University of Utah
ER-3: Sustainability in New Student Orientation

"For orientation for the 2011-2012 academic year, the Office of Sustainability provided a training session with the orientation student leaders. We also created a sustainability map of campus to use at orientation and a brochure of campus activities. he things we stressed to the orientation leaders included: the recycling opportunities provided for the events; the reusable mug and bag given to every student; the water bottle refilling stations on campus; the local and organic food being provided by Chartwells Campus Dining Services; the Chartwells composting partnership with the campus gardens, the U of U’s 3rd place ranking in the EPA Green Power Purchasers among universities nationwide and first in the PAC 12, the Office of Sustainability (operations and student engagement), Sustainability Research Center (SRC), and Sustainability Professors (academic curriculum component) that make up the university structure; the ways that students can get involved on campus (ASUU Sustainability Board, RHA Sustainability Board, Bennion Center environmental programs, Recycle Rice Eccles, Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund (SCIF), Office of Sustainability internships and events; the free transit passes distributed to all students and staff; the fall Farmers’ Market on campus with one vendor being the Edible Campus Gardens; and the bicycle repair stations and bike collective on campus. The Office of Sustainability also tables at orientation days throughout the summer, distributing maps, doing a water taste test (bottled vs. filtered vs. tap) and promoting the Sustainability Pledge, Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund, and internship opportunities."-- Ashley Patterson, Office of Sustainability outreach coordinator.