| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.67 |
| Liaison | Daryl Pierson |
| Submission Date | April 8, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Portland State University
IN-1: Innovation 1
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Molly
Bressers Program & Outreach Coordinator Campus Sustainability Office |
Title or keywords related to the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome :
The Waste Audit Living Lab Experience (WALL-E) has organically arisen from faculty and student interest in waste management on Portland State’s campus. Whether this interest has stemmed from the desire to see public composting options for students expanded or to personalize an individual’s connection to the waste they generate, the outcomes have been the same. Rich data about the contents of waste containers on campus are being generated and speculations on behaviors driving consumption and disposal of goods are being analyzed. In the last six months, five separate waste audits have been conducted at PSU. The first of these audits arose from the desire of PSU’s Waste Reduction Task Force to examine the amount of compostable food scraps being generated in the university’s library. This audit was followed-up with an examination by Chris North’s Studio Collective of the Art Building’s waste. The three most recent audits have all been conducted by freshman inquiry classes.
The primarily goal of the Waste Audit Living Lab Experience is three-fold. First, to provide students with a collaborative, thought-provoking experience that allows them to build connections between common resources, sustainability, and their everyday lives. Second, to build a robust data set of waste generation and disposal methods on campus and identify opportunities for process improvements in the university’s waste management program. Third, to foster partnerships and synergies across the PSU campus community and beyond regarding waste management practices with the hope of developing solution-based innovations within the school.
This is one of the first program to be officially vetted and funded by PSU's Living Lab process.
A brief description of any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation (if not reported above):
Through this program, PSU has sorted 1,466 lbs of landfill-bound waste from five different buildings on campus with approximately 150 students.
A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise:
Which of the following STARS subcategories does the innovation most closely relate to? (Select all that apply up to a maximum of 5):
| Yes or No | |
| Curriculum | Yes |
| Research | --- |
| Campus Engagement | Yes |
| Public Engagement | --- |
| Air & Climate | --- |
| Buildings | Yes |
| Dining Services | --- |
| Energy | --- |
| Grounds | --- |
| Purchasing | --- |
| Transportation | --- |
| Waste | Yes |
| Water | --- |
| Coordination, Planning & Governance | --- |
| Diversity & Affordability | --- |
| Health, Wellbeing & Work | --- |
| Investment | --- |
Other topic(s) that the innovation relates to that are not listed above:
The website URL where information about the innovation is available :
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.