Our Path to a Greener SSC

At South Shore Conservatory, our commitment to sustainability is an extension of our commitment to community, creativity, and care. Just as we nurture growth in our students, we’re taking thoughtful steps to nurture the environment around us, today and for the future.

We’ve already made meaningful changes. Most of our concertgoers now access programs digitally via QR codes, reducing paper use, while still offering printed copies for accessibility. We’re proud to partner with local small businesses when catering receptions, and our facilities already benefit from energy-efficient lighting.

In the coming months, we’re expanding these efforts. By June, we’ll be sending a message to faculty and staff to clarify recycling practices and invite ideas for making SSC even more sustainable. We’ll also begin consolidating online orders, choosing a designated delivery day for non-urgent shipments to reduce our carbon footprint. Around campus, you’ll notice new signage by recycling and scrap paper bins to help make sorting easier and more effective. At receptions, we’ll be switching to biodegradable products and piloting composting with a temporary pick-up service while we explore long-term options.

Looking ahead to the 2025–2026 school year, we’re making sustainability a larger part of how we do business. We’ll work to strengthen our relationships with local vendors and take a deeper look at how, why, and where we spend money. We’re asking big questions about what values guide our decisions and how we can make those values more intentional.

We’re also making significant upgrades to our physical spaces. With the help of grant funding, we’ll be replacing heat and AC systems with more energy-efficient models. We’re exploring expanded recycling options, including adding a dedicated recycling dumpster at our Hingham campus. At the same time, we’re working to find a long-term composting solution through local partnerships like Holly Hill Farm or House of Prayer.

On the everyday level, we’re reducing waste in simple ways—like launching a “Kitchen Mug Club” to cut down on single-use cups, and installing automatic paper dispensers in our bathrooms. We’ll also be aligning the operations of our Summer Music Festival with SSC’s environmental goals, exploring ideas like low-waste receptions and reducing the carbon footprint of visiting artists.

To support long-term sustainability, we’ll be researching appropriate certifications for SSC and continuing our Songs for the Earth concert as an annual benefit. This concert will help fund future programs that connect the arts and the environment in meaningful ways.

Over the next five years, we hope to deepen this work even further. We’re dreaming of planting a pollinator garden in partnership with our PPKK students and offering new outdoor arts camps in collaboration with nature-focused organizations. When it comes time to replace our roof, we plan to explore solar panel installation—looking closely at available grants and community partnerships.

Sustainability isn’t just a project for us - it’s a mindset we’re building into the culture of SSC. We look forward to growing these efforts together, and we welcome your ideas, questions, and participation as we continue on this path.