Western Kentucky University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

The Green Squirrel of Approval is a voluntary program created by the Office of Sustainability and offered to departments, divisions, or offices. It is intended to engage divisions across campus and create a conversation of sustainability. Participating departments/divisions/offices are awarded a particular number of "acorns" based on their present activities/operations and are provided with information on how to improve operations to be sustainable.

In 2019, a undergraduate student created the "Greeks Go Green" program to create a competition for Greek Life organizations. The intent of the competition is to engage students involved in Greek Life organizations in sustainability programs and practices.

The Diddle/Smith Recycling Program engages student and community organizations through cleaning Diddle Arena or Smith Stadium after each home game; Football and Men's and Women's basketball. Volunteers collect recyclables and landfilled waste left behind by the fans, pour liquids from beverage containers, sweep, mop, sanitize hard seats and bleachers, wipe down all handrails, scrape sticky residue, and remove all recycling and landfilled waste from the building. In exchange for cleaning the space, organizations receive funding for their organization or philanthropy of choice, and volunteers earn 3-5 service hours. From 2021-2022, 1,860 pounds of recycling was diverted from the landfill through this effort.

Another program with Logan Aluminum, Hope House, and WKU Organizations collects cans from activities and takes the recycling to Logan Aluminum. The Organizations compete against each other in this program as well to get the most recycling. In Fall 2023, 431 pounds equivalent to about 15,000 cans were recycled through this program, the total being separate from WKU's recycling totals. Awards are given to participating and winning organizations.

A Geography class in recent years ~2022 completed a disaster tour virtual storymap of WKU's campus to guide students or community members through historic natural disasters and their impacts on WKU's campus. The tour is available virtually or by walking a specified route, and informs participants on the environmental issues that cause disasters such as floods and tornadoes and how they have impacted WKU's community.

Since 2022, students in the Geospatial Technologies Lab have worked on projects designed map bicycle infrastructure on campus, analyze efficiencies in waste bin locations on campus.

In 2019, a Geoscience graduate student started conducting her Masters thesis research on how best to convert the Office of Sustainability House into a sustainability demonstration home by developing ideas for improving effectiveness in tours of the house and campus.

Beginning in 2016, and continuing today, student ambassadors and workers conduct campus 'Green Tours', to allow for campus sustainability tours for visitors, classes, and other groups. The green tour begins at the Office of Sustainability and moves throughout campus, from Gary Ransdell Hall to the University Heating Plant. Some topics discussed include energy, waste, green building, and sustainable landscaping. Students can engage in campus operations by participating in the Green Tour and get a better understanding of sustainability on campus.

In 2019, a GIS student updated a free, web-based platform for the Green Tour, allowing for a virtual experience. https://arcgis01.wku.edu/arcgis/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=8d603f854e9b41099a22cc416d29b53a.

In 2018, all trees on campus were identified with plaques. Then, in 2019 and 2023, students completed a comprehensive tree inventory on campus and is presently working to develop GIS maps which will demonstrate carbon sequestration estimates based on tree type and age. These maps will be publicly available.

Multiple graduate student theses involve public engagement. A student studying renewable energy in six southeastern/midwestern rural areas conducted a survey on renewable energy and environmental sustainability perceptions starting in 2023. A student studying flood hazards conducted a survey on local residents regarding flood hazard awareness. A student in 2022/23 engaged with local elementary school students to study the influence of environmental education on youth. A student in 2020 studied the communication of climate change science through glacier tourism. Other students currently continuing research include topics such as climate change indices working alongside local organizations such as BRADD and engagement with nearby city Louisville citizens in a case study of flood migration patterns and influences.

Several students in the Geoscience Master's program engaged in a local project called Jennings Creek Partnership for Awareness and Resilience of the Creekwood Communnity (JC PARCC) to engage the local community in hazard awareness and mitigation in the wake of a damaging tornado in 2021. "By engaging the community in environmental education and recovery activities, we aim to help rebuild the ecosystem and surrounding neighborhood to a safe and healthy stream and environment." Students have attended several community events and engaged with local organizations such as Rotary and the local elementary school to raise community awareness and education regarding hazards.

WKU's properties are used extensively as educational, outreach, research, and student engagement tools and for ongoing projects. Properties such as McChesney Field Campus, Crump's Cave, Lost River Cave, the WKU Biopreserve, Baker Arboretum, and the WKU Agricultural Farm are used for informal education research and public outreach and engagement projects consistently. In partnership with the City of Bowling Green Public Works, CHNGES has spearheaded the development of an informal karst groundwater and stormwater awareness educational campaign, Under Bowling Green KY (UnderBGKY). Through the use of multiple informal education techniques, such as interpretative signs, infographics, an educational website, and multi-media productions, CHNGES is working to communicate about the interconnectedness of karst systems and their relationship to groundwater in an effort to elicit changes in community behaviors and attitudes and improve public karst knowledge, and spark curiosity and ownership about karst groundwater issues by the general public. CHNGES has also established a real-time water monitoring network in the region.

Students at WKU are engaged in a variety of academic and co-curricular activities related to air and climate, a few of which are described below:

An interdisciplinary group of students are working collaboratively on a service project based on a continued partnership with the University of Akuyeri, Iceland for climate change research. The project is called the Tree of Change, and is built upon two apple trees, one on each campus, under which people come together to talk about climate change solutions.

A Gatton Academy student assisted with data collection and interpretation for the University greenhouse gas emissions inventory to calculate a updated carbon footprint for the University in 2019. From 2020 to 2023, an undergraduate student completed a project to calculate WKU's carbon footprint by collecting data from various WKU departments and utilizing a carbon footprint calculator called SIMAP. The student went on to create an internal data collection system for the various departments to improve data collection and reporting of WKU's carbon footprint, which is being used today. The project was completed as an Honors College Undergraduate Capstone Experience/Thesis.

A graduate student began work in 2022 for their thesis to study the perception of renewable energy and its influence on development of large scale renewable energy facilities. The research will be important in reducing influence of the energy sector on climate change and air pollution by overcoming obstacles to development of renewable energy.

WKU's properties are used extensively as educational, outreach, research, and student engagement tools and for ongoing projects. Properties such as McChesney Field Campus, Crump's Cave, Lost River Cave, the WKU Biopreserve, Baker Arboretum, and the WKU Agricultural Farm are used for climate research and biodiversity and habitat research consistently. In Crump's Cave, a world-class research facility has been established at the cave, which allows for examining epikarstic processes and the impacts of agricultural activities on the quality of karst groundwater partially through USDA funding. An extensive monitoring network has been established both in and outside of the cave to measure atmospheric/ weather conditions, soil moisture, episkarst water transport, water chemistry parameters, and cave microclimate. Additionally, WKU Meteorology utilizes "White Squirrel" weather stations, rain gauges, sensors, and other equipment around campus and WKU Properties to conduct weather/climate forecasting and data analysis.

Architectural and Manufacturing students have formed the student organization, USGBC students. The organization is focused on outreach and education activities that make the campus community aware of the features and benefits of our LEED certified buildings. Signage is placed within some selected buildings to display information related to green building.

The Office of Sustainability is a small home that serves as a living lab where students may conduct sustainability related projects and research. Sustainable improvements have been made to the house, such as insulation, efficient windows, insulated blinds, instant hot water heater, and other such features. Tours given of the house to educate about building efficiency. A graduate student is presently working on developing plans for making further improvement to the house.

In 2019, students in the interior design major worked with the Office of Sustainability to draft plans for a remodel of the house. The developed spaces which are more conducive for learning and encourage equal participation among all members of a group. They also researched sustainable furniture products, plumbing, and other building materials for use in the office.

As exposure to Radon is considered the primary cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. To reduce this health risk, radon levels must be lowered using Radon mitigation techniques. An ongoing study as of 2023 conducted by a Professor in Engineering aims at finding the significant impact of building occupant’s daily practices on level of indoor radon in Kentucky. The purpose is to find an alternative mitigation system or measurable guidelines that can be embedded in the building operation and maintenance practices. The team examines the effectiveness of using three building design parameters that haven’t been systematically used for radon mitigation in the past; ventilation, air filtration, and detailing pattern. The researchers test various houses with changing these parameters to understand the behavior of indoor radon in different locations in Bowling Green, KY.
The students involved gain hands on experience while using indoor air quality testing instruments, analyzing the testing data, and presenting the outcomes. Last summer, 3 of the students presented phase 1 of this research at the EPA annual conference in Washington DC.

Geol 315 Energy, Climate, and Carbon students must complete independent research project covering an area of renewable energy.

In the past, engineering students have conducted blower door and other efficiency standard tests at the Office of Sustainability.

The physics department has a team of students regularly researching low-dimensional/nano-carbons for a range of technical applications such as alternative energy sources (super-capacitors, batteries, photovoltaics, etc.)

In 2023, the Office of Sustainability Graduate Assistant conducted research to develop a Renewable Energy Feasibility Plan for implementation of renewable energy on WKU's campus. The student researched local and state laws, methods of power purchase, cost of renewable energy facilities, and other applicable areas to determine the feasibility of WKU obtaining a large amount of renewable energy to meet energy needs. Results will be shared with higher management and utilized in decision making.

In 2013, Social Work graduate students conducted research on food access and affordability on campus, and established the WKU Food Pantry to address food insecurity on campus. The Pantry has been in place since 2014 and continues to be student supported through grants written by students and food donation drives. The pantry is operated out of the Office of Sustainability.

Beginning in spring 2019 and continuing today, students founded an official chapter of the Food Recovery Network for campus dining locations. This student organization collects food nightly from the dining locations and hold weekly meetings to discuss food security issues. They also regularly participate in tabling events on campus to spread the word about the importance of diverting food waste from landfills and addressing food insecurity needs.

In recent years 2021-2023, WKU's Restaurant Group has hosted several events related to food sustainability for student engagement. The Fondue Event featured local cheeses from Hilltopper Creamery, a retailer that sells products made and supported by WKU Agricultural and Food Science students, and emphasized sustainability in purchase of local products. An upcoming BYO Charcuterie Board Event in 2024 is partnering with Hilltopper Nutrition, Hilltopper Creamery and WKURG Sustainability. The theme is "Beyond the Table" and encourages individuals to learn about farm-to-fork aspects of food and nutrition. Other events include KY Proud (local certification) Breakfast for Dinner day, KY Proud Pizza day, inclusion of locally sourced items for pop-up events such as pumpkins at the Market on the Avenue, and a Fair Trade Hot Chocolate bar, Rainforest Alliance Certified Hot Chocolate bar, KY Proud Tea bar, etc.

The WKU Agricultural Farm conducts hands-on research with students regarding food science and agricultural best management practices regularly as part of coursework and extracurricular activity.

A pollinator garden was recently developed in 2023 by the WKU Ecology Club in a highly trafficked campus area to raise awareness about the importance of pollinators while improving pollinator habitat on campus.

In 2015, WKU became a certified Arboretum. Most of our 2500+ trees on the main campus have been labeled with informative signage. Additionally, a GIS student has inventoried each tree in a GIS program and created a webbased interactive map of our campus forest. An interactive map demonstrating carbon sequestration is being developed from these data.

Student athlete and sorority/fraternity groups are given the opportunity to volunteer with grounds maintenance teams on "no power equipment" days and learn about the importance of not always utilizing gas and electric powered equipment in grounds maintenance, as well as the need to manually pull weeds rather than utilizing harmful chemicals.

In 2022, a sensory garden area was built on our Foundation grounds.The garden features 80 different plants, designed to engage five senses in mind: sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound.

Horticulture students volunteered in Fall 2023 to assist the Facilities Management crew in removing plant annuals around campus, actively learning the sustainable methods of grounds management via participation.

Labs conducted by environmental sustainability courses in recent semesters ~2021-2024 involve hands-on projects such as a species biodiversity lab, where students use cars in parking lots on campus as an example of a "Community" and count the makes and models of cars as different "species" to demonstrate the importance of diversity in ecological communities in sustainable management.

In Spring 2017, SGA passed a resolution to end plastic bag consumption in both campus Subway locations. Paper bags are now available upon request.

Students work with the WKU Surplus Department to wipe clean laptops and other computer devices no longer usable by the University for surplus sale. Student volunteers also help report on the working status of the devices.

In 2023, a Graduate student began work based off their previous undergrad experience in collecting carbon data from university department to engage the Purchasing department in fulfilling carbon data needs. Work is ongoing to ensure comprehensive data collection in future carbon footprint calculations. The previous thesis project engaged several departments of purchasing to collect data and provided an understanding of Purchasing department's contribution to carbon emissions and the importance of data collection.

Students involved in conducting the University greenhouse gas emissions inventory are involved in the creation of a survey to understand student, faculty, and staff commuting and transportation habits. The survey will not only provide data for the inventory, it allows for informed decisions regarding the encouragement of a car-free campus lifestyle. A newly generated survey was most recently distributed in early 2024.

Geoscience students have utilized GIS tools to identify ideal locations for bike paths and racks to increase bicycle usage on campus.

Since 2022, students in the Geospatial Technologies Lab have worked on projects designed map bicycle infrastructure on campus.

Students in GEOG 280 are engaged by WKU Resource Conservation in 1-3 waste characterization studies throughout the academic year. In this program, WKU Resource Conservation gives a one hour comprehensive waste presentation to familiarize students on waste systems. Resource Conservation then empties 1 landfill dumpster and 1 recycling dumpster on to the ground behind WKU's student union (a highly visible location). Students then sort the waste into 16 categories, record the data and interpret the data. 35-60 students take part in this exercise.

The SGA Sustainability Committee worked with dining services in 2016 to launch two waste reduction initiatives: reusable take out containers in the dining hall and no-bag default at the Subway franchises. These programs are still in operation today.

In 2015, a geosciences graduate student wrote his Master's thesis on waste diversion and minimization at WKU. The paper has since been published and it is still being used to inform decision making in our waste diversion program.

The Gameday Recycling Programs at WKU tailgates to collect recycling through a competition among organizations engage students in understanding waste reduction's importance in sustainability. Several student employees and volunteers work to support the program along with the Diddle/Smith Recycling Program cleanup after games. About 400 students participated in the recycling program from 2022-23.

Since 2022, students in the Geospatial Technologies Lab have worked on projects designed analyze efficiencies in waste bin locations on campus to prompt less waste production on campus.

Students in the geosciences program regulaly study stormwater management in Karst landscapes, utilizing WKU as a case study.

The WKU Center for Human and Geoenvironmental Studies (CHNGES) has multiple projects related to stormwater management, injection well pollution, and water contamination. Students are engaged through work opportunities and are permitted to conduct their own research in an EPA certified water quality lab on campus.

WKU's properties are used extensively as educational, outreach, research, and student engagement tools and for ongoing projects with CHNGES. Properties such as McChesney Field Campus, Crump's Cave, Lost River Cave, the WKU Biopreserve, Baker Arboretum, and the WKU Agricultural Farm are used for research regarding stormwater, water quality, and other water related topics regularly.

The commercial dye-tracing laboratory on campus, Crawford Hydrology Lab, allows students to conduct independent dye-tracing research projects in the laboratory. Student workers also assist in completing commercial dye-tracing projects.

A graduate student in the Geoscience Master's program is actively conducting research for their thesis starting in 2022 involving microplastic contamination in local waterways, the results of which will be published in 2024.

The JC PARCC program engaged several students in a cleanup day where debris was removed from Jennings Creek, the waterway running along the park greenway. Students learned more about the hazards and issues causing pollution of the creek and the importance of sustainability in creating a safe, clean area for people to gather and use the space.

Many of the student led projects described in this section can fall under coordination and planning. The Office of Sustainability works with students to complete projects and get students involved in sustainability initiatives across campus. The Office of Sustainability also maintains a collaborative space for students to brainstorm ideas and work in teams to solve sustainability problems on campus.

Lunch & Learn Series: Participants are encouraged to "Grab some lunch at one of the many restaurants in The Commons, or bring your Flintstones lunchbox, and head to room 3002!" Topic have included:
Sexual Harassment & Domestic Violence in the Workplace
LGBTQ Awareness in the Workplace & Transgender Inclusion
Inclusive Holidays
The Supreme Court Decision & Affirmative Action
Refugee Students
State Legislation
Inter-generational Communication
Neurodiversity

Deliberative Dialogues: “Deliberative dialogue is a form of discussion aimed at finding the best course of action. Deliberative questions take the form "What should we do?" The purpose is not so much to solve a problem or resolve an issue as to explore the most promising avenues for action.” (Scott London). Deliberative workshops are facilitated group discussions that provide participants with the opportunity to consider an issue in depth, challenge differing opinions, and develop views/arguments to reach an actionable position. These workshops are like focus groups, although there tends to be more focus on deliberation. Each session lasts approximately two hours.

In 2020-21, a Dutch exchange student on the WKU campus completed a project to study the economic viability of some of our facilities operations. The intent of her project was to help the University understand how to properly invest in sustainability programs to maximize outcomes while reducing costs.

A Management Professor engages students in a project about Transforming Societal Issues through Innovative Solutions, for which several students chose climate change related topics and financially innovative solutions to solve climate and sustainability issues. This course and assignment was offered in the recent academic year in 2023.

The WKU Nutritionist works with Dietetics students on a variety of awareness activities related to the preparation of fresh, local food with cooking demonstrations and samples. Additionally, this group supports the WKU Food Pantry by creating recipes utilizing Food Pantry staples, such as canned corn and beans to create a balanced meal.

The WKU Nutritionist also promotes the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics annual campaign, National Nutrition Month® , throughout the month of March. The campaign invites individuals to learn about making informed food choices and develop healthy eating and physical activity habits. Throughout the month we host events and post on social media to raise awareness. The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics provides weekly key messaging that pertains to sustainability which is shared with the campus community. The WKU Dietitian social media platforms are utilized to engage and educate students about food and nutrition with an emphasis on sustainability. Examples are at the links below:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CpV6ksdJBpF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CpQ1EVIJWEq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3X-hnurz8s/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA