Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 46.39
Liaison Weston Dripps
Submission Date March 1, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Amherst College
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Laura Draucker
Director of Sustainability
Office of Environmental Sustainability
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Central Sustainability Website 

Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts?:
Yes

A brief description of the central sustainability website (optional):
The Green Amherst page is coordinated by the Office of Environmental Sustainability and acts as a source for information on environmentally-related events and current activities in the OES. It also provides information about environmentally-friendly behaviors and efforts made to improve campus sustainability. It connects visitors to other pages and departments that work on sustainability such as dining services and facilities.

The website URL for the central sustainability website:

Sustainability Newsletter 

Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
The Office Environmental Sustainability produces a newsletter every semester containing updates on new sustainability initiatives being run by the college, overviews of relevant student research taking place on campus, and profiles of notable alumni in sustainability-related fields.

None
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
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Social Media Platforms 

Does the institution have social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, interactive blogs) that focus specifically on campus sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of the social media platforms that focus on sustainability:
The Office of Environmental Sustainability has a Facebook page, Instagram, and Twitter account that keep followers connected to the activities of the OES and provide useful links to information about sustainability in the news and on campus. We also use Instagram and Snapchat to host social media competitions.

The website URL of the primary social media platform focused on sustainability:

Student Newspaper Coverage 

Does the institution have regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat?:
No

A brief description of the regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
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The website URL for regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
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Student Research Publication 

Does the institution produce a vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability?:
No

A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
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None
The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
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Green Building Signage 

Does the institution have building signage that highlights green building features?:
Yes

None
A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :
In our new Greenway Dorms we include signs in the main living areas and on each of the dorm room doors that highlight the green features of the space and include ways to ensure the features work as intended (e.g., radiant heating)

None
The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :

Sustainable Food Systems Information 

Does the institution have signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems?:
Yes

A brief description of the signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
The central dining hall on campus posts information on the local and sustainably sourced food they purchase. There is also significant signage on composting to help educate visitors on what is compostable and the value of composting.

None
The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:

Sustainable Grounds Signage 

Does the institution have signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed?:
No

A brief description of the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
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The website URL for the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
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Sustainable Walking Map or Tour 

Does the institution produce a sustainability walking map or tour?:
No

None
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
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None
The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
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Guide for Commuters 

Does the institution produce a guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
The vast majority of our students do not commute daily (98% live on campus). Our HR department provides information to state run commuter programs.

The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:

Materials for Cyclists and Pedestrians 

Does the institution produce navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians (e.g. covering routes, inter-modal connections, policies, services, and safety)? :
No

None
A brief description of the navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
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None
The website URL for navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
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Green Living Guide 

Does the institution produce a guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
The Office of Environmental Sustainability website contains a section outlining the best energy-saving behaviors for residential living, and provides resources for sustainable travel when going off-campus.

None
The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:

Other Outreach Materials 

Does the institution produce other sustainability outreach materials or publications not covered above?:
Yes

A brief description of these materials or publications:
We send out a bi-weekly newsletter from Book & Plow farm that highlights the work being done on the farm in a given week and the successes/challenges the farm is experiencing at the moment.

The website URL for these materials or publications:
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Optional Fields 

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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