Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 56.35
Liaison Amy Kadrie
Submission Date Dec. 15, 2021

STARS v2.2

University of Rochester
EN-5: Outreach Campaign

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Amy Kadrie
Recycling Coordinator
Facilities
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Has the institution held a 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 a sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at employees and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Yes

Name of the campaign:
Campus Race to Zero Waste

A brief description of the campaign:

Campus Race to Zero Waste (formerly RecycleMania) is a friendly competition and benchmarking tool for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to their campus communities. Over an 8-week period each spring, colleges across the United States and Canada report the amount of recycling and trash collected each week and are in turn ranked in various categories based on who recycles the most on a per capita basis, as well as which schools have the best recycling rate as a percentage of total waste and which schools generate the least amount of combined trash and recycling. With each week’s updated ranking, participating schools follow their performance against other colleges and use the results to rally their campus to reduce and recycle more.


A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign:

Even through the pandemic in 2021, the University held an extensive promotional campaign including a kick- off event, film screening, virtual Bingo Night, and social media contest.

Summary of the University of Rochester’s Scores:

Diversion Category – Ranked 85 out of 103, with a Waste Diversion Rate of 19.5%
Per Capita Classic – Ranked 50 out of 128, collecting 10.1 pounds per person
Organics – Ranked 23 out of 103, collecting 65 total points

The competition also generated effects more difficult to measure, such as the motivation of students, faculty, and staff to make sustainable choices and the promotion of campus awareness about sustainability issues.
(See https://blogs.rochester.edu/thegreendandelion/2021/02/campus-race-to-zero-waste-2021-begins/ and https://blogs.rochester.edu/thegreendandelion/2021/05/campus-race-to-zero-waste-final-results/)


Name of the campaign (2nd campaign):
UCommute

A brief description of the campaign (2nd campaign):

U-Commute is the University’s campaign to promote the use of transportation alternatives that assist in reducing commuting costs for employees, reducing campus congestion, and promoting the sustainability efforts for the University of Rochester and our community. U-Commute divides these alternatives into three categories: "Share a ride", "Get a ride", and "Skip the ride".


A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign (2nd campaign):

This campaign was run through the Ride Amigos software platform for the past
few years and is currently run through the 511 NY rideshare platform linked
above. By the end of 2020, we had over 200 students and employees engaged
with this software platform and thousands more who were not using the platform but utilizing the offerings of biking, walking, or public transport. Other measurements were difficult to track during this year due to the pandemic.


A brief description of other sustainability-related outreach campaigns:

In addition, Facilities Team Green created a series of promotional videos called 60 Second Sustainability-COVID Edition. The videos included topics specific to the pandemic, including masks disposal, working from home sustainably, and proper recycling of increased disposable dining material. While the impact was not measured, the videos were made in effort to encourage environmentally friendly behavior and boost moral during a difficult time. Videos are on our Youtube page here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ9cMR0iNJY3S0Dxo37YWyg


Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Currently we are initiating an effort to reduce bottled water consumption through a Purchasing initiative and promotion of hydration stations. Results will be available next year.


Currently we are initiating an effort to reduce bottled water consumption through a Purchasing initiative and promotion of hydration stations. Results will be available next year.

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.