| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 49.76 |
| Liaison | Aurora Sharrard |
| Submission Date | Feb. 28, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Pittsburgh
EN-5: Outreach Campaign
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Erika
Ninos Sustainability Program Coordinator PittServes |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Has the institution held at least one sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at students and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability? :
Yes
Has the institution held at least one sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at employees and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Yes
1st Campaign
RecycleMania
A brief description of the campaign, including how students and/or employees were engaged:
The University of Pittsburgh participates in the national RecycleMania competition. The Student Office of Sustainability, Residence Life, Facilities Management, Pitt Dining by Sodexo partner with student organizations such as Free the Planet to promote on campus recycling, hard to recycle events, and food waste recovery and composting. The 8 week program includes tours of the University's recycling and composting partner facilities, tabling events, a waste audit and art show and the Game Day Challenge zero waste event. RecycleMania is not limited to student participation but is directed to the entire University community.
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign:
During the 8 weeks of the 2017 RecycleMania competition, the University recycled over 1,188,782 pounds of materials, earning 6th place in the total recycling category out of 215 participating schools.
The website URL where information about the campaign is available:
If reporting a second campaign provide:
2nd Campaign
Pittsburgh Green Workplace Challenge (renamed Sustainable Pittsburgh Challenge in 2018)
A brief description of the campaign, including how students and/or employees were engaged (2nd campaign):
The Pittsburgh Green Workplace Challenge, run by Sustainable Pittsburgh, gives businesses, non-profits, municipalities, colleges/universities, and K-12 schools the opportunity to include sustainability-based activities in an approachable competition that provides tools, information, and guidance necessary to reduce costs, improve performance, and increase long-term environmental sustainability.
The University of Pittsburgh earned first place for the past three years in the University category by documenting more than 60 sustainable actions.
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign (2nd campaign):
Pitt's documented actions earned 1,001 points in 2016/2017, (it's closest competitor scored 465 points). Overall, participants also saved enough energy to power 1,562 average U.S. homes for a year (16,889,806 kWh of energy), translating to $1.3 million in cost savings. Factoring in the social cost of carbon, the savings are between $1.45 - $2 million.
http://www.sustainablepittsburgh.org/Pub/GWC4_WinnersRelease_15Sept2017.pdf
The website URL where information about the campaign is available (2nd campaign):
Optional Fields
1) The University of Pittsburgh sponsors an end of the year spring move out program for residence hall students. The Clutter for a Cause campaign engages the Department of Housing, Residence Life, Pitt Surplus Property and Student Affairs in addition to nonprofit partners to collect, sort and re-purpose or donate household items, furniture, textiles, clothing and even non-perishable food items. During the 2017 Clutter for a Cause collection the University diverted 26,000lbs of material from the landfill and collected approximately 2500lbs of non-perishable food items that were donated to the on campus food pantry (Pitt Pantry) and a local community partner.
http://www.studentaffairs.pitt.edu/pittserves/sustain/
2) The student-lead Divestment campaign, Fossil Free Pitt Coalition, has been active on campus since 2013. This initiative has lead to the creation of a University-wide Socially Responsible Investment committee made up of students, staff, and faculty that will determine if the endowment is invested in a way that matches the values of the university.
https://pittnews.com/article/125342/top-stories/committee-consider-sustainable-investment/
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---
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.