| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.00 |
| Liaison | Jonna Korpi |
| Submission Date | Nov. 4, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Minnesota, Duluth
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Jonna
Korpi Sustainability Director UMD Sustainability |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Central Sustainability Website
Yes
A brief description of the central sustainability website (optional):
The Office of Sustainability and the UMD Campus are committed to communicating, educating, and inspiring action to integrate sustainability into all aspects of campus life. Our website incorporates past, current, and future aspirations for UMD Sustainability efforts in Education and Research, Programs, Campus Initiatives/Operations, and Student Projects.
The website URL for the central sustainability website:
Sustainability Newsletter
Yes
None
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
Our sustainability newsletter goes out campus-wide via a listserv each fall and we've had a spring edition as well on occasion. The past newsletters are archived on our website. Typically, our newsletter summarizes the biggest sustainability news from the past 8-12 months, as well as highlights upcoming events and current initiatives.
More timely news is posted on our News & Events page, with new stories apprearing about monthly. These web stories are then shared out to our followers via social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) where we have thousands of followers.
None
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
Social Media Platforms
Yes
A brief description of the social media platforms that focus on sustainability:
The sustainability office engages in social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to promote sustainability practices. Instagram is currently our primary social media platform, with a 35% increase in followers in the 2018-2019 school year. This owes to more content/activity and better awareness of campus sustainability activities.
The website URL of the primary social media platform focused on sustainability:
Student Newspaper Coverage
Yes
A brief description of the regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
UMD's student newspaper, The Bark, puts out issues on a monthly basis. One reporter is assigned to the environment and sustainability issues, among other duties. We typically see pieces on sustainability/the environment once a month or every other month. Some articles are 'online only' and some make it all the way to the print issue.
The website URL for regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
Student Research Publication
Yes
A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
UMD Undergraduate Research Opportunity Project and Sustainable Development Research Opportunity Project offers students research dollars and valuable links to faculty, staff, and community members for basic research and sustainability projects. Results are disseminated to the campus through Departmental symposiums, poster sessions, and projects are often highlighted on the Sustainability website and social media platforms.
Many of the SDROP and UROP students attend the annual SELFsustain conference (Student Engagement Leadership Forum on Sustainability), hosted via the U of M Institute on the Environment, where sustainability student leaders from across U of M meet to discuss sustainability progress on each campus and across the U of M system.
None
The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
Green Building Signage
Yes
None
A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :
All LEED buildings at UMD feature a sign that displays the level of green certification obtained. In addition, the Labovitz School of Business and Economics (UMD's first LEED Gold building) has signs that feature the green and sustainable elements in the building. These elements include energy efficiency, water savings, healthy building elements, lighting upgrades, and recycled/local building materials. The Bagley Classroom, Civil Engineering, and Ianni Hall have interpretative display signs just outside the building. In addition, energy usage information from Bagley is regularly updated on our website z.umn.edu/solar
Details for all of our green buildings are being archived on our UMD Sustainability website.
None
The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
Sustainable Food Systems Information
Yes
A brief description of the signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
- Signs educating campus users about Compostable and recyclable items
- Signs in the dining center/food outlets to identify locally-grown food from the UMD Farm (during growing season)
- Food Waste Awareness Day(s) that happen each semester. These events are peer-to-peer education opportunities which helps bring student attention to what they put on their plate -- and what they are throwing away. Our peer educators also talk with other students about the greater implications of food waste -- the energy, water, soil amendment inputs that are also wasted when food is thrown out.
None
The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
Sustainable Grounds Signage
Yes
A brief description of the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
Our biggest sustainable grounds feature is the UMD Rain Garden (http://www.d.umn.edu/sustain/raingarden/index.html), and the Garden is continually featured/toured by campus and our surrounding community members. The rain garden has a large display, along with paper copies of plant lists and a suggested tour of the stormwater treatment features. The tour guide and plant list are also uploaded on our website.
In addition, our Grounds crews use many alternative plantings to sod, including wildflowers and native plants, which also have signs across campus, and are included in our online Virtual Sustainability Tour at http://z.umn.edu/UMDsustaintour
The website URL for the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
Sustainable Walking Map or Tour
Yes
None
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
7 different tours focusing on different aspects of sustainability on campus including but not limited to a tour of the farm, sustainable buildings on campus, and rain garden tours.
There is also a GIS-based virtual sustainability tour that features additional aspects of campus sustainability that are less visible http://z.umn.edu/UMDsustaintour
None
The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
Guide for Commuters
Yes
A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
The UMD Transportation and Parking Services maintains an extensive website that showcases the wide variety of sustainable transportation options that exist at UMD.
The most highlighted program is the U-PASS program. The U-PASS Program is an innovative partnership between UMD and the Duluth Transit Authority to encourage use of public transportation at UMD. Unlimited, free rides are provided for students anytime, anywhere around the Twin Ports area. A $15 per semester student service fee helps cover the cost of the U-PASS program. Staff and faculty (even part-time!) can purchase a U-PASS for only $70 for the year, via payroll deduction! The number of riders from UMD has now exceeded 7.7 million using the UPASS since the program's inception in 2000.
They also offer the opportunity for multiple people/vehicles to share a parking permit, which also encourages carpooling. Additionally, folks who carpool to campus and park in the pay-lot receive discounts and incentives to continue carpooling and to add more people to the carpool.
UMD offers Electric Vehicle Charging at no charge. We are currently expanding from 1 charging station site to 4, double-port sites, that will be more spread out geographically across campus.
The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
Materials for Cyclists and Pedestrians
Yes
None
A brief description of the navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
Transportation and parking services provides a walking map that provides routes and route times. A walking path was built exclusively for pedestrians and bicyclists from one of the main roadways and campus.
We also have a Bike-to-Campus program, including two RFID bike reader stations that "count" bike riders each day, three bike-repair stations, and multiple bike parking options (including designated Winter Bike Parking.) Faculty and staff can earn wellness points by biking to campus as well. http://d.umn.edu/transportation-parking-services/sustainable-transportation/bike-campus
None
The website URL for navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
Green Living Guide
Yes
None
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
A Sustainable Living Guide was developed by a student sustainability intern, and it summarizes presentations given to RAs and incoming freshman at past Bulldog Welcome Weeks. The Guide is available to anyone, but specifically provided to RAs who request help in designing sustainable activities and themes to share with their residents. Although it is no longer available in print form, the guide is online and provides campus Eco-Rep students a resource for ideas for projects and outreach events.
None
The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
Other Outreach Materials
Yes
A brief description of these materials or publications:
The Office of Sustainability has a paper brochure that describes opportunities for students to get involved. And a 'UMD By The Numbers' Infographic that highlights sustainability milestones for the year.
There is also a publication of the "Sustainability Times" published once a year to highlight the sustainability projects going on around UMD campus and across the U of M system.
The Office of Sustainability also produces an Annual Report each year.
The website URL for these materials or publications:
Optional Fields
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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