent meetings, Green Tower will help in the planning process, will provide leadership training and resources to maximize the impact of your project. In many cases, Green Tower will document the project, to inspire other student groups to do a similar project.
Q: But our student organization is so progressive, that we don’t really need consulting, how can Green Tower help us?
A: Congratulations! As a progressive student organization, you can help other student groups reach your level of effectiveness. Magnify your impact and share your best practices with Green Tower’s student resource center. There you will find several how to guides. There are videos, powerpoints, documents, web-links and more. If you have any resources that would benefit other student organizations, send them our way (ian.bevan@presidiomba.org).
Q: We aren’t a “green student org” but we care about the environment. Would you help us go green?
A: YES! If you are going green, great! We would love to help you in this transition.
Q: We aren’t a “green student org” but we focus more on the human issues that are related to sustainability i.e. equality, health, diseases, conflict resolution, promotion of important human struggles, will Green Tower help us?
A: YES! While we have MUCH experience in environmental topics, the human side of sustainability is also VERY important and we want to help such organizations how we can. Just as long as your organization does not exclude others or promote hate towards other groups or individuals and instead promotes peace and societal progression, then chances are we will work with you.
Q: Does Green Tower partner with other organizations?
A: YES! We love to partner with all types of organizations for a variety of projects. If you have partnership ideas, please contact ian (ian.bevan@presidiomba.org).
Q: I am a former or current student leader and I want to help other students! How can I be a part of Green Tower’s network of student consultants?
A: It is as simple as sending an email. Send all inquiries to Ian (ian.bevan@presidiomba.org)
Q: Why Student Organizations?
A: Students have played a significant role in many major events in American (and world) history. From the civil war to the civil rights movement to the women’s suffrage movement, student organizations played important roles. Today we are at a critical moment where we need the next generation of budding professionals to rise to the occasion and seize the opportunities hidden in some of our most daunting challenges. Many including President Obama have said that, “We are the ones that we are waiting for”. Green Tower Sustainability takes that message to heart and exists to help empower the future change agents we have been waiting for. Green Tower Sustainability has recognized that students across the country are gaining the needed skills to change the world around them as student leaders. To what degree we can help this enthusiastic cohort of new-age stewards, we will.
Q: Can’t student organizations just figure this stuff out on their own?
A: Yes and no. It is true that student organizations will eventually stumble upon the best practices but why reinvent the wheel? Do we have time to spin our tires? Really what Green Tower does is accelerate the evolution of student organizations. In addition, sometimes in the problem solving process, you need another perspective, another paradigm to draw from. We would love to offer that new perspective!