University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
EN-1: Outreach and Communications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.25 / 5.00 |
Abigail
Brewer Communications & Engagement Specialist Sustainable Carolina |
1.1 Sustainability outreach and communications
Website URL of the institution’s central sustainability website:
Does the institution integrate sustainability information into the educational offerings or materials provided during new student orientation or the equivalent?:
Narrative outlining how sustainability information is integrated into new student orientation or the equivalent:
New Student and Family Programs puts on First Year Orientation (for students and parents) and Transfer Student Orientation. Students receive an informational booklet about student life at Carolina. One section of the guide highlights sustainability at the University and how to implement sustainable practices into student life while at the University.
In early fall 2023, the Sustainable Carolina team began working with NSFP to offer a video on sustainability, which will go in a pre- or post-orientation module students must complete. The goal of the video is to introduce students to the many different threads of sustainability that weave through campus. Video highlights include:
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Carolina Dining Services explains their back of the house composting system, along with their front of house recycling and composting system. CDS also introduces the pick your portion program, which allows students to reduce food waste.
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OWRR explains how to recycle and compost in residence halls, and where recycling bins can be found throughout campus. OWRR also teaches students what can and cannot be recycled.
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UNC Transportation & Parking introduces Chapel Hill Transit and Go Triangle, the local and regional bus systems that go through campus. They also talk about the Commuter Alternative Program, which targets students, staff and faculty living off campus.
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The Renewable Energy Special Projects Committee, a student organization, shares its recent successes and how the student renewable energy fee has most recently been used.
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The Undergraduate Student Government Department of Environmental Affairs shares their events and ways to get involved in the organization.
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Chief Sustainability Office Mike Piehler introduces students to the structure of sustainability at Carolina.
Week of Welcome is a two-week series of programs, events and special opportunities at Carolina. Events incorporating sustainability include NC Botanical Garden tours, Outdoor Education Center activities, and more. A month into the fall semester, there is also “Small Fest,” with a day devoted to student environmental and sustainability organizations.”
Does the institution integrate sustainability information into the educational offerings or materials provided during new employee orientation or the equivalent?:
Narrative outlining how sustainability information is integrated into new employee orientation of the equivalent:
Human Resources, the department leading employee orientation, mentions Carolina’s rankings as a sustainable institution during orientation. The session offers information about the Commuter Alternative Program, sustainability Carolina’s Diversity and Inclusion programs, and Innovate Carolina. In the past three years, sessions have been offered via Zoom and in-person. During these programs, the New Hire Orientation Program Manager mentions Carolina ranked #2 in the U.S. for sustainability in 2020, and that sustainability is part of the “Carolina Way.”
Like the new student orientation video described above, beginning in April, all employees (faculty and staff) at Carolina will have access to a video describing how sustainability works at Carolina. Speakers on the video include Chief Sustainability Officer Mike Piehler, Sustainable Carolina, Carolina Dining Services, UNC Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling, UNC Transportation and Recycling, the Renewable Energy Special Projects Committee, and UNC Student Government Department of Environmental Affairs.
Does the institution have dashboards and/or signage highlighting the institution’s sustainability features or performance?:
Description of the institution’s sustainability dashboards and/or signage:
Dashboards for energy consumption, water use and waste are available on the Sustainable Carolina website:
An infographic indicating our sustainability progress, along with a link to our most up-to-date emissions data on Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform, can be found on our website.
Signage on campus includes:
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Green roof above Rams Head Parking Deck, detailing how the system works and how it helps in water resilience.
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Battle Grove Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance Area, detailing how the daylighted stream filters pollutants and provides habitat for native plants and animals. This area also has signage indicating an Audubon-certified Bird Friendly Habitat (new in 2023).
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Hooker Athletic fields, indicating the cisterns that exist beneath the turf playing fields.
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Bell Tower Amphitheatre, indicating cisterns that exist beneath the public green space.
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Morrison Residence Hall, detailing real-time info about energy and water usage.
Does the institution manage a sustainability-focused social media account, newsletter, blog, online community, podcast, video series, or equivalent communications medium or platform?:
Description of and/or website URL for at least one sustainability-focused communication medium or platform:
Newsletter: https://sustainable.unc.edu/news/newsletter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sustainable_UNC
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainable_unc/
Has the institution coordinated one or more sustainability-focused outreach campaigns during the previous three years?:
Description of sustainability-focused outreach campaigns from the previous three years:
Don’t Ditch It, Donate It (Carolina Housing/Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling): Students moving out of residence halls in May are encouraged to drop of gently used items at a collection station in the residential community. Housing and OWRR partner with TROSA, a local nonprofit, to dontate these items to charitable organizations.
Eat Sort Win (Carolina Dining Services): Eat Sort Win is a composting and recycling education campaign with the goal of decreasing contamination in our waste streams. The campaign consists of two parts:
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Social media: Students must engage with posts about composting and recycling on campus to win tickets to Carolina basketball games.
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Green Guides, student volunteers, teach the University how to properly sort their waste between the compost, recycling, and landfill bins in two dining locations.
Commuter Alternative Program (UNC Transportation and Parking): Rewards faculty, staff and students living off campus who take the bus, join a rideshare, ride a bike or walk to campus. Sustainable transportation improves air quality, builds community and reduces traffic congestion.
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:
1.2 Percentage of campus stakeholders reached through sustainability outreach and communications
Percentage of campus stakeholders reached through sustainability outreach and communications:
Approach used to determine the percentage of campus stakeholders reached:
Description of the methodology used to determine the reach of the institution’s sustainability outreach and communications:
Newsletter: From August 2023 to January 2024, Sustainable Carolina’s newsletter open rate averaged 35%. Students, faculty, and staff must opt-in to the newsletter to receive it. We have 1,800 contacts in our current list.
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:
Optional documentation
Additional documentation for this credit:
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.