usc sustainability report 2013 (1)

2013 Annual Report2013 Annual Report

It is our mission to implement sustainable practices on campus while developing innovative outreach and

educational programs for the university and local community. We see the cultivation of stewardship as central to the responsibility USC has to its students, and it is the aim of our office to ensure USC’s fulfillment of this obligation.

We believe that through achieving several primary goals, we can better incorporate a philosophy of environmental protection into the culture of USC. These goals include: a reduction in university energy consumption and solid waste generation; an improvement in the quality and accessibility of university sustainability resources; and strengthened relationships between university organizations and the local community.

As USC continues to forge ahead on many fronts, our office works to ensure that sustainable practices underlie all efforts and progress made. We find this to be crucial to USC’s commitment to the future, and to the students who will lead it.

our department staff

Halli Bovia .........................................................Program Manager

Criz Gutierrez .......................................... Administrative Assistant

Elliott Lavi .....................................................Green Office Program

Estefanee Villalba ....................................................Urban Garden

Danielle Salah ........................................Assessment and Planning

Patrick Talbott .......................................Assessment and Planning

Lucas Whiteman .................................................. Greeks Go Green

Kirstin Louie ........................................................ Greeks Go Green

Justin Bogda ........................ Partnerships & Student Engagement

Austin Reagan ....................................Communication & Outreach

Bianca Hernandez .................................................Trojan Athletics

Victoria Chu ............................................ Tailgate Waste Diversion

Britanny Chang ......................................Coliseum Waste Diversion

Liam Duffy ......................................................Zero Waste Tailgate

USC | Sustainability | University of Southern California3434 S. Grand Avenue, CAL 120 | Los Angeles, CA [email protected]

The Office of Sustainability at the University of Southern California leads campus initiatives to reduce USC’s environmental impacts, promote environmental awareness, and shape the culture of USC to be environmentally responsible. The Office hosts a community garden, a zero-waste tailgate certification program, green-office certification, and works as a liaison between the University and environmentally focused student groups.

2 · USC Sustainability 2013 Annual Report

Department Staff ................................................................. 2Strategic Plan ...................................................................... 4Programs Green Office ................................................................ 7 Communication and Outreach ...................................... 8 Greeks Go Green........................................................... 9 Urban Garden ............................................................ 10 Sustainability Tour ..................................................... 12 Student Engagement .................................................. 14 Assessments ................................................................. 15Game Day Tailgate Waste Diversion ............................................ 17 Zero Waste Tailgate .................................................... 18 Coliseum Waste Diversion ........................................... 19Collaboration ..................................................................... 21Moving Forward .............................................................. 24

table of contents

our strategic plan

S olutions to society’s biggest problems often take shape at the university level. Ideas abound, leaders develop, and the seeds of progress take root.

With each graduating class, universities send into the world a new brand of thinkers and innovators, well prepared to tackle the challenges we face.As concerns over environmental protection mount on a local and global scale, USC finds itself in a position to foster a generation of people for whom stewardship and sustainability are a chief priority.

We believe that through achieving several primary goals, we can better incorporate a philosophy of environmental protection into the culture of USC.

These goals align with the larger targets established by our office’s division, Career and Protective Services.

The Office of Sustainability has worked to develop practical and effective means of achieving these objectives.

We maintain our core values as critical to both the external and internal operations of the Office of Sustainability.

As USC continues to forge ahead on many fronts, our office works to ensure that sustainable practices underlie all efforts and progress made. We find this to be crucial to USC’s commitment to the future, and to the students who will lead it.


our strategic plan

VisionThe USC Office of Sustainability aims to serve as the global leader for sustainable campus development by pioneering cultural and behavioral shifts that promote environmental and social welfare.

MissionIt is our mission to implement sustainable practices on campus while developing innovative outreach and educational programs for the university and local community. We see the cultivation of stewardship as central to the responsibility USC has to its students, and it is the aim of our office to ensure USC’s fulfillment of this obligation.

Values Accountability, integrity, collaboration, efficiency and innovation.

Goalsa reduction in university energy 1. consumption and solid waste generation

an improvement in the quality 2. and accessibility of university sustainability resources

strengthened relationships between 3. university organizations and the local community.

CAPS Mission Critical Driverssafeguard USC’s human, financial and 1. environmental assets

advance employee and 2. institutional excellence

cultivate and strengthen internal and 3. external partnerships

innovate and streamline services4.

USC Sustainability 2013 Annual Report · 5

programs

green office

Purpose of ProgramCrucial to sustainable development is the propagation of collective responsibility and shared awareness. With these ideas in mind, the USC Office of Sustainability has designed and implemented its Green Office Certification Program. Central to this program are two goals: the adoption of green and economically feasible practices by academic and administrative offices, and the education of staff and faculty to integrate a sustainable paradigm into the backbone of the university.

AchievementsThe Green Office Certification Program, now in its second year, gives USC offices a framework for implementing sustainable practices in the workplace. Green office leaders within each participating office work to ensure that certain green standards are being met, and that certification, once achieved, is maintained. In addition, the program accomplishes education and outreach among university staff, allowing them to understand the implications and consequences of the waste generated in USC offices.

Certified offices benefit from lower costs, particularly with regards to electricity usage, the purchase of office supplies, transportation methods and energy management. These reductions in cost allow for the allotment of funds to other areas that further the progress of this university. The program has successfully operated on the assumption that each staff and faculty member assumes his or her own responsibility. Together, everyone benefits.

Since its start, the Green Office Certification Program has certified

10 offices on campus, with 14 staff members and student workers participating as green office leaders. Within certified offices, over 120 staff and faculty have committed to the adoption and observance of sustainable practices. By the end of 2014, it is the goal of the Office of Sustainability to have certified over 60 campus offices. Using an Internet course platform, staff members will have access to tutorials and training sessions regarding green office practices. This will enable more offices to participate in the Green Office Certification Program.

ChallengesThe program has not been without its obstacles. Engagement of office workers remains one of the largest challenges towards achieving certification. It is often the case that staff and faculty will prioritize other office issues ahead of sustainable practices, and compliance can be difficult to ensure. Despite these problems, there is tremendous promise for the program.

Future GoalsBy the end of next year we aim to have over 60 offices on campus certified. We plan to provide training sessions as a tutorial over the internet so staff members can train themselves on their own schedule rather than having to come to our sessions. This will enable more offices campus wide to participate in our program on their own time.

The Green Office Certification Program provides realistic sustainability policies that

require small actions on an individual level, but amount to a significant

impact school-wide.

Ray BarkleyFacilities Services Manager

Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

““


Purpose of ProgramCentral to the success of the Office of Sustainability are the relationships we form and maintain with members of the student body, faculty, and university as a whole. We also strive to reach out to members of the local community and alumni of USC, increasing our visibility within the Trojan Family. Through our communication and outreach efforts, we inform contacts of all news, programs and initiatives using multiple social media platforms.

AchievementsOur email listserv, operated through Constant Contact, includes nearly 10,000 people, with about a 17% open rate (1,700 opens).

Our Facebook page, USC Sustainability, has over 900 likes, and is a great platform for sharing news and photos. Photos are also shared on our Instagram account, @uscsustainability.

Started in September, the account has been slow to gather followers, but sharing capabilities allow us to link Instagram photos to numerous social media outlets.

And in the age of retweets and hashtags, no thriving communications campaign would be complete without a Twitter account. Ours, @GreenUSC, allows us to share quick news blurbs with the public,

such as weekly reminders about the Trojan Farmers Market.

ChallengesIn working to publicize the efforts of this office, our greatest challenge has been expanding our communications base. At public events, we often have sign-up lists and encourage people to “like” and “follow” us using their smartphones. But it can be difficult to ensure that people partake. Thankfully, platforms like Facebook provide feedback as to how posts are trending, and the type of viewership we are getting. This allows us to track our progress.

Future GoalsAs our Office grows in the scope of its responsibilities, we plan as well to continue expanding our communications base, encouraging students and faculty to subscribe to our email listserv and various social media outlets. We also hope to dispatch a photographer at our tailgate and campus events, documenting our work and sharing these photos with the public. In working to develop a culture of sustainability on campus, it is the responsibility of Communication and Outreach to ensure strong relationships with green student organizations, promoting their programs and sharing their successes.


communication & outreach


Purpose of ProgramIt is our intention to strengthen lines of communication with the Greek system, to make our office’s resources more accessible, and to integrate a mindset of environmental protection into Greek life.

AchievementsThrough our Greek Tailgate Waste Diversion Program, fraternities are given the opportunity to partake in the partnership spearheaded by the Office of Sustainability. Participating fraternities recycle cans, bottles and red Solo cups used at football tailgates, and also make use of compost bins to minimize food waste. Meanwhile, a Greeks Go Green committee has worked to design strategies for sustainable living at fraternity and sorority events and houses. One such adoption of green practices has been through the Red Solo Cup Brigade, sponsored by TerraCycle. Hundreds of plastic cups, otherwise sent to landfills, are recycled as new consumer products.

These successes include the participationof six different fraternities in the Greek Tailgate Waste Diversion Program, and

the representation of twelve different Greek organizations on the Greeks Go Green committee. These houses include Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Nu, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Gamma Delta, Zeta Beta Tau, Phi Kappa Psi, Alpha Tau Omega, Sigma Chi, Sigma Alpha Mu, Delta Delta Delta and Delta Gamma.

ChallengesAlthough most houses in the Greek community seem enthusiastic about adopting green policies, many of these projects are costly and it can be difficult for fraternities and sororities to find the necessary funding. The Office of Sustainability plans to reach out to the USC Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council to encourage the provision of funds. We hope that the current successes of the Greeks Go Green initiative will promote further financial support.

Future GoalsBy the end of the Spring 2014 semester, we hope to have most houses on the Row fitted with water-conserving dishwashers. We also hope to shift fraternities away from the high-waste output of disposable silver and dishware, preventing over 2.3 million pieces of plastic trash from being sent to the landfill each year.

greeks go green

Purpose of ProgramPerhaps the most literal manifestation of our efforts to plant the seeds of environmental stewardship, the Office of Sustainability’s Urban Garden, located at 3015 Shrine Place, works to teach sustainable gardening practices to members of the university and local communities.

AchievementsTo learn of sustainable practices in a textbook or classroom is one thing. To see these practices performed and, better yet, to partake in their implementation, takes sustainable education leaps and bounds further.

Monthly gardening workshops, open to the public, aim to teach best practice techniques to both seasoned and aspiring gardeners. Underlying these workshops is the integration of a scientific curriculum. We hope to instill an understanding of how simple

practices done in a garden can have a significant impact on the environment and on daily life.

Started in the summer of 2012, the urban garden workshops have focused on such topics as composting, seasonal planting, soil preparation, and integrated pest management. In all, our workshops have drawn over 150 attendees – university students, faculty, and members of the downtown neighborhood.

In addition to hosting workshops, the urban garden program has launched an initiative to promote gardening at local schools. Currently, we partner with a class of seventh graders at George Washington Carver Middle School.

Such partnerships reap many benefits: the promotion of outdoor physical activity, the teaching of healthy nutritional habits, the beautification of school campuses and, most importantly, the integration of practical environmental science into the curriculum.

ChallengesWith our garden continuing to grow, we hope to address issues of visibility and outreach.

We would like to increase student awareness of the urban garden and promote attendance of the garden workshops, emphasizing the utility of such skills in the lives of college students.

We also hope to continue attracting community members, strengthening the connection between USC and the surrounding neighborhood.

The act of gardening is not only good and

healthy for your body and your heart,

it is therapeutic for your soul.Estefanee Villalba

Urban Garden Coordinator

“

“

urban garden


Future GoalsAs far as infrastructure goes, we would love to create a greenhouse at our facility on Shrine Place, and believe it would expand the range of topics covered during our monthly workshops. We would also like to establish partnerships with more schools in the area. And because our ultimate aim is to encourage a culture of sustainability at USC, we plan to recruit more students as volunteers in the garden.

urban garden


university park


T he campus Sustainability Tour was launched in April

of 2013 and highlights many of the sustainability features on campus. There are eight stops on the tour, and each stop has an informational sign and corresponding QR tag that links to a webpage with more information and a short video.

RTCC – The Ronald Tutor Campus Center is USC’s first LEED certified building. The main hub of campus life, the facility is designed to reduce energy consumption through high-efficiency roofing, fluorescent lighting, and a plumbing system designed for a 40% reduction in water use.

Drought Tolerant Landscaping In light of Southern California’s ongoing drought, USC’s landscaping minimizes irrigation needs and costs, integrating many drought tolerant succulents and native plants that have adapted to little rainfall. Drip irrigation systems greatly reduce water run-off and evaporation.

Cromwell Thermal Energy Storage System Below Cromwell Track and Field resides a 3.2 million gallon thermal energy storage system that chills water at night when electricity demand is low, and circulates the cold water throughout campus buildings during the day to reduce air conditioning costs.

sustainability tour


Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Annenberg is the first school at USC to certify all staff departments through the Green Office Certification Program. This transition has resulted in $10,600 in annual savings, and 285,868 pounds of carbon dioxide offsets.

USC Recycling Over 100 recycling bins are distributed throughout the University Park Campus, and the recycling program alone diverts approximately 10 tons of cardboard per week during each academic year.

Everybody’s Kitchen EVK supports sustainability through its recycling of all kitchen grease and paper products, as well as the procurement of nearly all food from local vendors, minimizing transportation-related emissions.

Alternative Transportation USC Auxiliary Services is working to minimize air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions through the reinvention of its transportation feet. This includes the adoption of green shuttles, CampusCruiser, Zipcar, and biodiesel fuel stations.

Urban Garden Established in the spring of 2010, the Urban Garden provides a learning opportunity and a fresh source of vegetables to members of the USC and local communities. Neither chemical fertilizers nor pesticides are used to maintain the garden.

Purpose of ProgramThough each of us plays a role in the advancement of sustainable practices at USC, the greatest responsibility for propelling this university into an age of environmental consciousness lies with its students. With a population of over 40,000, the student body comprises the largest group on campus.

At the Office of Sustainability, we see these students as vanguards of stewardship and progress. We’ve made it our mission to engage them with events and opportunities, and to forge strong partnerships between student organizations and our office. Ultimately, it is these students who will graduate from USC, and go on to shape the world we live

in. It is our responsibility therefore, to ensure that they inherit the world with a philosophy of protecting it.

AchievementsThrough programing and events organized by the Office of Sustainability, we’ve encouraged the adoption of a green-minded culture at USC. In 2013, we planned a comprehensive Earth Week with 22 events that ran from April 12 to May 2, 2013. These events included a student trip to Yosemite National Park, eco-tours of campus, and speaker panels on climate change. Partnerships with 16 student organizations made Earth Week possible, and an estimated 1,800 students attended our events. Earth Week also featured collaboration with campus departments and staff

initiatives. Faculty spoke on panels, and an estimated 125 faculty and staff engaged in our events.

Following the success of Earth Week, the Undergraduate Student Government approved $5,000 to go towards a green student initiative, which has developed into the Environmental Student Assembly (ESA), the newest branch of USC’s Program Board. The assembly will work closely with the Office of Sustainability on solidifying student outreach and engagement. With our office as a sponsor, the ESA will also have the capacity to work with university administration and push for green reforms at USC. Upon publication of this report, the Office of Sustainability is sponsoring Earth Month 2014, presented by the Environmental Student Assembly.

ChallengesThe ESA’s $5,000 budget constraint places limitations on the scope of its impact, but the assembly will work to secure greater funding in future semesters. The ESA looks forward to gaining full assembly status within the Undergraduate Student Government in April, following this fall’s “trial semester.”

Future GoalsAs USC’s culture of sustainability expands, it is important to remain close lines of communication and cooperation with the student organizations leading this culture shift. We plan to continue supporting the Environmental Student Assembly as it develops in the coming years. We also hope to sponsor other green student groups like SC Outfitters and the Environmental Affairs Organization through public events and publicity. By dedicating time and energy to this type of programming, we promote increased visibility on campus.

student engagement


Celebrate the Earth in Yosemite with SC Outfitters

Reserve here: http://scoutfitters.org/trip/celebrate-the-earth-in-yosemite/

Environment FairHosted by USC Staff Assembly

Health Sciences Campus 10-1:30pm

CicLAvia: Explore the Streets of LAHosted by SC Outfitters

Meet with a bike & helmet @ PSX, 9:00am

Campus Eco-tour Hosted by USC Office of Sustainability

Meet @ Moreton Fig, 11:45am

What Can We Do About Climate Change?A Panel with LA Deputy Mayor for Environment Romel

Pascual Hosted by the Political Student Assembly, Bedrosian Center for Governance & CALPIRG

Tutor Campus Center 227 5:30-7:30pmFood starts @ 5:30pm

Urban Garden Compost WorkshopHosted by Students for Environmental Enterprises

& the USC Office of Sustainability3015 Shrine Place, 3:30pm

Earth Day Performing Arts CelebrationHosted by Program Board’s Performing

Arts Committee and USC Global BrigadesGround Zero, 7:00pm

First 100 attendees get free milkshakes!

Recycled Fashion ShowcaseHosted by USC Fashion Industry Association and CALPIRG

Tommy Trojan 12-1:00pm, free giveaways begin @ 12:00pm

Riding the Green Wave: An Evening with Surfrider Founder Rob Caughlan

Hosted by: Political Student AssemblyTutor Campus Center 450, 5-7:00pm

Free food starts at 5:00pm

What’s UpCycling? Turning Your Trash to TreasureHosted by Academic Culture Assembly

Taper Hall 108, 7-9:00pm

Sustainable Vegetarianism for the EnvironmentPresentation and vegan feast with Buddhist Monk TukaramaHosted by the Tzu Ching TrojansMRF Hamovitch Conference Room7-8:00pm, free food starts @ 7pm

Earth Week Environment FairHosted by USC Staff Assembly

Trousdale Parkway, 10am-1:30pm

Yoga in the ParkAlumni Park, 10:30amBYOM (bring your own mat)

Art in the Park

Hosted by USC Marshall Net ImpactAlumni Park, 10am-5:00pm

Submit artwork to [email protected] by 11:59pm on April 5th! Earth Week Advocacy Fair Hosted by the Political Student Assembly, Special Events Committee, Program Board, & KXSCMcCarthy Quad 6-8:30pm. Farmer’s market begins@ 6:00pm, Lazer light show begins @ 7:30pm

Environmental Sustainability Research Symposium

Hosted by Environmental Sustainability Research Network

Tutor Campus Center 450, 12-4:00pmFood starts @ 12pm

Earth Week Clothing DriveHosted by USC Panhellenic CouncilTaper Hall Room 101, 6pm

The Price of Carbon: A Presentation with the Climate Reality Project

Hosted by USC Environmental Affairs Organization & the Political Student Assembly

Tutor Campus Center 351, 12-1:00pm,Free food starts @ 12:00pm

Switch Documentary Screening with Dr. Scott TinkerHosted by USC Energy ClubTCC 227, 7:00pm

THURSDAY, APRIL 18th

SUNDAY, APRIL 21st

MONDAY, APRIL 22ndMONDAY, APRIL 22nd

APRIL 13-15th

TUESDAY, APRIL 23rd

WEDNESDAY APRIL 24th

WEDNESDAY APRIL 24th

THURSDAY, APRIL 25th

FRIDAY, APRIL 26th

MONDAY, APRIL 22ndMONDAY, APRIL 29th

THURSDAY, MAY 2nd

An Interfaith Gathering Celebrating the EnvironmentUnited University Church,Fellowship Hall, 2-3:30pm

SUNDAY, APRIL 28th

USCSustainability

assessment

Purpose of ProgramIt is important, before making any moves towards progress, to first understand where the University stands. The Sustainability Assessment aims to provide this baseline evaluation.

AchievementsUsing two different databases as tools, the Office of Sustainability has assessed USC’s current sustainability baseline. Starting with the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS), a program of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), a study of the current state of sustainability on campus was estimated. This report focused on three main categories: Education and Research; Operations; and Planning, Administration and Engagement. Each category has multiple subcategories, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the sustainable initiatives of USC.

The second report, an Ecological Footprint Calculator, was presented by the Footprint Company, who wanted an opportunity to pilot their calculator with a sizeable university. While there was some categorical overlap, this calculator focused instead on our campus’ interaction with the surrounding environment. The final result displayed the University’s impact in quantities of planets, to represent the amount of land that would be required if everyone on the planet used the same amount of resources as the average member of the Trojan community. This quantitative result lends itself to a very tangible ultimate goal in terms of where we want the University to work towards.


ChallengesData collection proved to be the great-est challenge in the development of this assessment. Most departments at the university do not currently archive sustainability metrics, so it was often difficult to access the information nec-essary to complete the report. However, as sustainability gains traction as a ma-jor campus issue, we hope that campus offices and departments will improve record keeping, better informing our planning and moving us towards a more environmentally friendly university

Future GoalsThis assessment will serve as a launch pad for USC’s Sustainability Steer-ing Committee, which is currently in the process of writing USC’s first ever sustainability plan, to be presented for adoption by the university administra-tion in the fall of 2014.

game dayNo member of the Trojan Family could deny how central sports – and, more specifically, football – are to the culture at USC. And there is perhaps no greater showing of Trojan pride than the weekly flooding of cardinal and gold that happens on campus during football season. At the Office of Sustainability, we see tailgating and athletic events as tremendous opportunities to promote waste reduction and stewardship. Not only do such events generate significant amounts of plastic, glass, aluminum and compostable materials, they are also occasions during which we can interact directly with the entire USC community.

Accordingly, the Office of Sustainability operates three initiatives aimed at promoting zero-waste game days which we hope will serve as a model for other universities and football programs planning to increase sustainable waste diversion for their own schools.

tailgate waste diversion

Purpose of ProgramWorking with student volunteers, we aim to increase environmental awareness through the peer education of tailgate participants on waste diversion practices. Our goal is to promote a fun perspective on sustainability, encouraging tailgaters to enjoy themselves responsibly, and to dispose of their waste appropriately.

AchievementsThere was a significant improvement between the previous year’s metrics and this 2013 football season. Last year, the program employed 451 students for 6 home games, whereas this year, the tailgate waste diversion program employed 382 student volunteers from over 30 student organizations for the season’s seven home games.

This shows increased efficiency in coverage around campus with fewer students but more home games. Additionally, our education initiative has diverted 20% of waste from on-campus tailgates with an all time high of 31% diversion at the Utah Game. This is a 9% increase from last year’s diversion metrics.

At the games against Stanford and UCLA, we distributed our brand new ReSCycle bags to tailgaters as they entered the University Park campus, enabling them to engage in recycling at their own tailgates.

Our continued partnership with the Los Angeles Conservation Corp has greatly contributed to the success of this year’s tailgate waste diversion program. The Corp, which aims to provide at-risk young adults with education and work training emphasizing conservation and service projects, significantly increased

the metrics of recyclable material collected during tailgates.

At each home game the Corp employed 10-20 members to collect recyclables around campus, as well as the ReSCycle bags we administered at the last two games. These materials were then sorted and metrics were incorporated into our seasonal waste diversion rate.

ChallengesOur biggest challenge with the program remains the logistical complications surrounding waste diversion zones and resources. Anyone who has been at USC on game day knows how busy it can be. Tens of thousands of people sprawl out all over campus, so ensuring that we reach all of them is difficult. We’ve also found that compliance and accountability are hard to mandate, especially when there are so many people in attendance. While our campaign is frequently well received, there are some tailgates that make little or no effort to help us achieve our goal of zero waste.

Future GoalsIn future football seasons, we hope to increase personal accountability among members of the Trojan family. One way that we plan to reach this goal is through the installation of permanent waste diversion bins throughout campus. In addition to facilitating zero waste tailgates, these will encourage recycling year-round for students, faculty and visitors to USC’s campus. We also hope to build a long-term relationship with the Trojan fan base, such that waste diversion practices become a standard aspect of tailgating.


zero waste tailgate certification

Purpose of ProgramWe believe that efforts made by members of the USC community on behalf of sustainability should be recognized and congratulated. With this in mind, we launched our second initiative aimed at promoting zero-waste game days: the Zero Waste Tailgate Certification Program.

AchievementsThe Office of Sustainability has designed a list of criteria to be met by tailgates interested in achieving certification. These criteria include the elimination of all Styrofoam products and single-useplastic cups, plates and utensils.Participants must use certified com-postable alternatives, and must agree to divert all recyclable and compostable materials to appropriate bins. Tailgaters can achieve either Cardinal or Gold level certification. Both levels are commend-able, however the Gold level focuses on the reuse of items and materials rather than recycling alone.

Over the course of the 2013 football season, the Office of Sustainability has certified three Gold-level tailgates through the Zero Waste Tailgate Certification Program. Included in this group is the tailgate of Delta Omicron Zeta, and that of the Chinese American Student Association. The Office of Sustainability has also reached out to over 40 tailgates and organizations with information about the program, and the certification process.

ChallengesThe primary challenge faced by the program is expansion and outreach. This includes maintaining contacts with active tailgates and organizations on campus, raising awareness of the certification process, and ensuring that

Zero Waste Tailgate ZoneOn November 23, 2013, we put on a Zero Waste Tailgate

Zone on McCarthy Quad before kickoff against Utah State. The event featured a recycle bin design contest, a recyclable

redemption station, and our signature blender bike.

Student artists entered to participate in a recycling bin

design contest where tailgaters were able to vote on their

favorite design by recycling their bottle in each bin.

A ReSCycle Store, sponsored by ESPN Environmentality, the USC Bookstore, and USC Auxiliary Services, provided tailgaters with swag they would be able to buy. The catch? The only currency we accepted was recyclables.

A blender bike gave tailgaters the opportunity to

blend their own smoothies made from fresh fruit, all

with the power of their own peddling!


participants understand the ultimate goal of zero waste practices. We have also struggled to make certification a logistically and financially streamlined process for tailgaters.

Future GoalsOur goal for the coming football season is to launch an outreach campaign to garner more participants, and eventually to certify at gold level a majority of the organized tailgates held on campus, including the Associates Picnic held in Founders Park.

Purpose of ProgramOur responsibility to achieve zero-waste game days encompasses not only tailgating events held prior to the games, but the games themselves. As Trojan fans make their way from campus to the Coliseum, we work to encourage a continued mindset of sustainability and appropriate waste diversion. Regardless of whether our team wins or loses, there is no excuse for poor waste practices.

AchievementsWe have implemented a composting and recycling initiative within the Coliseum to encourage game day attendees to dispose of their trash properly. Any facility built to hold over 93,000 people is bound to generate waste. Our aim is to ensure that we are not necessarily generating trash.

ChallengesThe Coliseum Waste Diversion Program has not been without its roadblocks. Largely because of the sheer size of the venue, it is difficult to raise awareness about the zero waste efforts going on. It is also complicated to facilitate the cooperation of all vendors and custodial staff.

Future GoalsIn the coming seasons, we hope to eliminate the need for trash cans inside the Coliseum by continuously advocating on behalf of green practices and by educating game day fans about composting and recycling. We would also like to work closely with stadium vendors to develop a uniform standard of compostable packaging for all food and drinks served.

coliseum waste diversion


collaborations

collaborations

Small Steps/Big Wins In an effort to increase stewardship on campus, the Office of Sustainability has partnered closely with myActions and NetImpact in the “Small Steps, Big Wins Campus Challenge”. The Challenge motivates students to make a positive social and environmental impact through the power of social network and mobile innovation.

Undergraduates compete within campus organizations and against other college campuses while taking actions, such as recycling, carpooling, or volunteering. Each action raises points that correlate to money donated to meaningful nonprofits like the World Wildlife Fund or the Environmental Defense Fund.

The Office of Sustainability promoted this challenge through peer educators from the Tailgate Waste Diversion program, eliminating 5,700 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. We look forward to partnering with MyAction on future projects.

Associate’s Picnic This football season, the Office of Sustainability partnered with the Alumni Association to bring sustainable practices to the USC Associates Tailgate. By working with the staff, catering company, and the attendees themselves, we encouraged proper waste diversion and became proponents for composting and recycling wherever possible. With the help of 53 student volunteers we were able to see a significant impact not only on the picnic’s waste diversion rate, but also on the exposure of our program. This season saw a total of almost 10,000 picnic attendees, which we recognized as a huge chance to further waste diversion practices. On our final game day, we were able to divert 1,227 pounds of the picnic waste produced by the 1,800 attendees.


collaborations

USC Solar DecathlonThis year, USC students partook in the US Department of Energy’s annual solar decathlon, held at Orange County Great Park in Irvine. With backgrounds ranging from architecture to engineering, these students built a home that included a plug-in for electric vehicles. The USC team finished first in appliances and third in architecture.

USC Sustainability supported USC’s Solar Decathlon team, mainly through providing produce from the USC Urban Garden for the meal competitions, providing the USC Sustainability electric vehicle for demonstrating charging, and promoting their efforts through our communications channels.

MarketThis year, we partnered with USC Hospitality to launch the Trojan Farmers Market. Held every Wednesday on McCarthy Quad, the market brings together vendors from throughout the area to provide fresh, local produce and food to students and faculty. The market has been extremely well-received by the Trojan community, and has become an important aspect of USC’s campus culture.

Environment FairWe partnered with the USC Staff Assembly to host the annual environment fair during the month of April. The environment fair showcases sustainable services and practices to the USC community.

AthleticsThe spring semester saw a new development in our partnership with the USC Athletics Department. On Saturday, April 27th, the Women’s Sand Volleyball team joined with the Office of Sustainability to facilitate the first Zero Waste athletics event at the new Merle Norman Stadium. Through fan engagement and a collaborative effort with the players and coaches, we were able to encourage environmental stewardship, reducing the waste generated at the event. The women’s team also participated in a beach cleanup at the Annenberg Beach House in Santa Monica to pay forward the spirit of sustainability.

Research SymposiumWorking with the Environmental Sustainability Research Network, our office hosted a research symposium last spring. The event featured 40 student projects relating to the environment and sustainability, including undergraduate and graduate submissions from Keck, Dornsife, and Viterbi. Students competed for prizes that were awarded to them based on faculty votes.

Dorm Move OutUSC Sustainability helped organize and facilitate a dorm move out waste diversion initiative at the end of the 2012-2013 school year. We focused on collecting items that students planned to throw out, ranging from e-waste to recyclables to old clothes.

Many items were donated to local families in need. This event also gave us the opportunity to speak face to face with students and their parents about sustainability issues and the work of our office on and around campus.


moving forward

moving forward

Green Revolving FundIn 2013, we worked extensively with Energy Services and with the Marshall School of Business MBA Program to propose a USC green revolving fund. This fund would invest in utility efficiency projects to reduce energy consumption, reinvesting realized savings into future initiatives. Green revolving funds differ from one-time investments in utility cost savings in that these investments grow the fund’s assets over time. Additionally, savings beyond the initial loan amount (plus interest) will accrue directly to the participating university, freeing up funds to be used in support of USC’s academic goals. Similar funds across the country have reported project returns on investment (ROI) ranging from 29% to above 47% with a median ROI of 32%.

Sustainability PlanWe are currently working with students, faculty, and staff to create a university-wide sustainability plan. The plan

addresses sustainability efforts in the areas of education and research, engagement, energy and greenhouse gas emissions, procurement, transportation, waste, and water. This plan represents USC’s first collective action in sustainability as a university. The plan is expected to be presented for adoption to the cabinet in 2014.

Hero Appreciation NetworkCurrently, we are partnering with the non-profit Hero Appreciation Network to pilot the “Ink for Education” program at USC. Students will be encouraged to recycle ink cartridges and recruit local businesses to do the same. A majority of the profits (85%) from the recycling program will go towards student loans and tuition fees (up to $200,000). This is intended to be a pilot program for a nation-wide initiative, and will roll out in the spring of 2014.


moving forward


Sustainability Video ContestWe are collaborating with the USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Change Making Media Lab (CMML) to organize a sustainability video contest. This project is intended to bring awareness to issues of sustainability and stewardship through the use of creative visual media. Contest winners will receive scholarships and prizes. We plan to hold this contest in the spring of 2014.

Greenhouse Gas InventoryIn the spring of 2014, the Office of Sustainability will be taking inventory of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted from various direct and indirect sources at USC. This includes emission sources such as natural gas combustion for

heating, electricity usage, solid waste generation, and transportation. Data will be collected through partnerships with various departments on campus. The campus-wide inventory aims to provide a baseline assessment with the ultimate goal of drafting and adopting USC’s first Climate Action Plan.

Green Student UnionFor this semester, the Green Office Certification Program aims to certify the Student Union Building and all its offices, including the Asian Pacific American Student Services, the Daily Trojan, USC Credit Union, and the Ticket Office. With more than 15 offices, the Student Union Building will help us reach our goal of 50 certified offices.

usc sustainability report 2013 (1)

Documents