| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.23 |
| Liaison | Merry Rankin |
| Submission Date | Sept. 1, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Iowa State University
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Merry
Rankin ISU Director of Sustainability Facilities Planning & Management |
Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts?:
A brief description of the central sustainability website (optional):
Iowa State University has had a campus-wide sustainability initiative since 2008, called Live Green! As the overarching program promoting sustainability, Live Green! maintains a central sustainability website that includes information on sustainability-related programs, a calendar for upcoming events, ways to live green, and opportunities to study sustainability at Iowa State. This website also has information on resources for implementing sustainable initiatives and getting involved. Finally, there are marketing materials available to promote the initiative, including wallpaper and logos for use, links to other sites affiliated with the initiative, such as Live Green’s Twitter and Facebook pages, and contact information for campus sustainability leaders.
The website URL for the central sustainability website:
Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter?:
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
The Live Green! Initiative at ISU publishes a monthly newsletter, called Live Green Monthly, which is distributed electronically through Live Green’s website and through email. This newsletter includes sustainability-related events, ways to live more sustainable, and information about student clubs or organizations promoting sustainability. This newsletter is published by an intern team, that also includes seasonal stories related to student travel during breaks, environmental impacts of holidays, and information on what ISU programs do to be sustainable.
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
Does the institution have social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, interactive blogs) that focus specifically on campus sustainability?:
A brief description of the social media platforms that focus on sustainability:
The Office of Sustainability at Iowa State utilizes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pintrest as well as a Wordpress blog site that all focus specifically on sustainability initiatives at Iowa State and opportunities to live, work and study more sustainably.
The website URL of the primary social media platform focused on sustainability:
Does the institution have regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat?:
A brief description of the regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
The Iowa State Daily, the main student newspaper at Iowa State, has an environmental and sustainability beat reporter every semester. This reporter is assigned to the sustainability beat at Iowa State.
The website URL for regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
Does the institution produce a vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability?:
A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
Iowa State University has the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, which manages a webpage listing the various research centers and institutes on campus. Within the webpage are links to the seven college research units in the university, each with its own website that includes links, news, and articles. These sites publish and disseminate all research done within the colleges, and any prominent student research on sustainability is included.
The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
Does the institution have building signage that highlights green building features?:
A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :
All of Iowa State’s green buildings have online brochures available highlighting more green features and including a self-guided walking tour of certain buildings. In addition, featured LEED buildings have touchscreen kiosks that allow visitors to learn more about the sustainable features within those buildings. Finally, each of ISU’s LEED certified facilities has a LEED plaque prominently displayed close to the main entrance.
The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
Does the institution have signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems?:
A brief description of the signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
ISU’s dining facilities have signs highlighting local foods being served. This includes information on the “Farm to ISU” program, which coordinates the purchases of local, organic, and alternatively produced agricultural products. In addition, ISU Dining partners with Food at First, an Ames-based free meal program for Story County citizens in hunger. Food at First volunteers work with ISU Dining employees to deliver packaged food items that have not been purchased in ISU Dining's retail locations to Food at First's local food pantry. Food at First consists of two offerings for those in need: a free meal and a food pantry. Finally, there are signs posted throughout food service areas highlighting ISU’s reusable mug discount program, which provides anyone who buys a beverage with their own container a $0.35 discount.
The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
Does the institution have signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed?:
A brief description of the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
Iowa State has installed signs to educate about the variety of sustainable practices that are used on campus. Signs are intended to be installed at a site for a short period (up to 2 years) and are then relocated to new sites where practices are being implemented. They are printed on adhesive backed vinyl and are installed on aluminum sign blanks. Examples of sign messages include encouraging students to help maintain the campus lake’s water quality, promoting sidewalk use to help grass recovery, and informing students about the benefits of native prairies located on campus.
The website URL for the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
Does the institution produce a sustainability walking map or tour?:
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
Iowa State University discusses Live Green, the university-wide sustainability initiative, on all campus tours. This includes showing the solar trash compactors on campus, talking about the history of sustainability at ISU, and highlighting the university’s LEED certified buildings. In this way, every visitor to Iowa State is able to learn about what Iowa State does to be green, and is physically exposed to sustainability during his/her tour of campus.
The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
Does the institution produce a guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation?:
A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
Iowa State’s Government of the Student Body (GSB) provides a website with carpool and ride share information. Carpooling is for anyone looking to commute to Ames for class or work, while the ride share program is for anyone planning a road trip or for students going home. In addition, Iowa State’s Facilities Planning & Management Department manages an online map of bicycle trails on campus. This also includes locations of bike racks throughout the university.
Another on-campus resource for alternative methods of transportation is the Ames Inter-modal Facility (AIF). This is Ames’s bus station, which is served by intercity buses to nearby cities such as Des Moines, Kansas City, Minneapolis, and Chicago. The facility also has parking available, which is free for carpools and vanpools. Finally, Iowa State Transportation Services offers a vanpool program, through which university employees driving to and from work may use university owned vans to commute together with other staff members.
The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
Does the institution produce navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians (e.g. covering routes, inter-modal connections, policies, services, and safety)? :
A brief description of the navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
ISU and the City of Ames have collaborated to develop a series of bicycle trails and paths that provide connectivity for cyclists throughout the community and within the university. The trail network consists of separate trails, shared use trails, and bicycle friendly streets. Bicycle parking is located throughout campus near university residences as well as throughout the academic areas of campus. CyRide, the community transit, provides for bike friendly buses as well. The student body funded the installation of a bike pump service area.
The website URL for navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
Does the institution produce a guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
The ISU Department of Residence (DOR) provides several resources to residents to incorporate green living into their facilities. The DOR maintains educational bulletin boards in residence halls with ways residents can decrease their energy use. There is also a green living guide called “Guide to the Green Galaxy” for Community Advisers, which are the leaders of each house in the university residences. This document includes tips on making a room more environmentally friendly, including links to resources for both dorm rooms and apartments. The CA’s are then able to use this information to spread to their residents. In addition, the DOR has slides with information on their website that are available to all students. The information was provided by the GreenHouse Group, a student organization on campus, and approved by the DOR. Presentations include tips to make a room more sustainable, information on reusing items instead of disposing them, and giving examples of common items that can be reused.
Iowa State’s Live Green Initiative has also published a document called “10 Ways to Start Living Green!” This includes tips for reducing water use, electricity use, and other ways to incorporate sustainability into residential life. More tips can be found on Live Green’s “Tips” webpage.
The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
Does the institution produce other sustainability outreach materials or publications not covered above?:
A brief description of these materials or publications:
The website URL for these materials or publications:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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.