| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.18 |
| Liaison | Weston Dripps |
| Submission Date | Aug. 19, 2024 |
Amherst College
EN-1: Outreach and Communications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 5.00 |
Weston
Dripps Director of Sustainability Sustainability |
Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about its sustainability efforts?:
Website URL of the institution’s central sustainability website:
Does the institution integrate sustainability information into the educational offerings or materials provided during new student orientation or the equivalent?:
Narrative outlining how sustainability information is integrated into new student orientation or the equivalent:
There is a sustainability Moodle module included in the mandatory pre-arrival online orientation that all new students, including transfers, complete. The module includes a sustainability welcome video that highlights the college’s sustainability efforts and ways for students to get involved with the sustainability office and college’s sustainability initiatives. The module also includes a link to the sustainability webpage and a copy of the Sustainable Living Guide that provides new students with tips, tricks, and info to help pursue a sustainable lifestyle on campus and contribute to the campus sustainability culture.
Sustainable Living Guide- https://www.amherst.edu/system/files/2024%20Amherst%20Living%20Guide.pdf
The sustainability office also brings back its student EcoReps pre-orientation to assist with new student Move In. Each EcoRep is assigned to a first year residence hall and greets new students at their residence halls and assists with recycling of cardboard boxes and packaging during Move In. We have also developed a coordinated campus closed loop system across the annual Move Out / Move In cycle that minimizes waste to the landfill during Move Out and reduces the purchase of new materials during Move In. Donations are gathered during Move Out through a well-coordinated and messaged campaign through the Office of Sustainability, Facilities Team, Athletics Department, and Office of Residential Engagement and Wellbeing. All of the usable donated room décor and dorm room accessories (e.g., linens, sheets, lamps, rugs, fans, decorative pillows, shower supplies, storage containers) are made available for free back to students during orientation. The event is built into the first year orientation schedule. First year students are given first access, followed by returning students, staff, and faculty, respectively. Donated clothing is offered in a separate free clothing extravaganza event held at the end of orientation. These two large orientation events help establish a culture of sustainability among the incoming students, and have both become signature orientation sustainability events, with close to the entire first year class attending both events.
Does the institution integrate sustainability information into the educational offerings or materials provided during new employee orientation or the equivalent?:
Narrative outlining how sustainability information is integrated into new employee orientation of the equivalent:
Each month, the Office of Sustainability sends a welcome packet to all new staff as part of their onboarding that provides an overview of the sustainability office, a summary of the college’s sustainability efforts, and programs and ways to get involved with the office and campus sustainability efforts. This same information is included in the welcome packet distributed by the provost’s office to all new incoming faculty during their orientation.
Does the institution have dashboards and/or signage highlighting the institution’s sustainability features or performance?:
Description of the institution’s sustainability dashboards and/or signage:
The office of sustainability hosts and maintains a virtual sustainability tour site on the college’s sustainability website that highlights all of the main campus sustainability features - https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/09f5dd97fae842eb9fe1e757affe34f3
The college also has extensive signage throughout campus on campus kiosks and along the ongoing construction fencing about our campus climate action plan. The signs are large vinyl banners and include detailed information about our climate action plan and campus decarbonization as well as some catchy slogans like “We are getting into hot water” and “We have a pipe dream”. Amherst is transitioning our campus energy system from fossil fuel driven steam system to a new fossil fuel free low temperature hot water distribution system that is coupled with geothermal ground source and air source heat pump systems run on renewable electricity. The project is an 8 year project and so public signage is regularly updated to share progress and milestones on our efforts.
Does the institution manage a sustainability-focused social media account, newsletter, blog, online community, podcast, video series, or equivalent communications medium or platform?:
Description of and/or website URL for at least one sustainability-focused communication medium or platform:
The Office of Sustainability maintains and distributes a bi-monthly student sustainability newsletter and a monthly external alumni sustainability newsletter. Newsletters are distributed via email using MailChimp, and copies of the newsletters are also available on the sustainability website: https://www.amherst.edu/about/sustainability/office-of-sustainability/follow-us-
The Office of Sustainability hosts and populates a very active sustainability instagram site and a sustainability Linked In site. Both social media sites have good followings and have become one of the main mechanisms for disseminating campus sustainability information.
Sustainable_Amherst Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainable_amherst
Sustainability at Amherst College Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/79392460/
Has the institution coordinated one or more sustainability-focused outreach campaigns during the previous three years?:
Description of sustainability-focused outreach campaigns from the previous three years:
The Office of Sustainability regularly coordinates campus wide sustainability outreach campaigns across a variety of campus sustainability issues including climate action, sustainable investment, energy use, food systems, waste, transportation, and social justice among others. The outreach is organized and executed by our EcoReps and sustainability fellows. Each month has a designated focus area / module for engagement. The EcoReps stage weekly tablings in our dining commons, distribute and hang educational materials and posters to all of the residence halls, and run monthly engagement campaigns for each monthly topic. Some examples include:
Zero Waste Campaign: The college participates in the Campus Race to Zero Waste competition in the % diversion and per capita recycling divisions. This past year we finished #7 in the country for diversion rate. As part of the awareness efforts we conduct a waste audit of the residential waste stream on the quad, and have “recyclable, compostable, or landfill” sorting challenges for students to test their waste knowledge. The EcoReps also host a huge yard sale and free clothing event during orientation with all of the materials left behind during Move Out as part of our Zero Waste Awareness and Closed Loop System campaigns.
Reduced Energy Campaign: The EcoReps coordinate an annual Kill A Watt Energy competition among the first year residence halls as part of the Energy Module each fall. Residence halls compete to reduce their energy use compared to pre-established baselines. The competition runs for two weeks and daily updates are posted on the live standings. The winning residence hall receives a sustainability themed party.
Sustainable Living Campaign: As part of the sustainable lifestyle module, the EcoReps host a Green Living Certification challenge. Students are encouraged to make more sustainable lifestyle choices and complete a scored self audit that allows them to achieve a sustainability rating for their room.
Transportation: The Office of Sustainability coordinates and hosts a Campus Commuter challenge in April in which participants are encouraged to ride their bike to work. Participants track their daily mileage over the course of the month and a live campus leaderboard is maintained with winners recognized for most miles ridden and most number of rides over the course of the month.
Points earned for indicator EN 1.1:
Does the institution collect data on the reach of its sustainability outreach and communications efforts and/or stakeholder awareness of its sustainability initiatives?:
Percentage of campus stakeholders reached through sustainability outreach and communications:
Approach used to determine the percentage of campus stakeholders reached:
Description of the methodology used to determine the reach of the institution’s sustainability outreach and communications:
Our campus wide sustainability survey found that 50.4% of campus stakeholders said they are aware of and informed about campus sustainability efforts and events through at least one of the following modes of outreach and communication:
- Office of Sustainability Newsletter
- Social Media (Instagram / LinkedIn)
- Flyers / Posters
- EcoRep program
Points earned for indicator EN 1.2:
Notes about the information provided for this credit:
Additional documentation for this credit:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.