| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 61.63 |
| Liaison | Leslie North |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2024 |
Western Kentucky University
EN-5: Outreach Campaign
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Grace
Herrmann Graduate Assistant Office of Sustainability |
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?:
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?:
Name of the campaign:
A brief description of the campaign:
The GameDay Recycling Challenge engages fans in recycling through resources, information and competition. For adult tailgaters, Resource Conservation staff members circulate the tailgate area handing out bag bundles (a recycling bag, trash bag, and recycling guide) to tailgate sites and verbally promote waste reduction to fans. This is a good opportunity to answer recycling questions to improve fan participation in recycling. In 2019, Facilities Management Resource Conservation purchased 4,000 can koozies to reward fans for recycling. The koozies featured 2 sides: one reading “Hilltopper Fans Recycle Their Cans” and the other reading “Go Green. Go TOPS!”.
In the student tailgate area, student organizations compete to see who can recycle the most at the tailgate. Each participating organization receives a recycling bin with their name on it (typically Greek letters) that is serviced throughout the game. At the end of the tailgate, bags are collected, weighed and recorded. The organization with the most weight and lowest contamination is announced on social media as the tailgate recycling winner. The winning organization is provided a painted tough filled with ice for the next football game. All 14 IFC fraternities are provided a custom recycling bin. We offer to provide bins to all organizations, but fraternities are the primary groups that participate. We average, roughly 900 men were members of a fraternity and 1400 women were members of a sorority. This equates to approximately 5,000 students engaged over the course of the season.
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign:
The GameDay recycling challenge has dramatically increased participation in tailgate recycling. Annually we have recorded a greater diversion of recyclable waste from the general waste stream. We have also witnessed greater participation in the program. WKU Athletics does not track the total number of tailgaters before each game, but approximately 5,000 people tailgate before each game; 30,000 over the course of the season. The average football game attendance is between 12,000-15,000.
Name of the campaign (2nd campaign):
A brief description of the campaign (2nd campaign):
Logan Aluminum and Hope House have partnered with WKU to offer aluminum recycling pickup at off-campus Green Houses. Each house was provided with a special recycling bin. After house members collect all aluminum, weekly they are picked up curbside by Hope House residents (a local program with drug rehabilitation). The cans are then taken 30 miles to Logan Aluminum manufacturing facility where they are recycled and turned into sheet aluminum. Each house is rewarded for their participation in the program.
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign (2nd campaign):
We have reduced the amount of aluminum going to the landfill, particularly since curbside recycling is not available in our community. We have also educated and engaged members of our Greek Life in the importance of recycling and waste minimization.
A brief description of other sustainability-related outreach campaigns:
HRL Sustainability Partnership: Resource Conservation partners with HRL to make the resident halls a greener place. RA is some halls host training opportunities to speak to residents about sustainability.
Resource Conservation and Information Technology Services partnered in AY21 to distribute mousepads with recycling information on them across campus at tabling events. The mousepads are also distributed during new Faculty/Staff computer setup meetings and Faculty/Staff service calls.
WKU Dining Services and the Office of Sustainability have partnered together to create Markets on the Avenue. This is a monthly event where student organizations and community organizations come onto campus for information sharing and as a small, on-campus farmer's market. This event also holds sustainability-themed activities for students to participate in.
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Data were provided by Ken Purdue at Logan Aluminum, WKU Resource Conservation, and staff in the Office of Sustainability.
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.