| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 73.66 |
| Liaison | Amber Saxton |
| Submission Date | Feb. 22, 2024 |
George Mason University
PRE-2: Points of Distinction
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Greg
Farley Director of Sustainability University Sustainability |
Name of the institution’s featured sustainability program, initiative, or accomplishment:
A brief description of the institution’s featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
The Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation’s mission is to develop leaders in biodiversity conservation through innovative education, training, and research.
It offers a range of hands-on, interdisciplinary programs in conservation for undergraduates, graduate students, professionals, and high school students.
Smithsonian scientists, Mason faculty, and experts from conservation organizations around the world provide direct connections to the most current teaching, and research work in the field.
Students thrive in a collaborative atmosphere of creative, analytical thinking. It's alumni become part of a lifelong global community that supports visionary thinking and informed practice of conservation biology across a variety of careers and fields.
Which of the following impact areas does the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Research
Campus Engagement
Website URL where more information about the accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Name of a second highlighted sustainability program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
Mason's Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE) connects members of the Mason community with others across the Mason community–and with other communities, policy-makers, businesses and organizations–so that, together, they can more effectively address the world’s pressing sustainability and resilience challenges.
Which impact areas does the second program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Research
Campus Engagement
Website URL where more information about the second program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the second program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
Name of a third highlighted program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
The Mason Sustainability Council's Circular Economy & Zero Waste Task Force received the Governor's Environmental Excellence Award in March of 2022 for their leading work among Virginia agencies and universities to reduce single-use plastics and pivot to more sustainable alternatives. This effort is an ongoing initiative undertaken since August 2021, and Mason has eliminated over half of its single-use plastics, including plastic bags and food and beverage containers in dining, stores, vending, arenas, restaurants and other locations for endlessly recyclable aluminum, third-party certified compostables, and other options. In the Greening of Government category, Commonwealth officials noted that Mason set a model for change, and accelerated action and led other state agencies and beyond with excellence. After performing an inventory, Mason was able to eliminate more than 9.1 million single-use plastic or polystyrene items within six months of the Task Force's launch. Eliminated items accounted for 92,000 lbs. of single-use plastics or polystyrene, and accounted for about 60% of Mason's inventory.
Which impact areas does the third program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Purchasing
Waste
Website URL where more information about the third program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the third program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.