Vanessa & Jen’sService Learning

Adventures

Sustainable World

Reports from the Field

OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY

• The mission of the sustainability office is to use the strengths of George Mason University - innovation, responsiveness, flexibility, and community strength - to provide leadership in environmental, social, and economic stewardship on our campuses and throughout the local and global communities of which we are a part.

MENTORS ECO SUPERHEROS

• LENNA STORM• Sustainability coordinator

• DANIELLE WYMAN• Sustainability projects specialist

SO WHAT DID WE DO?

• RECYCLING SURVEYS• 352 responses• Determine Mason community’s knowledge• Recycling audit

WORKS IN PROGRESS..

• Designing interior recycling centers• “One stop spot for everyone’s recycling needs!”

WORKS IN PROGRESS..

• Composting food waste on campus• UVA model• Outsourcing• Transportation• Involvement

COURSE RELATIONSHIP

• Christopher Uhl• Three-step process of developing sustainability

indicators• Edwards

• Ecology/environment• Economy/employment• Equity/equality

COURSE RELATIONSHIP

• Orr – “Four Challenges of Sustainability”• “2. The transition to sustainability will require a

marked improvement and creativity in the arts of citizenship and governance. There are some things that can be done only by an alert citizenry.”

• “3. The third challenge…is to inform the discretion of the public through greatly improved education. Students of all ages will need the kind of education and skills appropriate to building a society with fewer cars but more bicycles and trains; fewer power plants but more windmills and solar collectors; fewer supermarkets and more farmer’s markets…”

WHAT DID WE LEARN?

• Students need motivation and education!• Communication• Effective citizenship• Strategic problem-solving• Valuing