George Washington University
PAE-24: Sustainability Policy Advocacy

GW is engaged with public policy leaders on sustainability at the local (District of Columbia) and Federal level. The Office of Sustainability works hand in hand with GW’s government and community relations team to guide public policy engagement and advocacy on a myriad of campus and academic sustainability issues. At the Federal Level, GW’s President Knapp has supported Congressional reauthorization of the University Sustainability Program at the Department of Education. He also served on Second Nature’s National Transportation Policy Task Force to focus national attention on transportation policy and programs that support climate and energy goals as related to higher education institutions. GW provides ongoing input to Washington, D.C. legislators and regulators at all points of developing and reviewing public policy on issues including green buildings, stormwater regulation and permeable space, renewable energy, tree canopy, farmers markets, and bicycle infrastructure. The university’s goal is to enable more sustainable infrastructure within the constraints of the District mandated Campus Plan rules. President Knapp also helped to launch the District of Columbia Mayor’s College and University Sustainability Pledge (CUSP). As a signatory to the CUSP, GW has committed to supporting the local government’s sustainability efforts by demonstrating action on campus. Additionally, President Knapp was appointed as a member of Washington, D.C. Mayor Grey’s Green Ribbon Committee whereby GW provided significant input on the District of Columbia Sustainability Plan including legislative and budgetary mechanisms for enabling sustainability as part of the Sustainable DC Act. President Knapp was the featured speaker to join Washington, D.C. Mayor Grey at the unveiling of the District of Columbia Sustainability Plan. GW provides intellectual and physical space for policy makers and public managers to create sustainability policy and practice. In 2010, GW hosted the first Green Gov Symposium for Federal Agency leaders and managers. GW hosted a Policy Greenhouse with District of Columbia Councilmember Cheh's office in 2009. During that process, citizens submitted innovative sustainability policy ideas and pitched them to agency heads and Councilmembers.

More about the Washington, D.C. Policy Greenhouse here http://planetforward.org/idea/policy-greenhouse-at-the-george-washington-university/ More about the first GreenGov Symposium (2010) here http://www.whitehouse.gov/greengov/symposium