Michigan State University
EN-7: Employee Educators Program

"EcoReps were recruited from every department and building on-campus. EcoReps: - Promote environmental changes among co-workers - Are points of contact for their department for questions and information on environmental stewardship - Are liaisons between Campus Sustainability and buildings for suggestions, improvements and progress As of Summer of 2018, the EcoRep program will be transitioned into the Waste Warriors program, run through the Recycling Center and Surplus Store. Waste Warriors will have all responsibilities EcoReps possess, and will carry out those duties in the same manner, championing sustainability at their respective locations. With over 300 departments on campus and each department developing unique relationships internally and with the campus community, EcoRep outreach varies by area. However, all EcoReps lead, educate, and help to train members of their own offices and departments as well as other members of the campus community. EcoReps with high outreach include Cullinary Recycling Center and Surplus Store,  and Infrastructure and Planning Facilities. "

Ecoreps are selected through a sign-up process that takes place within each department on campus. Those interested in the program elect to be recruited, and are chosen for training based on their enthusiasm for the environment, eagerness to learn about social and economic sustainability, and their experience and ability in public outreach and face-to-face communication. 

EcoReps are given a training document and a welcome email with detailed instructions on responsibilities and support network. They are given periodic updates on initiatives and receive calls to action on various campus sustainability events.

The Eco Reps program has one dedicated full-time staff support from MSU Sustainability.

Members of the Advisory Program develop best practices, energy and materials conservations, assessments, food waste programs, marketing and communications, and student and fulltime member training involving tours and public speaking in Residential and Hospitality (RHS) Services Sustainability. Overall, participants promote a positive work environment towards sustainability by existing as a resource to provide information, focus, and direction for all members of the MSU community and beyond. Excite, energize, and inform staff and guests about sustainable practices of RHS and recruit further involvement. This advisory program trains employees from all other departments in MSU, and those employees are paired with their equivalent in the RHS Sustainability team, where they learn to become ambassadors of sustainability in their own departments. 

Through Residential and Hospitality Services (RHS), individuals are selected to participate in an advisory program. Participants are selected through an open recruiting process, where individuals express interest in the program and are then required to apply and "shadow" their adviser. 

Participants are trained in food waste programming and building incentive-based programs to encourage composting within the units, and are also taught data tracking and collecting for the RHS Sustainability database. Participants are trained in student supervisor and team member training, and event planning, presentations, and public speaking in tours and engagements. 

The Advisory Program is supported by the Residential Education and Hospitality Services (REHS) division, and run through RHS. The program is tailored by the sustainability officer in RHS, and overseen by the Director of REHS. 

"Due to MSU's decentralized government, sustainability officers, representatives, and teams are dispersed throughout campus divisions and departments. Although administration heads a sustainability office, divisions have sustainability officers that work cross-divisionally to solve complicated problems and sustainability issues. Other peer-to-peer sustainability outreach programs happen within divisions on a individual and case-by-case basis. Generally, this includes peer-to-peer training in areas with only one branch of sustainability, such as: The Health4U program: members of the Health4U office hold workshops and activities where they train and engage other employees of varying levels across the university. Past workshops have included cooking, gardening, exercise, meditation, and reflection. Recycling Center: Employees at the Recycling Center teach new hires how to sort recyclable items on the sort line. Soartan Green Office Certification Sustainability Champions: through the Spartan Green Office Certification program, applicants can become sustainability champions on behalf of their offices. Through the online certification process, these participants learn about a sustainable and greener office space, and in order to keep the office certification they must educate their peers to continue achieving the behaviors that won the office the original certification. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/local_msu_extension_office_works_toward_spartan_green_certification MSU Extension requires all of its employees to tour the MSU campus and learn from their peers (from across the state) during the tour as all discuss sustainability, MSU's renewable energy highlights, efforts in sustainable farming, work in campus culture, student involvement, and research. MSU Extension staff are shown the campus farm, Anaerobic digestor, solar carport, power plant, and bike paths on campus by other members of MSU extension. "