Transylvania University
ER-2: Student Sustainability Outreach Campaign

Big Green Get Around is a campaign aimed at improving both physical wellness and sustainability. There are two components: The Big Green Get Around and The Big Green Climb. The Big Green Climb encourages faculty, staff, and students to use the stairs rather than the elevator. Signs are placed near all elevators and in all stairwells during the competition, encouraging people to use the stairs. The Big Green Commute encourages faculty, students, and staff to use low or no carbon transportation alternatives. Points were given based on frequency of use of stairs or alternative, low to no carbon, transportation. To help people become more family with no or low carbon forms of transportation, a number of events are sponsored during the competition (e.g., trolley rides, bike trips, bus trips). The Winter Shut Down is an effort to drastically reduce the utilities used on campus over Winter Break. The is a pre- and post- educational effort. Before shut down, candy canes are distributed to all students, faculty and staff. A checklist of things to do in offices/res hall rooms is attached to the candy cane. After shut down, information about the success of the effort is shared with campus.

In 2012, 36 students, faculty & staff completed the Big Green Get Around, climbing 17,477 flights of stairs and accumulating 1,121 points for low or no carbon transportation choices. As a result of the winter shutdown, compared with the average of 2008–10, Transylvania used 57 percent less natural gas, 20.5 percent less electricity, and 14.4 percent less water in December 2011. Compared to those same year (2008-2010), Transylvania's December 2012 resulted in a 38 percent reduction in electricity use and a 52.9 percent reduction in natural gas consumption. The university's water consumption increased due to a major leak in our athletic center.

http://www.transy.edu/magazine/2012/spring/features/feature4.htm http://www.transy.edu/news/arch_story.htm?id=838