Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 57.65
Liaison Michelle Seppala Gibbs
Submission Date March 6, 2020

STARS v2.2

Hope College
IN-49: Innovation C

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.50 / 0.50 Michelle Gibbs
Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute Partnership

A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:

Together Hope College, the City of Holland, and Holland Board of Public Works developed the Sustainability Institute to support outreach, education and practices geared toward creating a more sustainable community.

VISION
Our vision is a healthy and economically vibrant community that promotes environmental stewardship and mutual respect for people and the planet.

MISSION
Our mission is to foster collaborative efforts to infuse sustainability into the minds and practices of the greater Holland community.

PURPOSE
The purpose of the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute is to support growing efforts to encourage, engage, educate and drive sustainable culture in water and air quality, energy efficiency, land use and environmental innovation using a sustainability framework evaluation process and other best practices.

The Institute grew out of an education and outreach task force, one of seven citizen-led task forces launched in conjunction with Holland’s Community Energy Plan.

Some key projects that have come out of the HHCSI have been focused on education:
-an on-going weekly column "Living Sustainably" in the local Holland Sentinel Paper (established in 2017) and an archive of all topics can be found on our blog: https://blogs.hope.edu/sustainability-institute/
-The HHCSI has been the lead organization for the on-going FREE community sustainability education series (established in 2014) "Living Sustainably Along the Lakeshore." https://hope.edu/offices/sustainability/holland-hope-college-sustainability-institute/events.html The group was recognized as the "Top Project of the Year" by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's Neighborhood Environmental Partners Program" - see press release attached below.
-2017-2019 Annual Sustainability Research Projects utilizing the City of Holland's Sustainability Framework (https://blogs.hope.edu/sustainability-institute/smart-energy/2019-hope-college-student-sustainability-research-projects/)
-calculation of the Community Energy Plan's GHG carbonfoot print
-Urban Tree Canopy Research Project
-City of Holland Annual Sustainability Report www.hollandsustainabilityreport.org


A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise or a press release or publication featuring the innovation :
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute was established in 2014, but this has been a great opportunity to support sustainability in our community. We are often asked about the partnership.


The Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute was established in 2014, but this has been a great opportunity to support sustainability in our community. We are often asked about the partnership.

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