Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 81.81
Liaison Tonie Miyamoto
Submission Date Feb. 25, 2014
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.2

Colorado State University
ER-1: Student Sustainability Educators Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.00 / 5.00 Tonie Miyamoto
Director of Communications and Sustainability
Housing and Dining Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total number of degree-seeking students enrolled at the institution:
26,755

Program name (1st program):
Eco Leaders

Number of students served by the program to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (1st program):
16,000

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (1st program):

Eco Leaders are students in the residence halls who help raise awareness about sustainability issues and encourage environmentally-responsible behaviors for an academic year. There is one Eco Leader per residence hall who helps educate students in their hall about sustainability issues such as waste reduction and energy conservation, and helps plan activities and campaigns.


A brief description of how the student educators are selected (1st program):

Housing & Dining Services (HDS) hires one student representative from each residence hall to serve as a peer educator for 3-5 hours per week for an academic year.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (1st program):

Representatives attend a weekly meeting to plan and discuss projects, meet key staff members, learn about university procedures and sustainability issues, and reflect on past activities. Through a training manual, meetings, and field trips, Eco-Leaders learn about a variety of sustainability issues. They then work to bring those messages back to their peers in the residence halls in a variety of formats, and to create collaborative relationships with others.
They assist with RecycleMania, Green Warrior, annual waste sort, Earth Week, Leave It Behind, and other related sustainability events and campaigns.


A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (1st program):

Eco Leaders receive training throughout the year on topics such as effective communication, leadership, community-based social marketing, team building, social justice and diversity, and environmental issues. They attend a mid-year retreat to reflect on past semester’s work and plan for the upcoming semester.
Eco-Leaders sign a contract outlining expectations, and receive a $1,600 reimbursement on their housing costs for the academic year ($800 per semester).


The website URL for 1st Program:
Program name (2nd program):
ASCSU-Environment Department

Number of students to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (2nd program):
26,755

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (2nd program):

The Associate Students of CSU (ASCSU) has organized their Green efforts through a dedicated Student-led Environment group.

The Executive Director of Environment position and team was recently created to assist with the university's goals of becoming a Green University. This Department works alongside the green projects of the university as well as creating student based initiatives. The Department will sit on university committees that work on creating a green university.

The ASCSU-Environment student group organized Bike to Breakfast Stations this year: four different dates, culminating in over 1,000 students served breakfast if they arrived to campus on their bike. The breakfast stands also offered free tune ups and educational material on biking to campus.

ASCSU-Environment also works with the Fraternity and Sorority system at CSU to educate them about energy saving techniques and more. Students go directly to greek houses in order to encourage green living.

ASCSU-Environment also organizes an alternative transportation fair each year in order to educate students on biking, riding the bus, or walking to campus.

Additional Events include:
A National Sustainability Day on campus
Food Day (educates students about sustainable dining and food waste on campus)


A brief description of how the student educators are selected (2nd program):

The Director of the ASCSU-Environment Department is appointed by the CSU Student Body President. The Director then invites any student at CSU to participate in events (including programming, coordinating, participating, and especially educating as all of the events have a peer-to-peer educational component).


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (2nd program):

All ASCSU participants are trained in governance and CSU University policy. Additional training and support in sustainability is provided by on campus experts in areas relevant to ASCSU-Environment projects/events. For example, in preparation for a Bike to Campus Event, members will meet with the CSU Alternative Transportation Director, Parking Services, and the Bike Committee on campus in order to educate students on relevant issues.


A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (2nd program):

As part of ASCSU, the Environment team has salaries, access to facilities and office space, and other resources.


The website URL for 2nd program:
Program name (3rd program):
Green Warriors

Number of students to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (3rd program):
1,500

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (3rd program):

The Green Warriors are exceptional students dedicated to implementing sustainability in their lives and the lives of others.


A brief description of how the student educators are selected (3rd program):

There is an online application process asking about experience, sustainability knowledge, and interest. Then phone interviews take place with the applicants who who do well in the first online round. Decisions are made after phone interviews.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (3rd program):

Students report on outreach activities and are given resources to connect other student organizations on campus including; the Live Green Team/Community, the Environmental Action Collective, Front Range Student Ecology Symposium, Range Ecology Club, Student Association of Fire Ecology, The Wildlife Society, Environmental Learning Center (ELC), and the SusDev (Sustainable Development) Garden.


A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (3rd program):

House & Dining Services Sustainability Coordinator manages the program. Financial support, including stipends for the Students, comes from Housing & Dining Services.


The website URL for 3rd program:
Program name (All other programs):
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Number of students to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (All other programs):
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A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (All other programs):
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A brief description of how the student educators are selected (All other programs):
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A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (All other programs):
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A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (All other programs):
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The website URL for all other programs:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.