| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 73.91 |
| Liaison | Daryl Pierson |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Portland State University
EN-5: Outreach Campaign
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Heather
Spalding Sustainability Leadership and Outreach Coordinator PSU |
Has the institution held at least one sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at students and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability? :
Has the institution held at least one sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at employees and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Name of the campaign:
A brief description of the campaign, including how students and/or employees were engaged:
Mission
The No Scrap Left Behind (NSLB) program raises awareness about wasted food on campus through interactive activities and outreach that provide practical solutions for the PSU community.
Vision
At PSU, we aim to create sustainable food systems that nourish people and the environment, build community, and foster collaboration among key partners on campus. Using the EPA’s food recovery hierarchy, we prioritize:
-Reduction of food waste through food choices, portioning and awareness.
-Donating any uneaten food to those in need.
-Recycling any wasted oil for energy recovery.
-Composting any food that is unable to be utilized or donated.
-The NSLB program supports this vision by working at the highest points in the hierarchy--source reduction--and sparking dialogue and engagement around food waste issues
Program Goals
-To engage the campus in issues of wasted food and its impact on our environment, economy, and society.
-To develop innovative food waste reduction solutions and build skills around food portioning, preparation, and storage.
-To help inform food service providers on campus about opportunities to reduce food waste through portioning, menu options, food donation, and partnering with students and faculty groups.
-To gather data on food waste and student engagement that can ultimately inform a broader, collaborative Sustainable Food Action Plan for the PSU campus.
No Scrap Left Behind began in Fall 2015 and was designed and piloted at Portland State University based on programs at numerous other universities including the UC Davis Love Food, Don’t Waste program. We’ve run food waste buffets quarterly to highlight uneaten food at our dining hall during the lunch hour, share resources with students, and capture survey data to inform perceptions about wasted food. At the end of each day, the amount of leftover student food scraps generated during the lunch period (11am-1pm) is weighed and composted to help us better understand the impacts of the buffet over the course of a week.
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign:
No Scraps Left Behind not only provides a positive impact on the students who are in our dinning halls, but also has an impact on the students, staff, and faculty who volunteer for the program.
NSLB has hosted mini food waste buffets for classes, giving students the opportunity to create messaging and collect data via peer-to-peer surveys. In the Spring of 2017, a class of 23 student participated in an hour long mini buffet engaging with students during the lunch hour. During this hour students collected a total of 20.8 pounds of post-consumer food that was wasted and conducted 37 peer-to-peer surveys.
NSLB also hosts week long events through out the year below of the results of the last two years:
-Winter 2017: 236.2 lbs post consumer food waste
-Spring 2017: 204.6 lbs post consumer food waste
-Fall 2017: 299.1 lb post consumer food waste
-Winter 2018: 338.6 lbs post consumer food waste
The website URL where information about the campaign is available:
Name of the campaign (2nd campaign):
A brief description of the campaign, including how students and/or employees were engaged (2nd campaign):
A survey was sent to every department at Portland State University that outlined best practices in:
-energy and water
-conservation
-transportation
-waste pervention
-purchasing
-event planning
Over 40 departments completed the survey. The Campus Sustainability Office met with departments who completed the survey providing information and resources for departments to improve their ratings.
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign (2nd campaign):
Areas that we have seen successful change:
-Recycling and composting
-Healthy offices
-Energy conservation
-Event Planning
The website URL where information about the campaign is available (2nd campaign):
A brief description of other sustainability-related outreach campaigns, including measured positive impacts:
The Eco Challenge is an annual challenge hosted by the Northwest Earth Institute. In the fall of 2018 PSU's Campus Sustainability Office and Student Sustainability Center collaborated to create teams for the PSU community to encourage participation. The Eco Challenge gives tools and inspiration to reduce impacts on the planet and contribute to a healthy, vibrant, and sustainable future. PSU is also considering participating in the Campus Eco Challenge Program in the future, which is focuses on campus impacts.
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 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.