University of Nebraska - Lincoln
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

In April of 2022 students created a music and arts festival that took place during EarthStock, UNL's month-long celebration of sustainability in April. The festival included an art show, concerts from local artists, and a block party. The festival brought students together from all over campus to explore the application of art to topics of sustainability.

In September 2021, UNL’s Office of Sustainability hosted the Sustainability Summit to engage students, faculty, and staff in sustainability topics. Summit speakers provided presentations and panel discussion on topics including the City of Lincoln Climate Action Plan, misconceptions around Climate, Recycling and Renewable Energy, and student involvement opportunities in sustainability focused organizations.

During 2021 and 2022, the University’s Office of Sustainability, in collaboration with University Operations partners and with funding support from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, designed and implemented the Sustainability on Wheels Program. This interactive, traveling event is intended to provide an opportunity for faculty and staff to learn about sustainable practices and initiatives at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and how they can individually contribute. Through the Sustainability on Wheels program, UNL’s Office of Sustainability aims to partner with each academic college on campus to offer convenient Sustainability on Wheels events to UNL personnel across campus. At the events, faculty and staff have the opportunity to meet and make connections with UNL campus partners who are sustainability experts in their respective fields. Campus partners share information on their department, how their department contributes to a more sustainable campus environment, and how faculty and staff can personally help support these sustainability initiatives in a casual, conversational manner. These partners include:

Custodial Services and Integrated Pest Management

Utilities Services and University Facilities

Environmental Health and Safety

Landscape Services

Waste Management and Recycling

Parking and Transit Services

In November 2022, the University of Nebraska System hosted its inaugural system-wide Sustainability Summit at Nebraska Innovation Campus. The Nebraska-system Sustainability Summit brought together NU sustainability leaders and stakeholders in the hopes of prompting growth and understanding in sustainable initiatives and visions. Nebraska Innovation Campus models sustainable practices
in our physical facilities and culture. Nebraska Innovation Campus buildings are built to LEED Silver standards and enable the campus to minimize its impact on the environment while maximizing the utility and well-being of
users.

Each year ASUN (UNL’s student government) coordinates students, faculty, and staff to volunteer throughout the city of Lincoln for The Big Event. Now in its 22nd year at Nebraska, the Big Event has grown to be the university’s single largest student-run community service project. The 2022 event, which included more than 45 private residences, five parks and 15 nonprofit sites worked by the volunteers, was organized by 10 student leaders. Story with photos: https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/900-students-make-community-impact-through-big-event/

ENVR 319 – Students gather and analyze data, in collaboration with international and local non-profits. Each student is a member of a team that is paired with a community client to address an issue, question, or challenge that the organization currently has, or to help prepare them to face in the future. The student groups work together and in collaboration with the client during the semester to develop a product that: 1) clearly identifies the problem/challenge, 2) provides relevant background information that will include what other organizations are doing, 3) offers potential solutions, and 4) provides recommendations for moving forward.

ENVR 495 – Senior internship class that pairs students with community partners to promote their missions related to the environment and sustainability.

Sustain UNL, a student group on campus that focuses on various sustainability initiatives, focused on Air and Climate via its participation in the Global Climate Strikes, and Divest NE which is focused on the entire Nebraska University system divesting from fossil fuels. In 2021 and 2022, the Sustain UNL attended the monthly Board or Regents meetings where to testify in support of UNL to divesting completely from fossil fuel use and investment.

In 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 Sustain UNL regularly promoted student involvement in community climate strikes held at the University and at the NE State Capital. Sustain UNL also prioritizes education of Air & Climate issues like fossil fuel divestment and carbon neutrality goals, through club fairs, weekly meetings, social media engagement, their website, and letter writing campaigns.

During 2021 and 2022, the University’s Office of Sustainability in collaboration with Campus Planning and with funding support from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, designed and implemented the Sustainability on Wheels Program. This interactive, traveling event is intended to provide an opportunity for faculty and staff to learn about sustainable practices and initiatives at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and how they can individually contribute. At Sustainability on Wheels events, faculty and staff have the opportunity to meet and make connections with UNL campus partners who are sustainability experts in their respective fields. Campus partners share information on their department, how their department contributes to a more sustainable campus environment, and how faculty and staff can personally help support these sustainability initiatives in a casual, conversational manner. One such partner includes Utilities Services and University Facilities. These partners provide heating and cooling to buildings, working to create more efficient and sustainable management in campus facilities.

In 2022, Sustainability on Wheels was also modified into a presentation format based on the request from specific UNL departments, such as the Nebraska Alumni Association. The presentation material included information from the program's campus partners, including, what the different departments are, how the departments contribute to a more sustainable campus environment, and how faculty and staff can personally help support these sustainability initiatives.


Participants can specifically support sustainability in campus buildings by selecting to pledge to one of the following items:

Turn off lights and other equipment (computers, monitors, copy machines, etc.) when you leave for the day. If equipment cannot be shut down, check for low energy use settings.

Avoid opening windows whenever possible. Close your windows and shades when you leave for the day. When the sun is shining in your window, open the shades if it is cold outside, and close the shades if it is warm.

For lab users only - Turn off occupancy switches when your lab is unoccupied and lower fume hood sashes when the hoods are not in use.

UNL’s Department of Biological Systems Engineering has been giving tours of the solar array on the roof of the Animal Science Department annually since at least 2015, to students, teachers, and public audiences.

In 2019 students planted bioenergy crops at the University research farms, and hosted field days to discuss bioenergy crop production with farmers.

https://sustainability.unl.edu/energy-conservation

The FACT 26 Design Studio in the College of Architecture is currently working on a project titled UNL Solar Mobility Hubs. The project is part of the Spring 2022 studio to develop prototypes for solar-powered Mobility Hubs around the UNL campus. Taking a climate positive approach to building and performance, the students will design a modular prototype with components serving bus stops, bike shelters, bike repair, scooter stations, and more. The project entails prototype design, construction detailing, and site planning to determine how functions will be combined at different locations. The intent is to take the designs from the spring studio and construct them on campus. The first installation would be a bike shelter at a location near one of the busiest dining centers on campus.

The UNL Student Organic Farm (SOF) on UNL’s East Campus was started in 2013 and revitalized again in 2020, when it got upgrades like raised garden beds, a bat house, trellises, and a rainwater collection system. The SOF is a place where students gather each week to connect, learn and grow food for their peers. The SOF distributes part of its annual harvest to the Husker Pantry, which gives free food to students to combat food insecurity.

UNL Dining Services started a Biodigester pilot program in one dining hall in 2019 which was so successful that the program was expanded to a second dining hall in 2020, and into two more dining halls in 2021. Future plans include installing another biodigester at the final dining center on campus as well as one at the Nebraska Union as part of their dock renovation in 2023. In 2021, the Biodigesters diverted over 50,000 lbs. of food waste from the landfill, and reduced UNL’s carbon footprint by 95 tons.

As of January 2022, all five dining halls have a program called Lean Path installed and operating in them; this program allows UNL to measure food waste, both pre- and post-consumer. This information is then used to make up-to-date adjustments to the amount of food that is ordered and prepared, drastically reducing UNL’s food waste.

Sustain UNL, a student-led group that promotes social, economic, and environmental sustainability, holds regular stream clean-ups throughout the year for a portion of Salt Creek that runs through the community and the university.

A variety of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture courses are taught using the physical campus landscape, arboretum, and greenhouses. For Example, Horticulture 212 utilizes the campus landscape for woody plant identification and landscape management practices.

In May of 2022, the UNL Office of Sustainability and Landscape Services teams supported individuals in the Agronomy and Horticulture department in organizing and facilitating a volunteer clean up of Deadman's Run on UNL's East Campus. Deadman's Run is a natural part of the local watershed and this area plays host to a number of Nebraska’s native plants and animals and is. However, rain and winds can contribute to increased debris in the area that can impact local wildlife and plants. To help restore the landscape area, over 20 faculty, staff, and student volunteers participated in the May 2022 clean up.

UNL's Office of Sustainability provided information on Closing the Loop during the solutions showcase of the November 2022 NU System Sustainability Summit. Through this outreach event, the Office of Sustainability engaged attendees of the event, including faculty, staff, and students from all four University of Nebraska system institutions, in ways that the Office of Sustainability is integrating sustainable purchasing methods into its operations. This includes purchasing apparel, office supplies, and promotional items that are made with recyclable content. Promoting this effort by the Office of Sustainability helps educate faculty, staff, and students about available opportunities to make sustainable purchasing decisions within their own operations.

During 2021 and 2022, the University’s Office of Sustainability together with funding support from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, designed and implemented the Sustainability on Wheels Program. Through interactive, traveling events, the program is intended to provide an opportunity for faculty and staff to learn about sustainable practices and initiatives at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and how they can individually contribute to UNL’s sustainability goals.

At the events, faculty and staff have the opportunity to meet and make connections with UNL campus partners who are sustainability experts in their respective fields. Campus partners share information on their department, how their department contributes to a more sustainable campus environment, and how faculty and staff can personally help support these sustainability initiatives in a casual, conversational manner. One such partner includes Parking and Transit Services. This partner develops and manages all forms of campus parking and bus transit services, working to create a more efficient and sustainable transportation system by reducing emissions, traffic congestion, and energy use.

In 2022, Sustainability on Wheels was also modified into a presentation format based on the request from specific UNL departments, such as the Nebraska Alumni Association. The presentation material included information from the program's campus partners, including, what the different departments are, how the departments contribute to a more sustainable campus environment, and how faculty and staff can personally help support these sustainability initiatives.

Participants can specifically support sustainability in transportation by selecting to pledge to one of the following items:

Use the intercampus bus system when traveling between campuses

Join the faculty and staff carpooling program

Use a bicycle for shorter trips around campus

As part of the UNL's All in the Hall recycling program, the UNL Office of Sustainability has engaged students in waste audits on numerous occasions since December 2020. Office of Sustainability staff and undergraduate students from both NRES 101 and ENVR 101 have participated in waste audits, helping to collect valuable data related to the content and contamination of waste streams. During waste audits, students are exposed to information regarding how to responsibly dispose of waste at UNL through proper recycling and landfill habits. Students work in teams to audit the waste collected and use analysis and decision-making skills. Data collected from waste audits with students have been used to make decisions regarding implementation of a standardized recycling operation at UNL.

As stated in the Stormwater Management Plan, UNL’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) department hold booths at student held events every year as a way to talk about the program, the infrastructure, and where to report sustainability concerns. An Environmental Specialist presents at a capstone course at the Engineering college and/or a Sustainability class regarding the program and all of the ways that EHS incorporates sustainability into their work.

In 2021 and 2022, EHS also interacted with a biological systems engineering class, walking to selected stormwater infrastructure sites on East Campus and teaching about the different features and their maintenance. EHS maintains a stormwater infrastructure story map on the EHS Stormwater Management website that is used as a way to share information about the systems to the general public, students, and UNL staff.

https://ehs.unl.edu/post-construction-stormwater-control-story-map

Throughout 2021 and 2022, UNL's Office of Sustainability staff (including undergraduate student interns) have been gathering and analyzing data for UNL's 2022 STARS submission.

ENVR 319 – Students gather and analyze data, in collaboration with international and local non-profits. Each student is a member of a team that is paired with a community client to address an issue, question, or challenge that the organization currently has, or to help prepare them to face in the future. This applies to Coordination & Planning because in 2021 a student team was assigned to UNL and they gathered and analyzed data for Greenhouse Gas data for UNL, as the university continues to reach toward its goal, as stated in UNL’s Environment, Sustainability, and Resilience Master Plan, of establishing policy, governance and administrative infrastructure that results in a highly-efficient campus with net-zero CO2 emissions and net zero energy readiness by 2050.

Student volunteers' partner with the UNL Center for Civic Engagement every year to create the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) to provide tax services to students, their families, and even community members that cannot otherwise afford these services. This project involves diversity and affordability because the largest users of these services are low-income, and often minority groups.

ASUN student government houses the ASUN Green Fund which provides grants to students looking to perform sustainability-related projects. The establishment and operation of the green fund is done entirely by students, with support from the UNL Sustainability Coordinator as a non-voting advisor. This allows students the opportunity to identify funding to support sustainability projects that have campus-wide impact.

In the fall of 2020 the UNL Chancellor's Commission on Environment, Sustainability and Resilience (CESRC), comprised of students, faculty, and staff, completed the Environment, Sustainability and Resilience Master Plan. The plan is comprised of 10 action plan themes, two of which are related to health and wellness. The aspirational goals of each of these two themes outline short and long-term objectives that advance sustainability for the entire UNL community. Examples of the objectives:

Create Healthy Huskers employee health and wellness group

Administer a wellness survey to guide programming

Establishment of Center for Mindfulness Education and Research

The master plan can be found here: https://sustainability.unl.edu/documents/final_report/UNL_CESRC_MasterPlan_Nov2020.pdf

More information on the commission can be found here: https://sustainability.unl.edu/chancellors-environment-sustainability-and-resilience-commission

Additionally, the university offers videos and in person training to help students do healthy meal prep during the semester. In 2021 The Office of Sustainability partnered with Campus Recreation to host a sustainability cooking class. The university offers free exercise classes like yoga, HTT, during the semester in its recreation center, apart from the paid classes.

https://crec.unl.edu/wellness_services