AASHE Blog: Campus Sustainability Perspectives

The New and Improved AASHE Brand is Here!

Tue, 22 May 2012 18:50:24 +0000

Drum roll please…the new and improved AASHE brand is here!

If you read Paul Rowland’s latest AASHE blog post you are aware that AASHE has developed a simple, easy-to-understand brand strategy built on who we are, what we do, and how we do it. Along with that, we’ve debuted a new visual identity that better reflects AASHE’s holistic definition of and commitment to sustainability. The implementation of our new visual identity also illustrates a stronger connection between AASHE and our STARS program.

As an acknowledged thought leader, we want to step up and show through our rebranding that AASHE is focused on a broad view of sustainability. One of the important characteristics of the new AASHE logo is the choice of colors. By transitioning away from the leaf and the color green as the main focus, we are showing our commitment to represent sustainability in a holistic way.

The blue symbolizes sky and water; purple evokes the inspiration and imagination needed to lead the sustainability transformation; and the green is a nod to our past and all that we have learned from it. The AASHE logo image represents a bridge or path to the advancement of sustainability in higher education.

The new STARS logo is a direct tie-in to the new AASHE logo. The logo itself is built from the front section of the AASHE logo to further reinforce that STARS is a program of AASHE. Making the STARS and AASHE connection even stronger, “a program of aashe” appears as part of the STARS logo.

As you click through our website, resources, STARS program website and newsletters, you will see the new and improved look including a new color palette that ties in with the new visuals.

Along with our new AASHE and STARS logos, be sure to check out our new STARS seals for STARS Participants.

To make a smooth transition to the new member logo, as well as explain a little more about the new AASHE logo, we have created a quick and easy document for members. Please read through this AASHE brand one-pager for the basics on the new AASHE logo and how to access the new member logo.

All AASHE members are encouraged to replace the old AASHE member logo with the new AASHE member logo, available on the AASHE website. Also, STARS Participants will receive a special edition of the STARS Update about the new STARS logo and seals. Please see the STARS one-pager for information on how to access the new STARS seals.

AASHE is very excited to take this important and necessary next step forward. This work would not have been possible without the staff and board that were involved in the process of developing the new visual identity. We also want to acknowledge TippingGardner (TG), who we hired as our branding company. We appreciate their collaborative approach throughout the process.

We look forward to working with our members and other colleagues through this exciting improvement!

Seann Sweeney, on behalf of the AASHE staff

P.S. If you didn’t read it yet, see Paul Rowland’s recent blog post for more on the background and the process AASHE went through during this re-branding.

Branding AASHE – It’s roundup time out west.

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:38:11 +0000

I see you work for AASHE; what’s that? For the past few years, I have been asked this question by a wide variety of people. Although I’ve got my own "elevator speech" for an answer, I’ve often wondered if that speech represented a shared understanding of AASHE’s identity. The importance of the question became clear to me when at an AASHE Board of Directors retreat we began discussing the need for AASHE to develop a marketing plan to reach our next thousand member institutions. As we began talking about a marketing plan it became clear that we needed to be consistent about what AASHE is, what it does, and why it does it. Although this may sound very business-speak it is equally mission-speak – that is, understanding your identity is critical to fulfilling your mission.

As we explored the question of our identity, we realized that among the board, the staff, and the membership there were many different ways we were answering the identity questions. Our elevator speeches often required really tall skyscrapers with really slow elevators. It became clear that before we could develop a marketing plan that would bring more institutions into the campus sustainability fold, we would need to clarify our identity and role. As a result of discussions at the 2010 Board of Directors retreat, we began making plans for initiating a branding process in 2011.

In early 2011 a group of AASHE staff led by Seann Sweeney (currently Membership & Marketing Director) began the process of vetting various branding companies to find one that could best meet the needs of AASHE. After a thorough review, we selected Tipping Gardner (TG) as our branding company based on their impressive work with both non-profits (including Rainforest Alliance and Amnesty International) and for profit companies (such as GORE-TEX, Pfizer, and Avaya). In the early phases of the process, TG conducted thorough research on AASHE, how it represented itself, how it communicated, how the staff and board understood AASHE, and how we were externally perceived. According to Martyn Tipping, President of Tipping Gardner, “When we began working with AASHE we found an organization that was unclear about how to represent itself. We've worked closely with the AASHE team over the past year to create greater clarity and build a more assertive, forward looking brand that's consistent with AASHE's role as a leader in advancing higher education sustainability.”

At the 2011 Board of Directors retreat, Martyn presented the board with a review of the process and a draft of identity phrases. After dialogue with the board, TG created a Brand Playbook that captured phases that AASHE could use in elevator speeches that would reflect a common understanding of AASHE.

We tested these identity phrases with the membership in our member survey last summer and received very positive responses. You have likely seen some of these phrases at the AASHE 2011 conference, on our website, and in media releases and newsletters. AASHE now talks clearly (and I hope boldly) about its role in “advancing sustainability” by serving as an “acknowledged thought leader” that provides “invaluable resources” to an “engaged, diverse community.”

In many ways these phrases are both affirming and challenging. They affirm our role in advancing sustainability but also challenge us to serve as a thought leader and to make sure that our resources are indeed “invaluable.” The last phrase challenges us to make sure that we are providing opportunities that promote community engagement. These phrases speak to an AASHE that leads while it serves it members and that ensures value in the resources and professional development that it provides and supports. In fact, these phrases became valuable as the Board of Directors shaped the Goals for 2015.

After reviewing how the new brand messaging would help us clarify our identity, we then began discussions about our visual identity. Two repeated concerns about AASHE’s visual identity were that it looked like it was an environmental organization (the green leaf associated with the letters in the logo) and the mismatch between the visual identity for AASHE and the visual identity of STARS. The board directed the staff to move forward with an exploration of a change in visual identity and we returned to TG to assist us in this process. In the very near future you will see how that process played out with new logos for both AASHE and STARS. Meanwhile, think about how those phrases above might help you explain AASHE to others on your campus (or on other campuses) who may not yet be engaged in sustainability efforts – and how AASHE can help them.

STARS Facts: Strengths and Challenges for Two Year Institutions

Fri, 04 May 2012 15:55:22 +0000

Gearing up for the launch of STARS 2.0 in 2013, the STARS team is developing and refining ideas for STARS that will raise the bar for advancing sustainability in higher education. Developing an understanding of how institutional demographics such as size and type affect sustainability performance is an important step in this process. One valuable resource at our disposal that was not available while STARS was being developed is the data being submitted by participating institutions. May’s STARS blog focuses on strengths and challenges for two-year institutions participating in STARS.

Average Scores per Institution Type

Note: Differences were found to be statistically significant based on a .05 critical value.

In terms of overall and category-level scores, 4-year institutions score higher than 2-year institutions, overall and in each STARS category. Despite the overall disparities, there are certain STARS credits where two-year institutions earn higher points in comparison to 4-year institutions.

Credits of Strength for Two-Year Institutions
ER 13: Sustainability Literacy Assessment
This credit recognizes institutions that assess the sustainability literacy of students. Institutions earn 1 point for conducting a sustainability assessment and may earn an additional point for conducting a follow-up assessment.

OP 3: Indoor Air Quality
This credit recognizes institutions that are working to protect the human health of building occupants by monitoring and protecting indoor air quality. Institutions earn the full 2 points if all buildings are covered by an indoor air quality management plan.

PAE 12: Employee Satisfaction Evaluation
This credit recognizes institutions that take an active interest in the satisfaction of their employees. Institutions earn 2 points for conducting an evaluation that allows for anonymous feedback at least once every five years to measure employee satisfaction.

PAE 18: Positive Sustainability Investments
This credit recognizes institutions that seek positive investments that promote sustainability. Institutions earn the maximum of 9 points available for this credit by investing 30 percent or more of their investment pool in sustainable industries and businesses, sustainability investment funds, community development financial institutions, or socially responsible mutual funds.

Credits of Challenge for Two-Year Institutions
The credits identified below showed significant score disparities between 2-year and 4-year institutions. The 2-year institutional highlights at the end of this section demonstrate best practices within two of these areas.

ER 12: Sustainability Immersive Experience
Institutions earn two points for offering at least one immersive, sustainability-focused educational study program. Partial points are not awarded for this credit. 57% of 2-year institutions received full points while 99% of 4-year institutions received full points. The duration of academic programs may limit opportunities for participation in immersive programs, which may explain the disparity among groups for this credit.

Best Practice among 2-year Institutions – Eastern Iowa Community College District (STARS Silver, June 2011)
Eastern Iowa Community College District has partnered with two institutions in Denmark – EUC-Syd and Dalum Agricultural College on a project which allows 5 faculty members and 10 students to spend a month in Denmark studying agriculture-based renewable energy.

OP 15: Student Commute Modal Split
This credit recognizes institutions where students use preferable modes of transportation to travel to and from the institution. Institutions earn the maximum 4 points for this credit by having all students use alternative modes of transportation for getting to and from campus. On average, 2-year institutions earned .4 points out of 4, while 4-year institutions earned 2.3 points out of 4. This disparity may be explained by the fact that two-year institutions often have more commuting students in relation to residential students, which are more likely to use alternative modes of transportation.

PAE 9: Support Programs for Future Faculty
This credit recognizes institutions that are taking steps to build a more diverse faculty by supporting future faculty members from underrepresented groups. Institutions earn 4 points by administering or participating in a program that helps build a diverse faculty throughout higher education. 44% of 2-year institutions received full points while 76% of 4-year institutions received full points. Students are more likely to pursue faculty career ambitions later in their academic careers, such as during graduate school. For this reason, two-year institutions may not have a significant demand for these types of support programs.

Best Practice among 2-year Institutions – Delta College (STARS Silver, January 2011)
The President’s Scholar Program at Delta College in Michigan provides support and assistance to under-represented individuals interested in pursuing further education and careers as faculty members. Aimed at increasing the diversity of full-time faculty, the program identifies promising individuals and provides mentoring and assistance in securing further education.

For the development of STARS 2.0, the staff is considering ways to enhance the applicability of STARS among an increasingly diverse array of institutions. We look forward to sharing proposed changes in a public comment period later this year. In the meantime, please send your ideas to stars@aashe.org.

AASHE Earth Week Project

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:05:20 +0000

AASHE's 1,132 members and 286 STARS Institutions are at the forefront of education, operations, planning and engagement initiatives toward a more sustainable campus, community and world. In observance of Earth Week, AASHE is celebrating these achievements by asking our members and STARS Institutions to share the top three sustainability achievements they are most proud of.

Here is what they said...

Delta College

Stormwater Interpretive Signage

Credit: Aaron Cianek.

The walls of our academic core extend to embrace the exploration of campus ecosystems. Interpretive signage and an outdoor classroom provide an educational component to our stormwater process. They create a living, learning laboratory for the campus and community by promoting conservation, land stewardship, and responsible measures for rainwater runoff.

Green Commencement

Green graduate at Delta College. Credit: Andrea Techlin.

Delta’s commencement comes in all shades of green! Gowns use 100 percent recycled content yarn. Diplomas, produced by a carbon-neutral FSC-COC manufacturer, contain 30 percent post-consumer content. Commemorative pins are awarded to grads who pledge to "…use my knowledge of sustainability to enhance the communities in which I live, learn, and work."

Green Printing Services

FSC printing at Delta College. Credit: Andrea Techlin

Printing Services earned FSC-COC, making Delta, to date, the only college-owned and operated FSC Michigan printer. An internal assessment was conducted to develop a Documented Control System detailing purchasing, production, product handling, record-keeping, and training. Certification allows the Printing Department to use the FSC logo on its printed products, furthering sustainable awareness.

Drew University

Climate Action Plan

Drew University Campus. Credit: Lynne DeLade

The Drew University Sustainability Committee, made up of students, faculty and staff representatives from all three schools, wrote the Climate Action Plan with the goal of climate neutrality by 2035. The University’s Board of Trustees and President approved the Climate Action Plan in 2010.

Forest Restoration

Students planting native ferns.

Efforts are underway to restore the forest ecosystem at Drew. Native trees and shrubs were planted in the Forest Reserve on campus. Each year at Fern Fest, volunteers replace a section of lawn and plant native ferns and wildflowers to improve the understory of the campus.

Real Food Commitment

Students for Sustainable Food. Credit: Bill Cardoni

In November 2011, Drew University became the second university in the nation to sign the Real Food Commitment, pledging to put 20 percent of our food budget towards local, ecologically-sound, fair trade or humane food by 2020. This effort complements our new student garden and annual Fair Fest.

Harvard University

Goal to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 30%

Harvard President Faust with Harvard REP students handing out CFLs to their peers. Credit: Office for Sustainability.

In response to this goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2016 from a 2006 baseline, the entire community has acted to reduce energy and curb emissions through a combination of extensive energy audits, energy conservation measures, efficiency improvements to our energy supply, comprehensive green building standards, and behavioral change campaigns.

Green Office Program

Harvard's LASPAU Green Team with their re-usable mugs, implemented as part of the Green Office Program.

This program gives employees and green teams the tools and resources to reduce energy and conserve resources in their workplace, and has resulted in over 145 Green Offices and over 2,600 employees engaged in green campaigns. The four Leaf levels recognize and reward progress as offices implement more extensive sustainability actions.

75 LEED Certifications

Harvard’s Larsen Hall First Floor classroom was the first LEED-CI Platinum certified classroom in the world. Credit: Brooks Canaday.

In 2011, Harvard became the first higher education institution in the world to achieve 50 LEED certifications. In April 2012, we reached the exciting milestone of 75 LEED-certified projects including the reconstruction of Harvard’s greenest LEED Platinum certified laboratory building.

Haywood Community College

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

As a result of the installation, the only publicly available electric vehicle charging station in Southwest North Carolina, a faculty member converted his vehicle to electric to utilize the station between work and home.

Student Sustainability Projects

Students have implemented various projects around campus including an 8-kilowatt solar array; and the reforestation of an old drive with pocket wetlands and elm trees This provides our students with hands-on experience, as well as a way to engage them with sustainable practices and technologies.

LEED Platinum Building

Creative Arts Building; LEED Platinum

The 36,000-square-foot building that houses the Professional Craft Program is the only LEED Platinum building in Haywood County.

Jefferson Community and Technical College

Tree Planting

Jefferson held a tree planting at our Shelby campus to enhance the campus’s green landscape, celebrating Sustainability and Earth week by bringing together students, faculty and staff outside of the regular classroom or workplace setting. This event was used to announce our plan to restore 30+ acres to a natural habitat.

Composting

Jefferson held a composting display at our Technical campus during Earth Week allowing students, faculty and staff to see firsthand how simple composting is with ideas and tips to try at home. This event was used to announce what the college is doing with its first-ever composter.

Sustainable Transportation Outreach

Jefferson Community and Technical College – Southwest Campus

Jefferson’s Southwest campus Earth Week event focused on the importance of car maintenance and why it’s necessary for the environment and public health. A representative from the Louisville Air Pollution Control District offered tips for vehicle upkeep, anti-idling information, and provided tire gauges for everyone.

Lahore University of Management Sciences

'Always Green' Initiative

Academic Block at LUMS, a campus that recently launched the SarSubz LUMS Initiative.

From its inception a quarter century ago, LUMS has actively worked to be "green." The SarSubz LUMS Initiative ("SarSubz" is Urdu for "Always Green") is a formalization of this commitment to environmental consciousness and sustainable development.

Bicycle Sharing

Coinciding with Earth Day, LUMS announced the revival of its campus bicycle sharing program, which will allow anyone in the LUMS community to borrow a bicycle for use on campus or for nearby trips.

Planting Indigenous Trees

Dr. Adil Najam, LUMS Vice Chancellor, planting a Neem tree on campus at start of LUMS Tree Plantation Programme

Neem trees have recently been planted on campus. Neem trees were selected because Neem is an indigenous tree of this region. In light of Dengue concerns, their use as a mosquito repellant was also considered.

Southern Oregon University

LEED Platinum Building

56-kilowatt solar PV system atop the LEED Platinum Higher Education Center.

Southern Oregon University paired with Rogue Community College to build our Higher Education Center in 2008, the first building in the Oregon University System to receive LEED Platinum certification. There are many sustainable design features including a solar array, CO2 sensors, heat wheels, occupancy sensors and much more.

Green Renovations

Southern Oregon University's Churchill Building, constructed in 1926

The current renovation of Southern Oregon University’s administrative building will result in significant energy savings. The renovation includes replacing inefficient windows, increasing insulation in the walls and ceilings, and upgrading to more efficient lighting and HVAC systems. Though not seeking certification, the project is slated to meet LEED standards.

Student-Led Recycling Program

SOU/RCC's LEED Platinum Higher Education Building in Medford, OR

Southern Oregon University now has an operational recycling program where none existed before. The creation of the program was entirely executed by students who gained funding through grants and student fees to place recycling stations throughout campus; construct SOU’s recycling center; and hire a full-time sustainability and recycling coordinator.

Trinity University

For the first time, Trinity University celebrated Earth Day with an entire week of activities to highlight the university’s commitment to sustainability and green practices. Highlights were:

Yoga and Other Earth Week Awareness Activities

Yoga in the garden, along with the outdoor viewing of environmental film "Green Fire"; festival showcasing student group and campus department green initiatives; art exhibit featuring recycled refuse; zero waste baseball game; and "Trash Hill," a collection of one day’s worth of trash to raise awareness that drew media attention from six TV stations, a radio station and a newspaper outlet.

LEED Gold Certification

News from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) that one of our student dorms, Calvert Residence Hall, received LEED Gold certification. This is the second residence hall at Trinity to receive LEED Gold.

Environmental Leader Lecture

A visit from Furman University President Emeritus David Shi, an educational environmental leader who met with environmental studies classes and other student groups to discuss sustainability issues, and delivered a lecture about adapting to a sustainable future.

Unity College

TerraHaus

Unity's newest student housing is the nation's first campus residence built to the strict Passive House energy standard. Students were closely involved in the design phase while those in the Passive House course used building energy performance concepts to connect area residents with home weatherization incentives from the State.

Pastured Poultry Collaboration

Unity College's FFA club has joined forces with the local high school FFA chapter to raise pastured poultry. The students involved monitor, feed, water, and clean up after the chickens. The construction of chicken tractors also taught students important skills for raising poultry sustainably.

Food Bank Farming

Unity College hosts the hunger relief agriculture project Veggies for All, which annually grows about 13,000 pounds of produce for the local food pantry on and near Unity’s campus. Food is stored in the student-built root cellar for distribution throughout the long Maine winter.

University at Albany

Mock Electricity Bill Program

Implementation of fake electric bill program for on campus apartment residents. We have a complex on campus that houses 300 apartments that are metered individually. We issue mock electric bills to the residents twice a semester. These bills help them compare their apartment use to the highest, lowest and average use in the complex. The bills also come with conservation tips on the back. In the spring, we co-sponsor a contest where the apartment with the lowest electricity use and the biggest decline in electricity use are awarded prizes.

Carbon Footprint Reduction
Reduction of carbon footprint by 14 percent in the last four years. This has mainly been achieved through energy conservation measures. We were recognized for these efforts in 2011 with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Environmental Excellence Award.

Clothing Exchange and Wellness Fair
A university-wide clothing exchange and wellness fair to celebrate Earth Day. The Office of Environmental Sustainability works with our Employee Assistance Program, student groups and academic apartments to put on a full day of events. The day begins with a wellness fair where health screenings like blood pressure checks, glucose screenings, spinal adjustments and pulmonary checks are done for free or low cost. The afternoon features exhibits around a main theme (this year was food and nutrition) along with small demonstrations on the topics.

In addition, the campus comes together to donate their gently used and unwanted clothes and exchanges them for some "new to you" clothes in a campus-wide clothing swap. Leftover clothes are donated to the City Mission. At night the student groups provide an array of educational speakers on sustainability topics and good some music to enjoy each others company while we celebrate the earth.

University of Alberta

Sustainability Awareness Week

Each year, the University of Alberta hosts Sustainability Awareness Week in partnership with more than 30 on- and off-campus organizations. This past year, the week featured 54 unique sustainability-related events that engaged and educated a total of 8,045 members of the campus community and general public in environmental, social and economic sustainability-related issues.

One Simple Act on Campus

University of Alberta students making commitments towards the One Simple Act on Campus program.

In 2011-2012, the University of Alberta rolled out the One Simple Act on Campus project. The program invites the campus community to make a commitment to implement a simple action into their daily lives relating to waste reduction, energy efficiency, sustainability or water conservation. So far, over 400 students, staff and faculty have made personal commitments.

Earth Hour

A student pledging to power down for the hour for Earth Hour 2012, as part of the One Hour, No Power: Campus Challenge.

For Earth Hour 2012, the University of Alberta teamed up with nine other post-secondary institutions from across Alberta to raise awareness for the need to take action against climate change by hosting the One Hour, No Power Campus Challenge. In total 2,317 students, faculty and staff participated, pledging to power down during Earth Hour.

University of British Columbia

Centre for Interactive Research and Sustainability

UBC’s Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) is a global leader in utilizing physical space as a living laboratory. CIRS research focuses on sustainable building design and operations, policy analysis and strategy, and tools for modeling and visualizing sustainable communities. CIRS seeks solutions to the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges.

Energy Competitions

A "Do It in the Dark" organizer shows off the competition bulletin board and calendar

From November 7-25 2011, students living at UBC’s Totem Park and Place Vanier Residences competed in “Do It in the Dark.” This province-wide energy conservation competition challenged students to reduce energy consumption by taking action in their own residences. Students competed for online prizes, energy savings and bragging rights.

AMS Sustainability Fund

GeoGarden outside of UBC's Geography Students' Association

Inspiring students to promote sustainability, the AMS Sustainability Fund provided $46,554 in financial support this past year for student-led projects. Funds have been used to establish bikeshare programs, GeoGardens (community food garden for geography students), and biodiesel production from cooking oil waste. The program increases student engagement and resource conservation via peer-to-peer sustainability programs.

University of Calgary

Schulich Axiom Solar Car

Team members in front of the Axiom solar car

The University of Calgary’s Schulich Axiom solar car was the top Canadian team in the 2011 Veolia World Solar Challenge, placing 19th out of 37 teams. The 3000-kilometer race, finishing in Adelaide, Australia, took participants through some of the most remote and barren regions on the continent.

Cogeneration Plant
The University of Calgary’s cogeneration plant, opened in 2011, supplies 99.9 percent of the Main Campus’ energy needs with cleaner power than that available from the grid. The plant cuts the university’s CO2 emissions by 25 percent and saves $3.5 million in energy costs annually.

Enbridge Centre for Corporate Sustainability
The University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business has partnered with Enbridge to create a best-in-class corporate sustainability centre. The Enbridge Centre for Corporate Sustainability (ECCS) will collaborate with academics, institutions and private sector organizations to provide a neutral ground for impactful and relevant research and education.

University of Denver

Our Students

Photo taken by Michael Johnson, University of Denver

Many of the successes we’ve achieved with sustainability at the University of Denver were originally researched and suggested by students: becoming an ACUPCC signatory, bringing composting to campus dining, hosting conferences, installing water bottle filling stations throughout campus, participating in Denver B-Cycle, expanding campus recycling, and many more!

Energy Reserve Fund
Our Energy Reserve Fund allows for savings generated by efficiency upgrades to create a source of capital for future efficiency projects. We’ve invested $1.5 million in efficiency projects like lighting and mechanical upgrades; we’ve reduced electrical consumption by over 4 million kWh/yr, (a carbon offset of more than 4000 MeTCO2/year).

Full-Time Sustainability Coordinator Position
We are thrilled to have a full-time sustainability coordinator starting soon. As we look forward to that and as we reflect on our history, we are proud of the many things we have accomplished over the years with an ALL-VOLUNTEER force of sustainability activists amongst our students, faculty, and staff.

University of Illinois at Chicago

Outreach and Education Events

April Muller, winner of the undergraduate sustainability research award for work on "From Circle Campus to Cycle Campus"

Last summer we held the first annual Summer Institute for Sustainability, an intense interdisciplinary program for graduate and senior-level undergraduate students. For a week in August, participants from diverse academic backgrounds were immersed in a broad spectrum of sustainability and energy related topics: policy, economics, health, science, engineering, environment, urban planning, business and entrepreneurship. In the fall, we held our annual Sustainability Week with an event each day promoting recycling, reuse, conserving energy, walk/pedal/ride, and eating local.

Throughout the year, we hosted a monthly Sustainability Lunch Series. In January, we held a 4-year anniversary celebration for the Office of Sustainability, which was well-attended by many campus and external community partners and included a formal presentation of the 2011 Illinois Governor's Sustainability Award to the Chancellor. In April 2012, we promoted and hosted over 30 Earth Month events including the University of Commonsense panel on the future of nuclear energy, several water-related seminars, a sustainability award as part of the annual Student Research Forum, an Arbor Day celebration, Ecojamapalooza earth day celebration with the Giving Tree Band and Schwintonation, Earth Day Tree Planting with Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams in memory of Wangari Maathai at the Jane Addams Hull House Museum on campus, and concluding with a three-mile Fun Run.

Tree Planting Program

Students plant tree during Arbor Day celebration

This year the Office of Sustainability and Facilities Management oversaw the inventory of over 5000 trees, including over 100 species, the development of an urban forestry care plan, an educational program, tree planting, and formation of a campus tree care committee. For this effort we were awarded Tree Campus USA recognition. We also applied for and received a tree planting program from the Arbor Day Foundation, allowing us to host a tree planting event with nearly 100 volunteers and 40 trees.

Green Fee
After several years of hard work, UIC Students from the Undergraduate Student Government and green student groups got a green fee approved by the Board of Trustees this spring. The fee will provide nearly $200,000 annually to support campus sustainability projects including the purchase of clean energy through renewable energy credits or alternate means.

University of Iowa

Recycling and Composting Programs

The recycling and composting effort at the 2011 UI Convocation and President's block party kept 90 percent of the waste generated at the events from going to the landfill. Volunteers educated 4,500 incoming students about recycling and collected compostable food materials, plastics, cardboard and redeemable beverage containers.

Energy Control Center

The University of Iowa Energy Control Center houses one of the most advanced and extensive energy management tools available in a campus environment. Building Energy Dashboards provide real-time and historical displays of energy consumption (steam, electric, chilled water) in all UI buildings connected to the campus utilities system.

Biomass Energy Program

Oakdale Renewable Energy Plant uses woods chips

Since 2003, oat hulls have served as the cornerstone of the UI biomass energy program. This spring 2012, biomass (wood chips) use on campus expanded to the UI Oakdale Renewable Energy Plant, earning it the National Recognition Award for engineering excellence from the American Council of Engineering Companies.

University of New Hampshire

UNH Sustainability Book

Cover image courtesy of artist Dennis Balogh and the UNH Foundation, Inc.

UNH's sustainability leadership was chronicled in a book written by over 60 faculty, staff, and community members in 2009.

EcoLine

Credit: UNH Photographic Services.

In 2009, UNH began using processed landfill gas from the EcoLine project, a landfill gas-to-energy project that uses methane gas from a nearby landfill as the primary fuel for the COGEN plant. UNH will sell the renewable energy certificates (REC's) associated with ECOLine's electricity generation to help finance the capital costs of the project and to invest in additional energy efficiency projects on campus. When combined with the COGEN plant, ECOLine will stabilize energy costs, provide energy security, and demonstrate environmental responsibility.

ECOLine and selling RECs are part of UNH’s aggressive climate action plan called “WildCAP,” which will outline how the university will lower its emissions to basically zero and secure its leadership position in climate protection as part of its broader sustainability commitment. Under WildCAP, UNH will cut its greenhouse gas emissions: 50 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050 on the road to carbon neutrality by 2100.

Food System Work

Credit: UNH Photographic Services.

From the first organic dairy research farm at a land grant university to the innovative dual major in EcoGastronomy, UNH is advancing sustainable food from farm to fork to health and nutrition outcomes. The image is of an EcoGastronomy class with instructor Dan Winans from the UNH Whittemore School of Business & Economics.

University of Virginia

Local Food Commitment

Students sample local food at a Local Food Fair in Fall 2011. Photo by Dan Addison

The University of Virginia has established partnerships with the Local Food Hub and Blue Ridge Produce, two local entities that aggregate food items from small family farmers and make them available to institutional buyers like us. Thanks to those partnerships, we have purchased local apples, squash, potatoes, asparagus, berries, tomatoes, kale, lettuce, and more over the past two years. We are exposing UVa's student body to an array of healthy and sustainable - and just as importantly, delicious - food offerings and hope that they embrace a commitment to local purchasing in the years to come.

Reusable To-Go Container Program

Celebrating Earth Day with a photo booth and food in a reusable container

This year alone, 180 new students have signed up to use reusable containers and have diverted a number of disposable clamshells from the landfill. Dining has expanded the program this year to include its food trucks, a new residential dining location, and to include a drop-site for dirty containers at a popular library cafe.

Fair Trade App
Dining audited its Fair Trade offerings this year during Fair Trade Month (October) and added the results to the crowd-sourced Fair Trade App. Now people can easily log onto the Fair Trade USA Facebook page or download the app and quickly learn where to find Fair Trade Certified items on UVa Grounds!

Vancouver Community College

Bottled Water Ban

Tony Tang, Darell Mussatto, Charmaine Waters, Greg Moore and Kathy Kinloch

Vancouver Community College President Kathy Kinloch made history on Thursday, March 22 as she and Students’ Union of VCC Chairperson Charmaine Waters signed a pledge to make the VCC the first post-secondary institution in Metro Vancouver to eliminate sales of bottled water by spring 2013. Tony Tang, Vancouver city councillor, congratulated the college and SUVCC on this new sustainability initiative and presented a proclamation from the City of Vancouver; March 22, 2012 is officially Vancouver Community College Bottled Water Free Day. The initiative has received support from Dogwood Initiative, Wilderness Committee, David Suzuki Foundation, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, BC Health Communities and Back the Tap Coalition.

Environmental Sustainability Plan
The fourth initiative in VCC's 2011-2014 strategic plan is to build and implement a college-wide Environmental Sustainability Plan. Within this initiative, VCC will bring sustainability principles into the thinking, actions, culture and everyday operations of VCC, demonstrate our respect for the envronment as we educate students, staff and faculty about environmental stewardship and seek innovations and improved practices that reduce our carbon footprint.

AASHE Membership
In celebration of Earth Day, Vancouver Community College (VCC) is proud to announce it has joined the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education to further efforts toward building a healthy and just world. Through membership in AASHE, VCC will receive support in advancing its sustainability initiatives on campus and in the community. "I am pleased to announce VCC's membership in AASHE," said Kathy Kinloch, VCC president. "This collaboration will further strengthen the commitment to the environment that resonates so clearly within VCC's 2011-2014 Strategic Plan and will position our students, staff, faculty and administrators as leaders in the post-secondary move towards greater environmental sustainability."

Occupy Movement Focused on Student Debt Gathers Steam

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:36:10 +0000

The Occupy Student Debt Campaign, an offshoot of the Occupy movement focusing on student debt and urging students to pledge not to repay their loans if other borrowers join them, planned several events Wednesday to commemorate the total amount of student debt passing $1 trillion reports Inside Higher Ed.

My colleague Ashwini and I happened to be in New York during one of the planned demonstrations at Union Square (all photos from that event). New York serves as the headquarters and regional offices of the student lender Sallie Mae. Unless the U.S. Congress intervenes, interest rates on subsidized Stafford loans are set to double from 3.4% to 6.8% on July 1. Additional rallies occurred at colleges across the country, including the University of Chicago, Brooklyn College, Cooper Union, Hampshire College, the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and the University of California at Santa Cruz.

Student also continue to rally in Quebec, Canada (going for 11 weeks strong) to protest a proposed 75% tuition increase at public colleges there.

Democracy Now! provided coverage of the US events along with an interview with Pamela Brown, a Ph.D. student who helped launch the Occupy Student Debt Campaign "Pledge of Refusal." See the interview below.

Finally, President Obama weighed in on the issue on a visit to UNC-Chapel Hill and recorded a comedic take on the issue with Jimmy Fallon.

Related Resources:

The AASHE Bulletin has an "Affordability & Access" section. Check out past stories in the Bulletin database, and subscribe to the Bulletin to keep informed about such matters and campus sustainability in general.
AASHE's Higher Education Occupy Project - AASHE put together a photo essay based on submissions from various individuals from all over North America to better understand the connection between higher education and the Occupy movement.

AASHE Student Diary Series: Seeing Like a Planet

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:59:11 +0000

This installment of the AASHE Bulletin Sustainability Student Diary series features recent University of Michigan graduate Michelle Wai-Hon Lam's award-winning essay, "Seeing like a Planet: From Global Consciousness to Global Conscience." Lam won first place in online news source Earthzine's third annual College and University Student Essay and Blogging Contest, which asked students to consider ways that Earth observation can help build a more sustainable world. The below essay first appeared at Earthzine.org on Feb. 6, 2012. We hope to see questions and feedback in the comments area! Submit diary entries of your own for consideration to bulletin@aashe.org.

Seeing like a Planet: From Global Consciousness to Global Conscience

On December 7, 1972 – at 5:39 a.m. EST to be exact – astronauts on the Apollo 17 mission took a photograph that transformed how we saw our home, Earth. This was the first time we saw a planet, our planet. Fast-forward 50 years and technology has once again provided us with a transformative vision. With current and projected capabilities in Earth observation, the possibility of knowing our planet, in real time even, is not an impossible dream, but a rather straightforward one. The real challenge lies in what we do with this knowledge, how we apply it and to what end. Knowledge is transformative. The so-called Blue Marble image of 1972 was pivotal in driving awareness during early years of environmental activism. Looking ahead, the most exciting, not to mention crucial, transformation Earth observation can give us is to not only develop our knowledge of the Earth, but to help us cultivate an identity and conscience that encompasses the entire globe. Only then will we be truly moving toward a more sustainable world.

Knowledge is not neutral

For the title of this essay I have borrowed from James C. Scott’s seminal critique on high modernism, “Seeing Like a State.” One of his theses is that 19th century technological advances, including those in the production of statistical knowledge, allowed the “discovery of society as a reified object,”1 by the state, which made society “an object that the state might manage and transform with a view toward perfecting it.”2 Such a view on society and ambition of molding it may seem naïve with today’s post- modern hindsight. But Scott is right to caution the enthusiasm for technology that fuelled modernism’s hubris is very much present today, and I would like to draw a parallel caution toward how we develop and use Earth observation technologies going forward. Knowledge is inherently value-laden; what values do we want to frame our knowledge of Earth?

Can we have sustainability without equity?

Earth observation technologies have already allowed us to gather, analyze and share information about the Earth with unprecedented accuracy, breadth and timeliness. With the maturing of the consumer Internet and the advent of the Industrial Internet, the promise of what technology entrepreneur Larry Smarr calls “the sensor-aware planetary computer,” is not far off.3 The imperative driving recent investments thus far has been the quest for efficiency, especially energy efficiency. While this is central to tackling our environmental challenges – and in a way that could meet economic ones also – it risks eclipsing the distributional question of whose efficiency? Scott Campbell captured this succinctly with his “Planner’s Triangle”: in striving for sustainable development, we encounter the three conflicting priorities of environmental protection (resource efficiency), economic growth, and social justice.4 Such conflicts are ever present; from Occupy Wall Street to COP17, questions of equity and distribution are both invigorating and stymieing negotiations, discourse and the political process. We cannot move toward a more sustainable world without addressing them.

We have but one Earth

And this is why I am hopeful for what continued development of Earth observation technologies can bring. It will bring knowledge that is global; we can know our entire planet better. But in order to monitor and understand the full effects of human activity we will be forced to cross borders and see the Earth and mankind, holistically, as one. Global warming is a crisis we all face. Pollutants, be they in the air or water, recognize no boundaries. Choices we make in our everyday lives have an impact on others that we must be made aware of, and have factored into our decision-making. And we must find ways to work together.

In our bid to live sustainably, knowing is not enough. We cannot simply place our faith in science and technology to find our way out of our environmental challenges. To succeed, we need to develop a collective respect for the planet and all who inhabit it. Fortunately, the potential is here with Earth observation technologies to do just that, to develop both global consciousness and a global conscience.

Scott, James C. Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998. p. 91
Ibid. p. 92 
Lohr, Steve. (2011, December 17). The Internet gets Physical. The New York Times.
Campbell, Scott. “Green Cities, Growing Cities, Just Cities? Urban Planning and the Contradictions of Sustainable Development,” Journal of the American Planning Association, 62 (3) (Summer 1996), p. 296- 312

Highlights from the STARS Quarterly Review and Data on Sustainable Investment

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:13:15 +0000

Today, AASHE is proud to announce the release of a new STARS publication: the STARS Quarterly Review: Framing Campus Sustainability (SQR). Based primarily on data from submitted STARS reports, the Spring 2012 issue of the SQR features comprehensive stories to frame sustainability in higher education, with the idea that these stories can be further developed in future issues. In the Spring issue, readers will learn about the diversity among STARS institutions, get an in-depth overview of credits and subcategories within OP, and gain insights on how institutions define and interpret the evolving concept of sustainability. Readers will also read about four institutions being highlighted for sustainability best practices:

The University of Minnesota, Morris (STARS Gold) – Building operations, p. 12
Cornell University (STARS Gold) – Renewable energy, p. 13
Chapman University (STARS Reporter) – Three pillars in student orientation, p. 16
The University of British Columbia (STARS Gold) – SEEDS program, p. 17

In particular, two areas to highlight in the SQR include the STARS dashboard visualization and the results of the three-pillar analysis.

The STARS Interactive Dashboard Visualization
Focus on Operations (p. 9) introduces a newly-released, interactive, STARS Dashboard Visualization now found on the STARS dashboard website. Visitors to the site can click within the graphic to view increasingly detailed levels of overall point distribution for STARS categories, subcategories, and credits. A variation of a standard pie-chart, this visualization captures two levels of information: 1) Total points possible, represented by the width of each slice; and 2) Percentage of total points earned, depicted as a straight-line radius from the center to the outer edge.

Three-Pillar Analysis
The final story of the SQR highlights results from a three-pillar analysis for certain STARS credits (p. 14). The analysis brought to light some interesting facts about the interplay of social, economic, and environmental issues among STARS institutions.

Environmentally- and Socially-Sustainable Investment Options
The Investment subcategory in STARS is perhaps the best-suited to encourage institutions to consider the three pillars of sustainability in decision-making. The chart below is a supplemental analysis, not included in the SQR, on PAE 18: Positive Sustainability Investments. This credit recognizes institutions that promote sustainability by seeking positive investments in one of five areas, as outlined in the chart below.

Through March 1, 2012, Rated Institutions combined reported a total investment pool value of $71.6 billion. Of this amount, a combined total of $3.4 billion was reported for the five positive sustainability investment options available for the credit. This represents an overall rate of sustainable investment at 5%. This low rate can partly be explained by the fact that many institutions are unable to track sustainable investment, and thus earn zero points for PAE 18. Participation in STARS may help to develop tracking mechanisms so that more points for this credit can be earned in the future.

As depicted above, the area of sustainable investment that is being pursued most is investment in sustainable industries such as renewable energy or sustainable forestry (84%). Occurring less frequently are investments that tie more closely with social sustainability, including 5% of the total for community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and 1% of the total for socially responsible mutual funds. As more institutions develop better tracking mechanisms for sustainable investment, it will be interesting to see how the rates among these categories change.

A balanced investment portfolio for any institution would include environmental and social investments. PAE 18 is a credit that we hope to see strong improvement in overtime, as institutions develop tracking mechanisms for positive sustainability investments.

An advantage of publishing quarterly reviews instead of an annual review is that we are able to bring relevant issues to the forefront more frequently, while encouraging dialogue on these issues among members of the campus community. We hope that readers will help shape future SQR releases by providing ideas on future topics or follow-up stories. Please send your feedback to stars@aashe.org or provide your comments below.

AASHE Interview Series: Bo Newsome, Director of Outreach and State Relations, NAICU

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:21:18 +0000

Robert “Bo” Newsome, the Director of Outreach and State Relations at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), talks to AASHE about sustainability initiatives at NAICU and its members (nonprofit, private universities and colleges in the US), and how NAICU is working to advance public knowledge of affordability at higher education institutions. Bo completed a B.A. in Political Science at Columbia University, and an M.A. in Higher Education Administration at George Washington University. For more information on NAICU, visit www.naicu.edu.

What are the goals of NAICU’s "Going Green in the Ivy Halls" special initiative? What were the primary reasons for starting the initiative?

We wanted to highlight examples of how our member colleges and universities are working to improve the quality of life of their students and community through their support of sustainability efforts on and around campus. An added benefit is the resulting cut back on sky-rocketing utility costs.

As part of the Going Green in the Ivy Halls initiative, NAICU has created a categorized table of sustainable campus initiatives. How is this data being used by NAICU and/or partner organizations to advance campus sustainability?

NAICU first and foremost is an advocacy organization. However, we firmly believe in the principle of encouraging a thousand flowers to bloom. We have asked our members to share specific campus sustainability initiatives in the hope of creating an opportunity for dialogue with other NAICU members who may be interested in launching their own initiatives.

How does NAICU’s Campus Affordability special initiative help individuals stay informed and up-to-date about affordability, transparency, and cost-cutting initiatives at their and other institutions?

The examples of new affordability initiatives we provide via this special web portal demonstrate the creative ways in which private, nonprofit colleges are working to keep students' and families' out-of-pocket costs as low as possible. They are part of a growing campus affordability trend that has accelerated since the economic downturn.

Measures such as these are making a difference. Average inflation-adjusted net tuition and fees at private, nonprofit colleges has actually dropped by 4.1 percent from 2006-07 to 2011-12. Despite the predictions of many experts at the onset of the economic downturn, most private, nonprofit colleges continue to meet, if not exceed, their enrollment targets, largely because of their efforts to enhance affordability and value. Nevertheless, more must - and will - continue to be done by colleges to stay affordable and within reach of families from all backgrounds.

We will update the list regularly as we learn of new campus initiatives. In addition, in June 2012, NAICU will report the results of our 2012-13 survey of private college tuition and student aid increases.

What are some ways that campus sustainability initiatives have helped private colleges be more affordable?

By implementing or expanding environmentally-friendly systems such as geothermal heating, recycling, burying cool water lines, and using biodiesel fuel, our members have reduced energy consumption resulting in significant cost savings. Some of our members have even gone trayless in their dining halls!

What are some ways that NAICU promotes sustainability within the organization (e.g. energy reduction initiatives, carpool incentives) among its employees?

NAICU offices are housed in a LEED certified building in Washington D.C. We participate fully in the building's recycling program. Staff who choose to commute by Metro receive a farecard subsidy. In addition, some staff take advantage of the city’s Bike Share program.

NAICU is a member of the Higher Education Association Sustainability Consortium (HEASC). What are some HEASC projects that NAICU is or plans to become engaged in, and how is HEASC influencing NAICU's work?

HEASC has committed to hosting a series of webinars that will be beneficial. NAICU is engaging in sustainability initiatives, inspired by HEASC membership, such as scaling back on providing print copies of publications and instead now providing web-only versions. For example, our U-CAN Toolkit and our National Campus Voter Registration Organizing Handbook are now totally web based.

Is there a particular insight (learning experience or “ah-ha” moment) you have had working on higher education and sustainability?

Through working with my HEASC colleagues, and through the lessons learned from our “Going Green in the Ivy Halls,” initiative, my experience has been less of an “ah-ha” moment and more of a deepening appreciation of the heartfelt dedication and commitment of the higher education community to sustainability.

How do you spend your free time?

Playing Old Boys rugby and going to the beach as often as possible.

AASHE Student Diary Series: The 'Free Compliments' Initiative

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:41:32 +0000

This installment of the AASHE Bulletin Sustainability Student Diary series features Northern Arizona University sophomore Alex Gaynor, a student ambassador of sustainability who spearheaded a Free Compliments initiative on his campus. Originally posted on the university's Green blog, Gaynor shares how a simple compliment can spark a better day and a healthier campus. We hope to see questions and feedback in the comments area! Submit diary entries of your own for consideration to bulletin@aashe.org.

February 3, 2012

As a student ambassador of sustainability at the notoriously green Northern Arizona University, I am regularly exposed to the ideas of sustainability. This exposure and the large sustainability community involved has moved me to think in depth about the next level of campus sustainability. There is only so much that can be achieved by a core group of green students that are dedicated to sustainability. I imagine a healthy campus where there is no division between the green students and student athletes, Greek life, ROTC students, etc. Our mission is thus to creatively include the uninvolved. Based loosely on the ideas expressed by Volkswagen’s Fun Theory, we strive to find ways to “preach to the non-choir.” The first initiative currently in play is known as Free Compliments.

While it is, in our eyes, largely an experiment, the idea is sound. The idea, on its most basic level, is that a compliment while walking to class early in the morning might spark a better day and a healthier campus in the long run. A healthier campus, ideally might lead to a more sustainable campus. Secondarily, we have developed a space in which open conversation is encouraged and people can find out about other campus sustainability news and information.

"...a compliment while walking to class early in the morning might spark a better day and a healthier campus in the long run. A healthier campus, ideally might lead to a more sustainable campus."

As the project has moved on, other personal benefits have developed. For example, I’ve been told some very moving things and been involved in some very moving conversations with people I would never have otherwise conversed with. This last Wednesday, one fellow (whose name I wish I knew) waltzed up and started with, “Hey man, I have dealt with anxiety and depression my entire life and…” We were thinking "oh no, we are making people depressed." To our surprise, he then finished with, “it's stuff like what you guys are doing that helps me deal with it.” Things like this, which are not uncommon, are what make it so easy to meet the sunrise every Wednesday and battle the chill of Flagstaff’s winter.

This week, the project entered Phase II. Phase II means we have free hot beverages for students on their way to class who have their own reusable container. While the free beverages were not emptied this week, the word is spreading! We are hoping that there is greater public participation as weeks progress.

Alex and his fellow student ambassadors of sustainability battle the cold to spread goodwill.

The result: Lots of smiling faces.

Introducing the New and Improved AASHE Bulletin!

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:00:00 +0000

AASHE is very excited to announce the debut of its redesigned AASHE Bulletin! We are celebrating the e-newsletter’s sixth year anniversary with a new look and restructured content. The redesign was implemented with the following goals in mind:

1. Thought leadership

While 90 percent of subscribers who participated in the 2011 Bulletin reader survey said the newsletter does a good job in general, many suggested a more curated approach to the content, meaning highlighting some stories over others.

Traditionally a clearinghouse of higher education sustainability news, the weekly e-newsletter is now taking a more curated approach with a new Connecting the Dots column. Appearing above the table of contents (TOC), this feature will examine several stories in each Bulletin issue, contextualizing and linking the themes to foster an integrated perspective on higher education sustainability.

To aid the Bulletin’s transformation toward a vehicle for thought leadership, this column will feature a rotating list of higher education sustainability specialists. This inaugural AASHE Bulletin Editorial board is made up of 17 sustainability leaders with diverse areas of expertise including sustainability education, climate action planning, student engagement, biomimicry, risk analysis, change management, measuring sustainability, diversity, social justice and much more. Visit the AASHE Bulletin web page for a complete list of board members.

2. Advancing sustainability (and providing an invaluable resource)

In an effort to better advance higher education sustainability, the redesigned Bulletin also features expanded coverage designed to push the boundaries of traditional ways of thinking about sustainability. Recently, a new “Access & Affordability” category was added to capture key national conversations including the Occupy protests and Pell Grant debates. Expect other new categories as the concept evolves over time.

3. Engaging a diverse and inspired community

The Bulletin will also work to deepen the inclusion of global perspectives on what higher education sustainability means with a new monthly Global Edition. Expanding on the current biennial coverage, the Global Edition will be issued monthly starting with the March 27 issue. Instead of only containing global news, the monthly edition will integrate international stories with the stories from the U.S. and Canada scheduled to run that week.

Redesign Features

Designed by Aten Design Group and implemented by the AASHE IT team, the Bulletin has a fresh new look with colors and fonts that match the AASHE website (also designed by Aten).

The Bulletin reader survey showed that 67 percent of respondents like the Bulletin format with the TOC on top, organized by primary topic, and the story summaries below. The chief complaint was that the length of the Bulletin was too long each week. We also heard that there was too much emphasis on green building in the Bulletin, a result of the alphabetical TOC with the “Buildings” category at the top of most issues. With this feedack in mind, we made these minor tweaks to the organization of the content:

Presentation of Bulletin Categories
The Bulletin TOC is now organized by three major headers that mirror AASHE’s Sustainabilty Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) credit categories:

Education & Research
Operations
Planning, Administration & Engagement

Content Introduced by “Connecting the Dots” Feature
This new AASHE editorial feature headlines the newsletter to give it more of a magazine feel with a picture and the author’s byline. This is a change aimed at being both aesthetically pleasing and better curating the content for our readers.

Shorter Bulletin Blurbs
We have worked to shorten the length of Bulletin story and job posting summaries, while still providing a summary of the stand-out information.

Sponsorships

Bulletin sponsorships were moved from underneath the table of contents to “above the fold” at the top right of the newsletter. This change is to give businesses a better opportunity to connect with Bulletin readers, and the space provided is better designed for readers to understand how that sponsor’s products may relate to their higher education sustainability efforts.

AASHE is offering a limited-time discount on Bulletin sponsorships through September 18.

We hope you enjoy the new Bulletin and share it with others! Contact AASHE Bulletin Editor Margo Wagner at margo@aashe.org with any questions or feedback.