University of Rochester
EN-1: Student Educators Program

The Eco-Reps are a select group of freshmen, led by a team of experienced upperclassmen, who work to educate their fellow residents about more sustainable living, with a focus on the college setting. They inspire environmental responsibility by creating eco-boards in their residence hall, which provide tips and information for greener living as well as hosting hall programs, which bring the group together with an environmentally themed activity. Eco-Reps also work closely with other student leaders on campus to host energy competitions, discussions, hall programs, as well as volunteering for local organizations and community events.

Prospective Eco-Reps fill out an application and are selected based on their past leadership experiences and abilities, as well as their understanding and commitment to sustainability.

EcoReps enroll in a two credit seminar where are taught basic information about methods for educating their peers and about relevant environmental topics like conscious consumption, recycling, water use, etc.

The EcoReps program is student led, but the university provides a group of faculty advisors to for general guidance and to teach the mandatory EcoRep course.

Team Green is a group of interns hired by University of Rochester Dining Services. Team Green consists of a Student Manager, and four or five Marketing Interns and Sustainability Coordinators. They work on a number of sustainability initiatives for dining throughout the year, and serve as student liaisons between Dining Services and Rochester students. Some current and ongoing projects of Team Green include the Eco-Clamshell, the food labeling system, Meatless Monday, local purchasing, composting, Local Foods Week once a semester, and promoting reusable mugs and bags on campus.

Team Green-Dining interns apply to the program and are selected based their leadership and communication skills as well as any past work in the sustainability field.

All Team Green members spend at least two months as an "extra" member of the team, learning the roles of each team member and working closely with others hired into the same job classification. There is a student manager for the team who works with the individual team members and serves as a resource. There is an orientation program at the beginning of each academic year. All team members are required to attend the orientation sessions.

Team Green-Dining is lead by Cam Schauf, the Director of Campus Dining Services and Auxiliary Operations

Team Green-Facilities' mission is to increase education and awareness of sustainability among the University of Rochester community. They work to promote sustainability, decrease the University’s solid waste output, and increase the amount of material recycled, reused, or eliminated from the waste stream. The sustainability assistants continuously develop the University’s recycling and sustainability programs, increases awareness and education about sustainability on campus, and drafts applications for awards, among other projects.

The students submit an application and are picked on their background and interest in environmental sustainability. The program tries to find students who are motivated and passionate about sustainability.

New team members are required to attend the green orientation program in the fall. Team members are also required to attend a sustainability tour of Facilities. Much of the training is done through online research, as Facilities has cataloged its sustainability efforts in a blog called “The Green Dandelion” and on its own sustainability webpage including annual milestones. The most experienced team member is appointed the “team leader” to help guide new members and get the group together on an ongoing basis.

Team Green-Facilities is supported by the University of Rochester Recycling Coordinator, Amy Kadrie.

Grassroots is the University of Rochester's premier environmental action and awareness group. They work to improve our own campus through improving resource use, re-purposing space for gardens, managing recycling, supporting local foods, and increasing awareness. Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) is committed to the promotion of sustainability around campus through student lead projects, informative tours of local sustainable facilities, and participating in green awareness events in the Rochester area. We strive to implement green practices on a local scale. Their most recent project involved research on a bicycle powered smoothie machine. Simon Net Impact is a volunteer lead group that drives change by creating a like-minded community and providing events and programs that support members who aim to use business as a force for environmental and social impact. SAVVY was founded to help increase awareness, and provide support for vegetarians, vegans, and anyone who is interested in learning about how our dietary and lifestyle choices affect us and our environment. Using vegetarianism as an educational tool, SAVVY provides the encouragement and resources necessary to enable everyone to take an active role in making society ever better. They sponsor educational events, host bi-weekly meetings, make restaurant trips, cook together at vegetarian potlucks, and work with dining services to increase the availability and quality of vegetarian and vegan options on campus. UR Microfarm's mission is to Increase dining sustainability while also educating UR community on social justice issues surrounding food. They host general interest meetings where any student can go and learn more about what takes place at the microfarm. Engineers Without Boarder's (EWB) goal is to support community-driven development programs worldwide. They aid in the design and implementation of sustainable engineering projects. Their current project is focusing on the rural town of Don Juan in the Dominican Republic. They are working to provide access to clean, running water to the primary school of “Escuela Taller Santa Maria Josefa Rossello” affecting the greater school community. Greenspace is The University of Rochester's first special interest housing floor dedicated to living sustainably. A few examples of this is implementing a 5 minute shower limit as well as unplugging devices that are not being used. They are in charge of the water and energy conservation part of Recyclemania. Eastman for Earth is a student ran group at the Eastman School of Music that is committed to providing students with opportunities to discuss and discover the human relationship with the Earth, E4E plans environmental related social events, both educational and practical, throughout the academic school year.

Grassroots is open to any undergraduate student and is lead by an executive board of student elected officials. ESW is open to all undergraduates and is also lead by an executive board of student elected officials. Simon Net Impact is a volunteer group so any student at the Simon School of Business can participate. SAVVY is open to all undergraduates as well and is once again lead by an executive board of student elected officials. UR Microfarm is open to all undergraduate students. Engineers Without Boarders is open to all undergraduates regardless of their major. Students are selected to live on the Greenspace floor based on an application that they submit that asks them about past experience in sustainability and how they would would decrease their footprint if they were to join the floor. Eastman for Earth is open to all students who want to join. it is a co-curricular club that students to choose to participate on their own volition and based on their own interests. There are approximately 12 consistent members of Eastman for Earth, two of which are the elected leadership (undergraduates) and help guide and direct the group each year.

Grassroots, ESW, SAVVY, UR Microfarm, EWB, Greenspace and Eastman for Earth all select a group of student leaders who will lead the club throughout the school year. When their term is up they will then train the new members of the executive board so they can be prepared for the upcoming term. Simon Net Impact has volunteers that offer to lead the club.

Grassroots and SAVVY are both Student Association (SA) sponsored groups and advised by the Assistant Director of Academic Programs, Stacey Fisher. ESW and EWB are SA sponsored groups that are advised by Matt Spielmann, the Orientation and Student Activities Coordinator. Grassroots is also an SA sponsored club; they are advised by Edward Feldman, the Associate Director of Leadership Programs. UR Microfarm is Simon Net Impact is sponsored by the Simon School of Business and is lead by a group of volunteers. Eastman for Earth is sponsored by the Eastman Student Association.