Education & Research

Curriculum

Co-Curricular Education & Student Organizing

Research

Campus Operations

Buildings

Climate

Energy

Purchasing

Transportation

Waste

Planning, Administration & Engagement

Assessments & Ratings

Coordination & Planning

Diversity & Inclusion

Funding

Public Engagement

Opportunities

Jobs & Internships

Events

Education & Research

Curriculum

In an effort to bring more attention to sustainability issues and experiential learning in food systems education, the Berkeley Food Institute has begun to form a committee to develop plans for a minor in food systems and sustainability.
See also: AASHE Resource: Sustainability Curriculum

Co-Curricular Education & Student Organizing

The college’s The Next Play program will use the influence of sports to encourage sustainability through the creation of a Student-Athlete Sustainability Coalition, two zero waste athletic events and a speakers series. The initiative will also coordinate two national events: a sustainability-in-sports venture pitch tournament and a virtual discussion on sustainability and sports.
See also: AASHE Resource: Sustainability in Co-Curricular Education and Student Organizing

Trying to improve the community’s attitude toward issues of social justice, the free event invited campus and community members for poems, speeches and songs on current topics including free trade and the environment, and discrimination.
See also: AASHE Resource: Sustainability in Co-Curricular Education and Student Organizing

Research

Emerging from the university’s UB 2020 strategic plan, the new Research and Education in eNergy, Environment and Water (RENEW) is a university-wide interdisciplinary research center focused on the intersection of environmental, societal and economic issues.
See also: AASHE Resource: Campus Centers and Institutes on Sustainability
See also: AASHE Discussion Forum: Sustainability Research

Campus Operations

Buildings

The university’s Health Services Building renovation features solar electric panels, recycled materials and sustainable design and construction in both interior spaces and exterior landscaping.
See also: AASHE Resource: Campus Green Buildings

Climate

In 2014 Clean Air-Cool Planet will dissolve and the organization’s two programs, Climate Fellows Program and the Campus Carbon Calculator (CCC), will be housed at the university’s Sustainability Institute, where the CCC was developed in 2000.
See also: AASHE Resource: Campus Climate Action

Energy

Legislation that phases out T12 fluorescent lamps was the impetus for the newly signed contract, which allows the university to improve 46 buildings through interior and exterior lighting and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
See also: AASHE Resource: Campus Sustainable Energy Management

Spearheaded by the university’s Office of Sustainability, the recently approved project calls for solar panels on a parking structure and 12 other campus buildings, which will increase the percentage of photovoltaic-derived energy from one to 10 percent and enable student participation and experiential learning and research.
See also: AASHE Resource: Campus Solar Photovoltaic Installations
See also: AASHE Business Members Offering Energy-Related Products or Services

Purchasing

The university’s Presidents’ Sustainable Campus Committee Purchasing Team has introduced new resources and targeted campaigns resulting in an online list of sustainable products, a letter-writing campaign to departments purchasing paper from virgin sources encouraging procurement of recycled-content paper, and a new section in the Buying Manual that defines green certified, recycled, and Energy Star standards and promotes energy-efficient purchasing decisions.
See also: AASHE Resource: Sustainable Purchasing Initiatives on Campus
See also: AASHE Business Members Offering Products and Services

Transportation

The new initiative called the FreeBike Project allows students to pay a refundable fee to receive a new bicycle that has outside company advertisements on it.
See also: AASHE Resource: Bicycle Sharing & Rental Programs
See also: AASHE Business Members Offering Transportation-Related Products or Services

The university’s Department of Transportation Services recently finished painting white chevron-shaped signs on roadways around campus to signal to motorists aware of cyclists on the road, provide a safer commute, and indicate the smoothest roads for cyclists.
See also: AASHE Resource: Campus Bicycle Plans
See also: AASHE Business Members Offering Transportation-Related Products or Services

Waste

Beginning this spring, the university will not use any single-use plastic bags, and the bookstore, eateries and marketplaces will begin charging ten cents per paper bag.
See also: AASHE Business Members Offering Waste & Recycling-Related Products or Services
See also: AASHE Discussion Forum: Waste

Supporting the university’s sustainability goals, the university’s Office of Admissions unveiled a new online system that allows applicants to track their application, and apply for scholarships and residence.

Attempting to divert waste throughout the year from the landfill, a permanent collection bin holds the unwanted items until they are taken to the store where the campus community can pick things up for free.
See also: AASHE Resource: Sustainable Management of Campus Waste & Materials

Planning, Administration & Engagement

Assessments & Ratings

The latest quarterly report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency highlights the top 20 colleges and universities using power from renewable energy. They are University of Pennsylvania, University of Oklahoma, Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University, Oklahoma State University, Drexel University, Northwestern University, University of Utah, University of Phoenix, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, University at Buffalo, University of Wisconsin, The City University of New York, American University, University of Missouri, Texas A&M System, The Catholic University of America, Western Washington University, Quinnipiac University, University of St. Thomas, Santa Clara University, University of Central Oklahoma, Bentley University, Syracuse University, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Adelphi University, Union College and Columbia College at Chicago.

Coordination & Planning

The newly released tool allows on and off-campus students and employees to explore their electric footprint by creating a virtual space with the electric items they use.
See also: AASHE Resource: Campus Building Energy Dashboards
See also: AASHE Resource: Online Coordination and Communication

Diversity & Inclusion

The university’s Central Student Government listened to and adopted a recent resolution that addresses minority student enrollment, the creation of a scholarship for undocumented students, and official student government support of student activism directed toward increased diversity on campus.

Funding

Now accepting applications from the campus community, which includes the surrounding community, the revolving fund will finance energy and water efficiency and renewable energy projects that cut operating costs and reduce environmental impact.
See also: AASHE Resource: Sustainable Investment and Financing

The university’s Campus Sustainability Committee has newly formed the Student Sustainability Fund Award designed to support student research, campus projects and professional presentations in the area of sustainability up to $500.
See also: AASHE Resource: Sustainable Investment and Financing

Public Engagement

In an effort to help Dubai meet their 2030 energy strategy, the university will host 15 engineers for a 15-day workshop focused on enhancing their solar energy skills. Three engineers will be shortlisted to attend a six-month academic intensive.

In June, students and faculty will travel to Bhutan where students will help build nine off-grid bamboo and earth houses.
See also: AASHE Resource: Public Engagement for Sustainability

The soon-to-begin living art gallery about air pollution will feature three artists from Beijing, China who will install the pieces over a three week period encouraging visitors to engage in dialogue and contribute to the art stations.

After recently traveling to Nicaragua to help install nine sustainable toilets and rebuild a school, students created a global issues group with a goal of educating others about social issues and impacts.

AASHE 2014: Innovation for Sustainable Economies & Communities, taking place October 26-29 in Portland, OR will draw together a diverse group of campus representatives including faculty, sustainability officers, presidents and students. In one of the most innovative sustainable cities in North America, we will gather to examine how communities and higher education institutions can come together to create vibrant local economies to help guide the sustainability transformation, how higher education institutions are serving as a model for sustainability in the communities they are located, and campus and community partnerships that are creating innovative solutions to current environmental, social, and economic issues. The deadline for abstract submission is Feb. 28.

Each year we rely on more than 200 volunteer reviewers to help meet the volume of the conference proposals received. Reviewers will be asked to review 15-25 submissions on topics in which they offer the strongest level of expertise.

For minority-serving institutions that are experiencing challenges in fulfilling the ACUPCC, Second Nature is providing 10 site visits at no cost to the institution, which will provide up to two days of peer-to-peer support to individuals responsible for implementing the commitment. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning on Feb. 15.

The annual U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Green Power Leadership Awards are competitive awards that recognize outstanding commitments and achievements in the green power marketplace.The awards application period will be open from Feb. 24 through Apr. 7.

The Request for Information invites responses from potential partner firms that will help the university’s campus energy team develop a detailed plan for meeting its climate action goals and achieving carbon neutrality by 2025.

AASHE member orders placed before July 31 save 15 percent on ConnecTables, an outdoor table and seating area with a solar-powered charging station.

Oct. 26-29, 2014; Portland, OR

Feb. 19, 2014; 2:00p.m. Eastern ; Online