Eastern Mennonite University
ER-3: Sustainability in New Student Orientation

In their 3rd week on campus, all new undergrad students take a 45 minute sustainability tour of the EMU campus led mostly by third and fourth year students as a part of a new student orientation class each fall. There are five stations across campus where students hear about a different aspect of sustainability at EMU: green buildings and energy, campus gardens and composting, social and economic sustainability, stormwater and rainwater management, and edible landscaping. This tour is one of the most talked-about days of the semester for the class each year. It also is a great way for me to introduce the Office of Sustainability and get out front of every first year at the start of their campus life. Having students present at 3 or 4 of the 5 stations also gives two or three campus organizations a chance to boast about their work and get new students connected to student sustainability efforts. Its one of the best things we do on campus.