Sustainability AspirationsSEC Universities Delve into

Sustainability Topics

by Tracy Settoon and Stefanie GilliamSpring 2012

Sustainability awarenessSome companies and individuals have been

concerned with sustainability for decades; however, awareness has become more wide-spread in recent years.

Universities have made strides toward sustainability activities and initiatives; some have readily accessible links on their websites.

Other universities have just begun their programs.

Goals and objectives

At LSU, a class is offered specifically for the advancement of sustainability through brain-storming, projects, and group interactions.

Several proposed projects are moving forward with the support of the instructor, the sustainability coordinator, the recycling coordinator, and the student government.

DocumentationResearch and legwork can be very involved

and time consuming when dealing with sustainability issues. At times, projects are extensive enough that two or more semesters are required for implementation. Therefore, any concept, plan, contact name, contact number, and progress will be documented to ensure ease of transition for future students, and to help eliminate duplicate steps.

Initial progressSEC university websites were searched to determine

their ease of accessibility to sustainability content.SEC university websites were perused to obtain

initial contact information and emails were sent to each .

Many contacts responded and expressed interest in continued involvement and offered website links.

A list was compiled for environmental services.Initial sustainability suggestions were listed at on

the LSU sustainability class Wiki page. http://exploringsustainabilitylsu.pbworks.com/w/page/50869552/Sustainability%20in%20Dining%20and%20Athletics

Opportunities

Opportunities abound in regards to consolidating information, comparing SEC sustainability programs, keeping lines of communication open, and implementing changes.

Each website is very different and required various amounts of filtering to find information, links, or articles about sustainability.

There is a great opportunity to increase student awareness. Conversely, students could contribute information and suggestions on areas of improvement needed on campus.

Link to presentations

Several presentations have been posted to the website for the sustainability class and can be found here:

http://exploringsustainabilitylsu.pbworks.com/w/page/50869552/Spring%202012%20SEC%20Sustainability%20Comparison

A brief on other universitiesUniversity of Tennessee does not have a dedicated

sustainability link, but offers guest speakers regularly on campus and hosts sustainability summits on sustainable technology and business.

Ole Miss offers students licensed snuggles in exchange for space heaters, recycles cell phones for soldiers, participates in Food Day (every October 24th), offers bike rentals at $15 per semester or $20 per year, offers Zipcar (car sharing) for $35 per year plus an hourly usage fee, and has sustainability leadership voting and awards.

A brief on other universitiesMississippi State University does not have a

dedicated sustainability website, but offers links to sustainable design and energy which are set up on like a magazine where articles are contributed. MSU promotes “U-pick” farms.

University of Florida’s rec center is a low impact development , with 100% storm water containment, native plants, LED lighting, etc. Their programs include adopt a “swamp” for campus litter, campus Earth day (4/6/12), sustainability socials (free coffee , but no mugs), and campus donation program.

A brief on other universitiesAuburn offers a minor in sustainability, a

general course (SUST 2000), and has a comprehensive site: myth busting, a carbon footprint calculator, movies, student competitions, food, recycling, transportation, water, energy, projects, etc. (All on one page.)

Vanderbilt earned gold for LEED, gives environmental tip of the day, news such as EPA awards $90,000 to seniors for spinach-powered solar cell, tips for low-carbon living, and goal to make every day Earth Day.

A brief on other universitiesAlabama’s link is layered and focuses mostly on

dining, offering fair trade coffee. The food managers are required to get fruits, vegetables, bread, and milk from local sources. Green matter (4,000 pounds per week) is composted and used in the community. Their report card for sustainability is available for review. The custodial services are environmentally friendly.

Kentucky has categories on the front page, with emphasis on current “news” articles, such as Arbor Day and Wheat Field Day, but not much overall.

Future activitiesHere are proposed or tentative sustainability ideas and suggestions:

*Have step by step documentation (to lay a foundation and to save research time when others become involved)

*Provide education and awareness to the student body (to encourage interest and involvement)

*Have universal SEC contact emails: green@___.edu, sustainability@____.edu, and recycling@____.edu

*Have a unified Facebook page and a unified SEC website: SECsustainability.com, SECsustainability.org, or SECsustainability.edu (which all include links to each individual university's website)

Proposed timelines *Have a sustainability link on the front page of each university's website (Fall

2012)

*Have a permanent, small sustainability section in the college newspaper or newsletter (Fall 2012)

*Have a sustainability project or involvement as an option to fulfill community service hours for campus organizations, clubs, fraternities, and sororities, etc. (Spring 2013)

*Have a sustainability class or special research course offering at all SEC universities (Spring 2014)

*Add a small sustainability fee (maybe $2) to tuition that is dedicated to sustainability projects only (Fall 2013 or later)

*Have the STAR listing documented on each website for information and awareness, especially for sharing criteria with effected areas (October 2012)

Deliverables

None of the above proposals have a specific cost or budget (other than the $2 sustainability fee). However, each item may incur incidental costs associated with implementation or promotional efforts, which could be limited to $100 per proposal.