As many of you figured out, the link we sent in our last email about St. John's College's environmental practices was incorrect. The link we sent was about the practices of a university with a similar name in New York. We are very embarrassed and sorry about that mistake and hope that our generous hosts for our next Green Drinks event on Tuesday July 13 -- St. John's College in Annapolis -- will forgive us.

Below is the correct information.

Sustainability and Green Projects
at St. John's College

The College Creek shoreline is our most notable and visible environmental project. It has been a model for shoreline restoration projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The college removed bulkhead along the creek and planted native species of grasses. This shoreline is the largest to date on the Chesapeake and is used in the region as an educational demonstration site.

As part of this project, 680 feet of structural bulkhead along College Creek was removed, and an area was restored to a natural wetland and shrub buffer. The shoreline was graded to a natural slope and planted with 20 species of native vegetation. Main partners include the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the NOAA Restoration Center, the Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Department of Natural Resources, Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Fish America Foundation, Maryland Department of the Environment and the Bates Foundation.

The rainwater gardens between Gilliam and Spector Halls and by the Mellon Hall parking lot collect storm water so that it can seep slowly into the soil, preventing rainwater run-off from reaching College Creek and the Chesapeake Bay. The gardens are planted with ferns and cattails interspersed with colorful black-eyed Susans.

Two college residence halls, Gilliam and Spector, are both cooled and heated with an energy-saving geothermal system. More than 150 students live in these dorms. A new building to be constructed later this year will also include a geothermal system.

The college has stepped up recycling efforts in the past year, significantly reducing the amount of waste going to the landfill.

Rainbarrels have been installed on two St. John's buildings: the Carroll Barrister Building and Pinkney Hall.

We also started a bicycle-sharing program: faculty, staff, and students can check out bicycles for use around town.

Click here to read more and see photos.