What’s your campus doing to become more sustainable?
Use this checklist as a guideline.
Resources to help your campus can be found below.
Sustainability Management
__Hire a Sustainability Coordinator to organize and implement initiatives.
__Prepare an inventory. Benchmark energy, water, waste, transportation, food, land use, building, and curriculum data.
__Create a Sustainability Action Plan.
__Implement and review the Action Plan regularly.
__Participate in state- and nation-wide campus sustainability programs.
__Meet STAR criteria to become a more sustainable campus.
Campus Engagement
__Engage people at all levels: administration, facilities, faculty, students.
__Organize groups to accomplish specific objectives.
__Organize campus events and projects to improve sustainability.
__Create communication forums to keep people informed and engaged.
Energy
__Improve energy efficiency of existing buildings and strive for net-zero energy.
__Increase local renewable energy installations each year.
__Have a campus facilities job description that includes energy/sustainability management.
__Use the campus as a learning lab for energy projects.
Water
__Decrease water consumption: retrofit building fixtures to low-flow and ban watering for landscaping.
__Conduct water audits to identify leaks and overuse.
__Improve storm water management.
__Address watershed and wastewater issues.
Materials Management
__Have a green purchasing policy to reduce waste and purchase materials with recycled content.
__Audit the recycling program in each building and increase the recycling rate.
__Adopt a composting program on campus.
__Create opportunities to reuse items: books, bikes, clothes, home goods, etc.
__Open a campus store run by students.
Transportation
__Create safe biking and walking alternatives on campus.
__Provide incentives for public transportation: trains, buses, bicycles.
__Expand energy efficient vehicle incentives.
__Offer transportation-sharing options like Hubway bikes, Zip Car and Mass Rides on campus.
Land Use and Landscape
__Actively protect green space on campus.
__Increase walking and biking opportunities to reduce driving and parking.
__Landscape with native, drought-and-storm-resistant grasses, shrubs and trees.
__Initiate gardens, green walls and roofs.
Green Buildings
__Promote the reuse of existing buildings over new construction
__Ask developers to adopt Energy Star or LEED building practices
__Strive for net-zero buildings
Food
__Create a sustainable cafeteria with local and organic food and reduce waste.
__Create community gardeners for school and homes.
__Establish a local Farmer’s Market on campus.
__Start a student food coop.
Curriculum
__Provide courses, certificates and degrees in sustainability.
__Integrate sustainability across the curriculum.
__Offer faculty and student research and internship opportunities.
__Connect coursework to local business and community interests.
__Organize a sustainable business incubator program for entrepreneurs.
__Create college-industry relations to educate the local workforce.
Infrastructure Checklist
__Pollution Prevention
__Emissions Reduction
__Collaborative Partnerships
__Incentives
__Outreach and Education
How did your campus do?
What would you add to the list?
How can you help make your campus more sustainable?
RESOURCES
Check out these resources to advance sustainability on your campus.
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
Project Green Schools for K-12
Want to add something? Email JenBoudrie@gmail.com