Emory University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and published a report on strategies used on campus to reach 25% energy use reduction, with attention to reducing greenhouse gases. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and published a report on the emergence of Emory's Climate Change commitment and goals. In a Fostering Sustainable Behavior course, a group of students interviewed professors about their willingness to lead a “Day without Power” on campus to underscore the importance of addressing climate change. In a Fostering Sustainable Behaviors course, a student executed and evaluated an intervention to reduce food waste on campus by employing photographic food diaries.

In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on the history of Emory's water conservation policies and how they have been incorporated into green buildings and the Water Hub at Emory. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on strategies used on campus to reach 25% energy use reduction, with attention to reducing greenhouse gases.

In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a group of students created a video titled "5 Things Every Emory Undergrad Should Know About Sustainability," which included a segment about Emory's energy use reduction goals and programs. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on strategies used on campus to reach 25% energy reduction, with attention to reducing greenhouse gases. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on how Emory Healthcare embraced energy saving strategies in hospitals, through behavior change and through building renovations. In a Sustainable Consumption course, a group of students conducted a cost-benefit analysis to some energy-reducing technology at Emory and proposed adoption of new technologies.

In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a student created a video documenting the history and current state of Emory's Educational Food Gardens initiative. In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a group of students created a video investigating Emory's sustainable food procurement policies, and definition of local and sustainable food. In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a group of students created a video titled "5 Things Every Emory Undergrad Should Know About Sustainability," which included a segment about Emory's sustainable food goals and programs. In the Sustainable Food Fair course students rely on a social media platform to promote the adoption of sustainable food and water consumption practices. Students committed to using a reusable water bottle to reduce plastic waste and unnecessary spending and were required to share sustainable living tips, related to food and water, with members of their online social communities. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on the emergence of the Sustainable Food committee, its policy recommendations, and procurement processes. Also part of this study was the Educational Garden Project, the Oxford Farm, and the Emory Farmers Market. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on how Emory Healthcare made changes in patient and staff food services to move toward more sustainable and local food procurement, including the development of a large garden for patient meals. In a Fostering Sustainable Behaviors course, a pair of students worked with Emory dining on a qualitative research project to design and implement an intervention to reduce food waste. In an Urban Food Security course, a group of students investigated the effectiveness of on-campus food-related organizations to create understanding of food issues. As a Sustainability Minor Capstone, a student completed an interview-based research project about farmers' strategies for pricing food at farmers markets. As a Sustainability Minor Capstone, a student completed a history of school gardens and experiential research as a school garden.

In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a student created a video investigating and documenting the history of native species and land preservation at Emory. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on the history of Emory's water conservation policies and how they have been incorporated into green buildings and the Water Hub at Emory.

In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a group of students created a video investigating Emory's sustainable food procurement policies, and definition of local and sustainable food. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on the emergence of the Sustainable Food committee, its policy recommendations, and procurement processes. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on how Emory Healthcare made changes in patient and staff food services to move toward more sustainable and local food procurement, including the development of a large garden for patient meals.

In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a student created a video documenting the history and current state of sustainable transportation and the use of biodiesel in Emory's shuttle fleet. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported the role of Campus Services, student leaders, and the Office of Sustainability in supporting alternative transportation policies at Emory, including the biodiesel-fueled shuttle system. In Fostering Sustainable Behaviors course, two groups of students conducted qualitative research to explore how to facilitate behavior change from driving/taking university transit to biking and walking from the Clairmont campus.

In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a group of students created a video investigating student knowledge about composting, facts about composting, and the compost program on Emory's campus. In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a group of students created a video titled "5 Things Every Emory Undergrad Should Know About Sustainability," which included a segment about Emory's landfill diversion goals and programs. In the Sustainable Food Fair course students rely on a social media platform to promote the adoption of sustainable food and water consumption practices. Students committed to using a reusable water bottle to reduce plastic waste and unnecessary spending and were required to share sustainable living tips, related to food and water, with members of their online social communities. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on the emergence of Emory Recycles and its efforts to divert Emory's waste from the landfill. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched how Emory Hospitals embraced goals for waste reduction and innovated in offices and operating rooms. In a Fostering Sustainable Behaviors course, a group of students conducted research to demonstrate students’ willingness to recycle or donate school supplies that would otherwise be thrown away. In a Sustainable Consumption course, a group of students designed a plan for a re-purposing organization on campus that would address the end-of-year waste from students moving away from campus. In a Fostering Sustainable Behaviors course, a pair of students evaluated economic and environmental interventions that promote BYO cup behaviors at on-campus coffee shops. In a Fostering Sustainable Behaviors course, a student executed and evaluated an intervention to reduce food waste on campus by employing photographic food diaries. In a Sustainable Consumption course, a group of students thoroughly researched Ban the Plastic Bottle programs at universities around the country and proposed a similar plan for Emory University. In a Sustainable Consumption course, a student conducted a literature review of waste behaviors to propose an intervention to promote recycling in student dorms. In a Sustainable Consumption course, a group of students proposed the development of a clothes-exchange app for Emory campus that would facilitate cultural change for clothes reuse.

In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a group of students created a video titled "5 Things Every Emory Undergrad Should Know About Sustainability," which included a segment about The Water Hub at Emory. In the Sustainable Food Fair course students rely on a social media platform to promote the adoption of sustainable food and water consumption practices. Students committed to using a reusable water bottle to reduce plastic waste and unnecessary spending and were required to share sustainable living tips, related to food and water, with members of their online social communities. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported the history of Emory's water conservation policies and how they have been incorporated into green buildings and the Water Hub at Emory. In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a group of students toured the Water Hub at Emory and studied water reclamation on campus.

In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a group of students created a video titled "5 Things Every Emory Undergrad Should Know About Sustainability," which included an overview of Emory's sustainability goals and programs and the Office of Sustainability Initiatives. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on the many strategies used by the Office of Sustainability to promote public engagement on environmental and social issues, including conservation, food policies, alternative transportation, and climate change. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on how the Oxford Organic Farm has been integrated into multiple courses, including sociology and biology. In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on how the Campus Life division came to embrace sustainability goals with regard to waste, water, energy, food, and green buildings and built in educational opportunities for all students in the residence halls and for all Resident Advisors.

In a course Writing Emory's Sustainability History, a student report on waste incorporated the issue of equity by interviewing custodial staff and querying whether workloads had increased with the expansion of Emory Recycles. In a course on sustainable food systems, students discuss the affordability of organic products and the impact of Emory's sustainable food commitment on students with different financial means. A Masters in Development Practice course on the US South uses the campus as a laboratory to explore how investment in the built environment of the campus shapes the construction of knowledge; students explore in particular how the built environment naturalizes relations of race, class and gender. Their work extends beyond the physical environment as well, to examine similar processes at work within Emory¹s virtual representations (especially web pages).

In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students interviewed the former president and executive Vice President about how several challenging financial and investment decisions were made that affected buildings, personnel, and programs related to sustainability. A Masters in Development Practice course on the US South uses the campus as a laboratory to explore how investment in the built environment of the campus shapes the construction of knowledge; students explore in particular how the built environment naturalizes relations of race, class and gender. Their work extends beyond the physical environment as well, to examine similar processes at work within Emory¹s virtual representations (especially web pages).

In a course on Writing Emory's Sustainability History, students researched and reported on how many different divisions of Emory University and Healthcare began programs to encourage public engagement around sustainability, including the community engagement process utilized to gain input on the Emory University Sustainability Vision and Strategic Plan, 2015.

In "Sociology of Sustainability," a part of students' Theory/Practice/Service/Learning component is to work on the Oxford College of Emory University's organic farm for six hours throughout the semester. They reflect on their experiences in this work, specifically looking at how a connection to the soil/land, in specific contexts, can increase the capacity for human well-being. In a dance course, students created original works that highlighted water scarcity and the burden on women’s work around the world and performed this piece, using the central campus.

In a Foundations of Sustainability course, a group of students worked with area food banks to develop a process for distributing fresh vegetables from the university’s educational gardens. In a dance course, students created original works that highlighted water scarcity and the burden on women’s work around the world and performed this piece, using the central campus.