| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 54.63 |
| Liaison | Kelly Wellman |
| Submission Date | Jan. 23, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Texas A&M University
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Ben
Kalscheur Sustainability Assistant Manager Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution produce the following outreach materials and/or publications that foster sustainability learning and knowledge? :
| Yes or No | |
| A central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution’s sustainability efforts | Yes |
| A sustainability newsletter | No |
| Social media platforms that focus specifically on campus sustainability | Yes |
| A vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability | Yes |
| Building signage that highlights green building features | No |
| Food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems | No |
| Signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed | No |
| A sustainability walking map or tour | No |
| A guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation | Yes |
| Navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians | Yes |
| A guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience | Yes |
| Regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat | No |
| Other sustainability publications or outreach materials not covered above | Yes |
A brief description of the central sustainability website:
The Office of Sustainability website is designed to educate about sustainability, to promote sustainable practices both on and off campus, and to provide resources and support for people who wish to incorporate sustainable practices into their work and life.
The website URL for the central sustainability website:
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
A brief description of the social media platforms that focus specifically on campus sustainability:
In 2009 we launched a TAMU Sustainability Facebook page to provide instant updates on sustainability-related information, and to interact with our social media subscribers. In 2013 we launched a Twitter account (@SustainableTAMU) to serve the same purpose. In 2014, we launched a similar Instagram account (@sustainabletamu)
The website URL of the primary social media platform that focuses on sustainability:
A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
Explorations is a student-run journal guided by faculty and administrators that selects and publishes student-authored articles of general interest in any area. Articles are submitted in a two-stage process: first, proposals for articles are reviewed by faculty-student teams; secondly, the resulting full-length articles undergo a second round of peer review. Acceptance to the journal is competitive—less than 20% of submitted proposals are accepted. Recently published articles have been from a wide range of academic fields: music, creative poetry, forensics, cancer biology, astrophysics, nanomedicine, computer algorithms, business, geosciences, sociology, aerospace engineering, and cultural anthropology.
The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :
The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
A brief description of food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
A brief description of signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies:
The website URL for signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies:
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation:
Transportation Services highlights a variety of options through an Alternative Transportation link on their website.
The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation:
A brief description of the navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
Transportation Services provides information and resources about: bike registration, bike regulations, theft & safety, the Borrow a Bike program, summer bike storage, bike auctions, bike program updates, bike racks, bike maintenance stations, campus bike lanes, and city bike lanes on their website.
The website URL for navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
The Residence Hall Association (RHA) recognized that to be good stewards, students need to lead the push to retool the built environment, in addition to our lifestyle and habits. Several students in RHA created this Sustainability Guide document to motivate change that encourages fiscal, environmental, and social responsibility.
The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
A brief description of regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat:
The website URL for 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 another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above (1st material):
The Office of Sustainability has developed a Sustainability Pledge that students, faculty, and staff can take online. This pledge offers a plethora of information regarding sustainable actions individuals can take in their lives, why it is so important, and links for further reading. The pledge is specifically tailored to A&M's culture and infrastructure.
The website URL for this material (1st material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (2nd material):
A brief description of this material (2nd material):
The Office of Sustainability has available both online and in print, a sustainability flyer that gives students insight into the function of the office, as well as tips for being more personally sustainable. The flyer is a mainstay at all outreach events attended by the office.
The website URL for this material (2nd material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (3rd material):
A brief description of this material (3rd material):
At outreach events the Office of Sustainability uses displays and banners that highlight the function of the office, success stories, outreach campaigns, and contact information to visually engage participants.
The website URL for this material (3rd material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (4th material):
A brief description of this material (4th material):
At outreach events the Office of Sustainability uses free-give-a-ways branded with our office logo as outreach materials. Free give-a-ways include t-shirts, reusable water bottles, reusable grocery bags, and notepads. These work as a form of free advertising every time the recipient uses the item. We leverage the give-a-ways to engage participants more deeply in sustainability issues. We value quality over quantity and expect participants to engage for at least five minutes before being given their item.
The website URL for this material (4th material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (5th material):
A brief description of this material (5th material):
The Office of Sustainability invested in two solardok picnic tables that run completely off solar power. The tables have both 110 electrical outlets and USB ports that allow users to charge their laptops and portable electronics such as cell phones. The table has our brand logo in the awnings, as well as a Quick Response (QR) code that directs the user to our website.
The website URL for this material (5th material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (6th material):
A brief description of this material (6th material):
Through an Aggie Green Fund grant, the Office of Sustainability invested in over 20 water bottle filling stations on campus. At the grand opening events in 2012 for each water bottle station, the Office of Sustainability distributed free water bottles that were branded with the Office of Sustainability logo. In 2013, we expanded the grand opening events to include a 30 minute presentation on local and global water issues. In 2014, we created a semester long campaign called, "Make the Switch, Keep the Tradition," where we encouraged campus constituents to ditch disposable bottles in favor of reusable bottles. Reusable CamelBak bottles were given to participants who pledged to ditch disposable.
The website URL for this material (6th material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (7th material):
A brief description of this material (7th material):
The website URL for this material (7th material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (8th material):
A brief description of this material (8th material):
The website URL for this material (8th material):
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.