Duke University
PAE-14: Sustainability in New Employee Orientation

Duke’s Sustainability Outreach Coordinator attends every new staff orientation (which usually occur twice monthly) to educate each of the 50 staff in attendance about sustainability efforts on campus. The Outreach Coordinator gives a five minute talk to attendees covering Duke’s Climate Action Plan, the environmental impact of staff members in areas like energy and transportation, and ways to get involved with Sustainable Duke. The Outreach Coordinator describes programs such as the monthly Green Devil Challenge, which guides staff members in reducing their carbon footprint and tools like Duke’s Individual Carbon Calculator, which can help staff track reductions in their carbon footprint. The Outreach Coordinator is also present at a table throughout the 3 hour orientation with a sign-up sheet for the Sustainable Duke pledge, information about alternative commuting benefits and a half-sheet with tips for being a more sustainable staff member. Additionally, Duke’s Transportation Demand Management coordinator talks for several minutes to the group and is also present at a table to help new staff find alternative ways to get to campus rather than driving by themselves. The TDM coordinator discusses benefits and incentives for taking the bus, biking/walking, carpooling, and vanpooling and talks with individuals about the options that are available to them.