Apple Bobbing Contest: A Smashing Success

New School Sustainability Committee Blog

This past Wednesday the New School's own Sustainability committee threw an apple bobbing competition to raise awareness about the local foods campaign on campus. What better way to curry favor with the school community than free hot cider and cheap baked goods, including a delicious homemade butternut squash soup, and apple pie created from ingredients grown and processed locally.

When asked to sign a petition to get organic, farmer's market goods into the cafeteria few were hesitant to get on the bandwagon. Tastebuds don't lie, farmer's market apple taste better, and in many cases afforded the more daring and orally agile members of our community awesome prizes from Whole Foods, Joe, Murray's, and several great macrobiotic restaurants. Sock puppets were a hilarious addition to the mix.

Those in class at the time could hear the cheers, jeers, and whistles from the merry madness of apple bobbing. Sustainability is a bit like the game itself: you have to put yourself out there, you know you are going to get soaked, but you do your best to chomp a piece of the elusive sweet fruit. Just to take people out of their routines and into a crazy game helps to send the message that this movement is inclusive and fun amidst a serious commitment to a change in our everyday lifestyles.

Near the end we hijacked a special moment with Bob Kerry (who was passing through the courtyard) where we explained who we are and even got him to sign our petition! When we told him that we wanted to get sustainability on the University's agenda he expressed his mutual concern. Hopefully this interaction will follow through smoothly and become a cooperative effort between the student body and the administration to make the New School live up to its progressive and socially reformative ideals.