Public Engagement
Introduction
Engagement in community problem-solving is fundamental to sustainability. By engaging with community members and organizations in the governmental, non-profit and for-profit sectors, institutions can help solve sustainability challenges. Community engagement can help students develop leadership skills while deepening their understandings of practical, real-world problems and the process of creating solutions.
Featured Resources
How to Design an Annual Report People Actually Read
- Pomona College (CA)
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)
Have you struggled with keeping up with annual reporting for your sustainability program? Are you somebody who's on top of their annual reporting but feel like nobody reads your ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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ISSP Networking Session: Do You Have All It Takes to Be an Effective Sustainability Professional?
- Auburn University (AL)
- Colorado State University (CO)
- Michigan State University (MI)
- University of Richmond (VA)
- International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) (OR)
Calling all active and aspiring sustainability professionals: come learn about the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) community and earning ISSP's sustainability credentials. Meet with ISSP members and hear ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Latin Flavor in AASHE: Contributions to Sustainability Offices
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (TX)
- Universidad EAN
- Dallas College (TX)
In many institutions of higher education and universities around the world, there are offices that manage the issue of sustainability for years. AASHE is a multicultural space where many of ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Organizing a Campus-Community Resilience Building Workshop
- Second Nature (MA)
- The Nature Conservancy (VA)
This workshop will train participants in how to organize and facilitate a Community Resilience Building (CRB) Workshop. The CRB Workshop is a community-driven process, rich with information, experience, and dialogue ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability (TRACS) Networking Session
- Rice University (TX)
- Texas A&M University (TX)
This is a networking meeting for Texans and other parties interested in the Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability (TRACS) to connect and discuss campus sustainability topics unique to the ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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WCUPA Student Brandywine Project
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania (PA)
The Student Brandywine Project was a student led half-day workshop to engage West Chester University students in helping design, implement, evaluate, and improve the various environmental, social, and economic sustainability ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Four Steps for Leading Impactful Environmental Change On-Campus
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
How can students effectively foster an environmentally conscious and sustainable community within their university? You can have the best and brightest ideas, but if their implementation is not strategic, they ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Advocacy for the Global Goals
- United Nations Foundation (NY)
Be an advocate for the UN and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in your community! Learn advocacy strategies from the United Nations Association-USA (UNA-USA) to creatively engage with community partners ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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United Nations Association Campus Network
- United Nations Foundation (NY)
Advance the UN's Sustainable Development Goals on your campus through the United Nations Association of the United States (UNA-USA) campus network. Learn about how to bring innovative SDG programming ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Building and Supporting Social Movements for Institutional Change and Beyond
- Real Food Challenge (MA)
Even as the campus sustainability movement has grown, the issues in our food system have continued to deepen. The average age of farmers in the U.S. is over 65 ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Becoming a 'spokes' person for campus sustainability: The smoothie bike & other outreach efforts.
- Ohio University (OH)
Ohio University, like many universities nationally, has been affected by budget and staffing streamlining. Campus services and departments, like the Office of Sustainability, were profoundly affected. However, presidential strategies and ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Back to Basics
- Ohio University (OH)
Eco-Reps is turning over a new leaf at Ohio University. This year we will focus on being a community-service based sustainability student group. Through community clean-ups, we will be actively ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Activism or Silence as a Sustainability Office?
- New York University (NY)
We live in a time when activism has become a regular part of our lives and addresses a multitude of issues. As Sustainability Officers, our passions and worldviews are often ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Building a Consistent Sustainability Brand
- Lehigh University (PA)
In order to reap the full benefits of consistently communicating the values and messages that are core to your sustainability brand, it is important to design brand guidelines the define ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Bridging the gap: Community Engagement Programs, Sustainability, and the SDGs
- Georgia Southern University (GA)
During this session participants will gain an understanding of how alternative breaks can support and collaborate with sustainability initiatives towards the SDGs. How do sustainability and community engagement offices engage ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Mobilizing Colleges with Earth Integrity Training
- City University of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (NY)
- Environmental Education Fund (NJ)
Earth Integrity Training (EIT) is a program for colleges to mobilize their communities about urgent environmental issues. It provides creative and multimedia content for a 2-3 hour seminar that colleges ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Communication Strategies to Reach Beyond the Choir
- Colgate University (NY)
- University of Denver (CO)
- University of Virginia (VA)
Often times, sustainability professionals and communicators can reach a plateau when working to reach new audiences. Our institutions can often be so siloed that it is challenging to draw in ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Develop Your Toolkit for Sustainability Communications
- Colgate University (NY)
- Princeton University (NJ)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
Communications play an increasingly important role as we rise to the challenge to reach the global Sustainable Development Goals. However, many sustainability professionals may find their toolkit a bit empty ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Academic Libraries Fostering Resilient Communities
- Michigan State University (MI)
- University of Arizona (AZ)
- University of Utah (UT)
Every institution of higher education already has an academic library that can be a partner in campus sustainability. This program offers specific ideas for how faculty, sustainability staff and administrators ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Reel Sustainability: Connecting to Audiences Through Video Storytelling
- Princeton University (NJ)
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
- University of North Carolina, Asheville (NC)
- University of Montana (MT)
- Emory University (GA)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
- Central New Mexico Community College (NM)
From television commercials to YouTube, Snapchat, and even Facebook Live, it's no secret that video has become a staple of our everyday lives. Video provides an easy and efficient ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Advancing Organizational Change for Sustainable Development Goals Through Neuropsychology
- University of Southern California (CA)
What role does neuropsychology play as a determinant for successful organizational change toward Sustainable Development Goals? This session explores the inter-related notions of reflective practice, metacognition, cultural norms, and critical ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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The Intersectionality of the Arts and Environmental Activism
- University of Denver (CO)
At the University of Denver, the Center for Sustainability has established a Zero Waste Program at all sports games, and the average diversion rate of waste from landfill is approximately ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Community-Driven Reuse Initiatives
- Flower City Pickers (NY)
This session will explore examples where waste, whether that is food, electronics, clothing, and more are recovered and either resold or redistributed by creating and leveraging purpose-driven communities. It explores ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Local to Global - 5 Strategies for Leaders to Win Change Now and After Graduation
- Elected Officials to Protect America (SC)
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win' - Gandhi This dynamic, interactive workshop will hone your public leadership skills and teach ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Sustainability, Equity & Inclusivity: Diversifying the Conversation
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
Sustainability Weekend is a conference organized by graduate and undergraduate students from various departments at CMU. This year's theme, 'Sustainability, Inclusivity & Equity' seeks to expand the scope of ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Sustainabili-TEA: The Evolution and Efficacy of Podcasts as a Medium for Sustainability Literacy
- College of Charleston (SC)
The Office of Sustainability has seen a strong response to using Podcasts to highlight stories, perspectives, and information to the campus and greater community. The efforts were first introduced as ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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An Environmental Sustainability Badge Program Using Co-Curricular and Community Service Learning
- Central Community College (NE)
Integrating environmental sustainability community service learning into curriculum requires faculty, staff, and community engagement. Students and faculty that are passionate about implementing change in the community are developing mutually beneficial ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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GreenTech LIU: A Digital Platform for Campus SDG Collaboration
- LIU Post (NY)
Sustainability and education for global citizenship are essential literacies for the 21st century. LIU Post's Center for Sustainability wants faculty and students to have powerful and effective digital tools ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Acts of Art for the Environment
- Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
In Sustainable Earth, there are two different project groups, one focusing on the intersection of environmentalism and technology, the other on environmental art. My poster will focus on how art ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Learning From the Past to Inform the Future: Leveraging Campus-Community Partnerships With Dialogue
- Slippery Rock University (PA)
Achieving complex sustainable development goals that integrate human and natural systems, including health and wellbeing as well as sustainable cities and communities, requires open and transparent collaboration with stakeholders. At ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Sustainability Week: A Case Study in Diversity of Programing to Maximize Outreach Across Barriers
- College of Charleston (SC)
The College of Charleston's Office of Sustainability has had several flagship programs and series over the years, but none near the scale and dynamism of the annual Sustainability Week ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Graphic Design Strategies for Sustainability
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Graphic designers can create positive change by integrating sustainability into their work. Graphic design is often not a sustainable practice, even so, sustainable design guidelines can reduce its impact. Energy ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Visual Storytelling for Sustainability: Raising Your Game in Photo and Video
- Princeton University (NJ)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
Do you struggle to take photos that look 'professional' rather than run-of-the-mill? Is the idea of making a video, or even the occasional Boomerang clip, intimidating? In short, are quality ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Beyond the Ball: Sustainability Success in Nontraditional Athletics
- Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) (IN)
- The Ohio State University (OH)
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette (LA)
By leveraging sports like synchronized swimming (The Ohio State University), diving (IUPUI), or engaging K-12 students through on-campus sports sustainability games (University of Colorado/University of Louisiana), campuses are able ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Selling Sustainability: 5 Principles of Persuasion
- Kirksey Architecture (TX)
In today's political and social climate, an understanding of the science of persuasion is the most important tool for any environmentalist. Led by two Texas-based sustainability consultants and green ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Breaking Down 'Drawdown' - Explaining Global Sustainability Solutions at the Community Level
- University of Virginia (VA)
There's a new framework for climate action in town - Project Drawdown is self-described as a comprehensive efforts to 'identify, research, and model the 100 most substantive, existing solutions to ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Evolving Building Sustainability: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Framework Principles
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
- University College Dublin, National University of Ireland
Buildings consume 40% of energy globally. As buildings are continuously enhanced to be more sustainable and healthy, a number of strategies have been employed to achieve energy reduction targets. This ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Beyond Offsetting: Onsetting Scope 3 Emissions and Supporting Innovative Local Projects
- Earth Deeds (MA)
Universities struggle to find meaningful ways to address their Scope 3 emissions, especially with regard to staff travel and study abroad. This session will explain carbon 'onsetting' as a positive ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Creative Approaches for Engaging People in Climate Action
- Care About Climate, Inc (AZ)
During this workshop participants will discuss innovative ways to engage both their campus population and general public in climate action initiatives. These approaches may include incentivizing people to take responsible ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Examining Data from Across Higher Ed: Does a Commitment Drive More Progress?
- University of New Hampshire (NH)
In November 2017, the University of New Hampshire (UNH) launched the Sustainability Indicator Management and Analysis Platform (SIMAP™), a new inventory tool replacing the Campus Carbon Calculator and the CarbonMAP ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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OffsetNetwork.org: Higher Ed's Hub for Self-Generated Offset Projects and Peer Verification
- American University (DC)
- Duke University (NC)
- Second Nature (MA)
The Offset Network is an online platform for colleges and universities to share experience, lessons learned and tell the stories behind developing their own carbon offset projects. The site provides ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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From Incremental to Transformative Climate Action: Lessons Learned From Addressing Barriers
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
- University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
What are the most fundamental and challenging barriers to achieving carbon neutrality at a large research university? The first University of California campus to publish a climate action plan (CAP ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Assessing Campus and Community Resilience in Rural America
- Central Community College (NE)
- Green Mountain College (VT)
- Second Nature (MA)
Rural colleges and universities face unique considerations when assessing campus and community climate resilience. While there are common elements to resilience at any institution, the political and economic landscape for ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Putting A Price On Carbon: Fighting for Strong Climate Policy on the Campus, State and Federal Level
- Our Climate (OR)
We already face the disastrous impacts of climate change: unprecedented droughts and heatwaves, stronger hurricanes, ocean acidification, sea level rise, the spread of infectious disease. The cost of these changes ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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The Role of Campuses in Driving Climate Resilience Planning
- Dickinson College (PA)
- University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
- Second Nature (MA)
As impacts from climate change intensify, a growing number of initiatives are emerging to increase resilience locally and globally. Campuses across the US are stepping up to prepare for climate ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Campus & Community Resilience: Experiences from Community College & University Partnerships
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- California State University, Northridge (CA)
- Portland State University (OR)
- Second Nature (MA)
Campuses in Portland, Los Angeles, and Phoenix were involved in the Climate Resilience in Urban Campuses + Communities (CRUX) project to support the implementation of resilience-related elements of the colleges and ...
- Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Using Community‐Based Learning to Teach Environmental Sustainability Engineering: Notes from the Classroom
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
In line with University of Wisconsin tradition, community-based learning was integrated into a course on sustainability as an opportunity for students to apply the tools learned in the course to ...
- Posted Nov. 2, 2018
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The Role of Business in Education and Training for Sustainable Development
- Arizona State University (AZ)
Education is at the heart of human progress and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It enables people to build better lives and equips business and society to address our ...
- Posted Nov. 2, 2018
- Publications
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2018 AASHE Conference & Expo Closing Keynote Address
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- AASHE (MA)
Dr. Paul Shrivastava, Chief Sustainability Officer at Penn State University and the Director of the Sustainability Institute and Professor of Organizations at the Smeal School of Business, was the closing ...
- Posted Oct. 24, 2018
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2018 AASHE Conference & Expo Opening Keynote Address
- AASHE (MA)
- United Nations Environment Programme
Ms. Akpezi Ogbuigwe, former Head of Environmental Education and Training at the United Nations Environmental Program, was the opening keynote speaker for the 2018 AASHE Conference & Expo.
NOTE: Ms ...
- Posted Oct. 24, 2018
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
EN 10: Community Partnerships
- Description of a formal community partnership to advance sustainability (first partnership)
- Description of a formal community partnership to advance sustainability (second partnership)
- Description of a formal community partnership to advance sustainability (third partnership)
- Website URL - Community partnerships to advance sustainability
EN 11: Inter-campus Collaboration
- The national or international sustainability network(s)
- The regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network(s)
- Description of sustainability conference(s) and presentation(s)
- Description of sustainability resource center or awards program and submission(s)
- Description of sustainability board or committee appointment(s)
- Description of sustainability-related mentoring relationship and activities
- Description of sustainability-related peer review activities
- Website URL - Sustainability-related inter-campus collaborations
EN 12: Continuing Education
- Percentage of continuing education courses that are sustainability course offerings
- Inventory of continuing education sustainability course offerings (upload)
- Inventory of continuing education sustainability course offerings (description)
- Description of sustainability-related continuing education certificate program(s)
- Website URL - Continuing education courses and programs in sustainability
EN 13: Community Service
- Percentage of students engaged in community service
- Number of annual community service hours contributed per student
- Description of program(s) to support employee volunteering
- Website URL- Community service programs
EN 14: Participation in Public Policy
- Description of sustainability public policy advocacy at the municipal/local level
- Description of sustainability public policy advocacy at the state/provincial/regional level
- Description of sustainability public policy advocacy at the national level
- Description of sustainability public policy advocacy at the international level
- Website URL - Sustainability advocacy efforts
EN 15: Trademark Licensing
- Description of the independent trademark monitoring and verification organization
- The labor rights code of conduct for licensees (upload)
- The labor rights code of conduct for licensees (description)
- Website URL - Trademark licensing initiatives
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.