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.
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Roux Center Tour Guides
- Bowdoin College (ME)
During the busy opening weekend of Bowdoin's first LEED Platinum Building, The Roux Center for the Environment, sustainability tours were provided by Bowdoin EcoReps, identifiable by their green sash.
- Posted July 30, 2019
- Photographs
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The University of Winnipeg's Star Blanket Mural
- University of Winnipeg (MB)
This mural covering the University of Winnipeg’s Helen Betty Osborne Building depicts a Star Blanket, and symbolizes the institution’s commitment to indigenization and reconciliation. The mural was completed in August, …
- Posted July 29, 2019
- Photographs
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2019 Kentucky Campus Sustainability Summit
- Berea College (KY)
- Centre College (KY)
- Eastern Kentucky University (KY)
- Northern Kentucky University (KY)
- Paducah Technical College (KY)
- University of Kentucky (KY)
- University of Louisville (KY)
- Western Kentucky University (KY)
Representatives from across the Commonwealth began the 2019 Kentucky Campus Sustainability Summit with a practice of presence mindfulness exercise. In the spirit of promoting Inter-Campus Collaboration, the summit is organized …
- Posted July 29, 2019
- Photographs
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Students composting at dining hall
- Butler University (IN)
Collaboration to Scale Food Waste Collection - Butler University partnered with Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis on a food waste compost collection route, making it affordable to use a large waste …
- Posted July 29, 2019
- Photographs
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Wilfrid Laurier University's social sustainability initiative: International Students Overcoming War
- Wilfrid Laurier University (ON)
International Students Overcoming War - International Students Overcoming War (ISOW) is a student-led and student-funded humanitarian initiative at Wilfrid Laurier University that partners with NGO organizations to provide full scholarships …
- Posted July 29, 2019
- Photographs
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Sustainable CT Voluntary Certification Program -
- Eastern Connecticut State University (CT)
In 2018, Eastern Connecticut State University's Institute for Sustainable Energy launched Sustainable CT, a voluntary municipal sustainability certification program to recognize thriving and resilient Connecticut communities. The program offers a …
- Posted July 25, 2019
- Photographs
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Learning Economics and Attitudes to Market Solutions to Environmental Problems
- Stockholm University
- University of Gothenburg
- University of Birmingham
Climate change challenges governments to reduce emissions, and to gain support for such actions from their citizens. This can be in the form of taxation or legislation, or other forms …
- Posted July 19, 2019
- Publications
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Teacher Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship
- Liverpool Hope University
This book examines how educators internationally can better understand the role of education as a public good designed to nurture peace, tolerance, sustainable livelihoods and human fulfillment.
Bringing together empirical …
- Posted July 19, 2019
- Publications
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A Solar PPA Designed for Positive Externalities
- Pennsylvania State University (PA)
- AASHE (MA)
- The Nature Conservancy (VA)
Drs. Meghan Hoskins and Peter Buckland from Penn State’s Sustainability Institute in collaboration with Elizabeth Johnson, The Nature Conservancy, PA and Emilie Wangerman, Lightsource BP will describe the rationale for …
- Posted July 18, 2019
- Videos & Webinars
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The role of higher education institutions in sustainability initiatives at the local level
- Allegheny College (PA)
- Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
- University of Passo Fundo
- Manchester Metropolitan University
- University of Belgrade
- University of Latvia
- Università di Verona
- Università di Bologna
Universities are central players and important economic actors in many regions, and many of them are, in general, nationally and internationally active in respect of matters related to sustainable development. …
- Posted June 25, 2019
- Publications
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Community Tree Planting
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
Annual tree planting is part of UCI's commitment to sustainable landscaping and healthy urban forests. Since 2010, UC Irvine has been recognized as a Tree Campus USA university by the …
- Posted June 25, 2019
- Photographs
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Examining environmental fan engagement initiatives through values and norms with intercollegiate sport fans
- North Carolina State University (NC)
- Seattle University (WA)
The United Nations has asserted that sport organizations and/or allied sponsors can influence fans to engage in more sustainable behaviors intentions at sporting events and at home; however, more investigation …
- Posted June 13, 2019
- Publications
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Anchor Collaboratives: Building Bridges With Place-Based Partnerships and Anchor Institutions
- Democracy Collaborative (DC)
The Democracy Collaborative’s new report Anchor Collaboratives: Building Bridges with Place-Based Partnerships and Anchor Institutions discusses the role of anchor institutions and collaboratives in leveraging the power of their economic …
- Posted June 4, 2019
- Publications
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Measuring universities’ contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals
- Times Higher Education
An undertaking of the Times Group, the Times Higher Education initiative is the first global attempt to document evidence of higher education sustainability impact and launch the world’s first university …
- Posted May 22, 2019
- Videos & Webinars
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The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale
- Yale University (CT)
The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale is an international multireligious project. With its conferences, publications, and website, it is engaged in exploring religious worldviews, texts, and ethics in …
- Posted May 22, 2019
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Institute for Sustainable Communities
- Texas A&M University (TX)
The Texas A&M Institute for Sustainable Communities serves as a focal point of interdisciplinary sustainable community research, engagement, and high-impact service learning. The Institute is the go-to place for Texas …
- Posted May 22, 2019
- Research Centers & Institutes
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Healthy Cities Certificate
- University of Michigan (MI)
Creating cities to promote public health is an interdisciplinary endeavor. The Graduate Certificate in Healthy Cities provides University of Michigan graduate students with the language, skills, and competencies needed to …
- Posted May 22, 2019
- Academic Programs
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Diversifying the U.S. Climate Movement: Four Interviews
- Antioch University, New England (NH)
Climate change is having devastating impacts in the United States, and people of color are disproportionately harmed. In this study, I interviewed four experts on diversity, equity, and inclusion in …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Publications
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From the Classroom to the COP: Equipping Emory Students to Become Climate Policy Leaders
- Emory University (GA)
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took effect in 1994, and its main objective is to lessen the impact of human interference that threatens the Earth’s climate …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
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Campus Sustainability Achievement
- California State University Maritime Academy (CA)
California State University Maritime Academy (Cal Maritime) participated in the Arbor Day Foundation program, managed by a non-profit conservation and education organization founded in 1972, and applied for the Tree …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
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Hope and Empowerment: Navigating Grief, Climate Change, and Environmental Justice Through Train-the-Trainer Workshops
- Portland Community College (OR)
- Portland State University (OR)
- Greater Portland Sustainability Education Network (GPSEN) (OR)
In these times of accelerating change, environmental crises, and social injustices, we are bombarded with negative news that can numb and overwhelm the spirit. How can we build hope and …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
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Connecting Artists and Sustainability with the Arts of the Earth Festival at Bemidji State University
- Bemidji State University (MN)
The Arts of the Earth Festival is a fun event to "Celebrate Art, Honor Mother Earth, and Inspire Community". This year's festival was held on Saturday, April 27th and Sunday, …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
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Leveraging student leadership to build campus capacity for Sustainable Development Goals implementation: a case study on the University of Calgary’s Sustainable Development Goals Alliance.
- University of Calgary (AB)
The Sustainable Development Goals Alliance (SDGA) is a student-led organization at the University of Calgary which seeks to improve campus and community collaboration towards the implementation of the seventeen Sustainable …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
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Coalition building to create university-wide change
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Camden Campus (NJ)
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus (NJ)
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Newark Campus (NJ)
Two years ago, we formed the Rutgers Sustainability Coalition, a student-led group of representatives from about 20 student organizations working together to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
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University of California’s Cool Campus Challenge
- University of California, Office of the President (CA)
In 2019 the University of California launched the Cool Campus Challenge, an online competition between all ten campuses to engage students, faculty, and staff in the UC Carbon Neutrality initiative. …
- Posted May 20, 2019
- Case Studies
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A Six Mile-Long Living Laboratory: Publishable Student Research to Foster Sustainability and Resilience in Austin’s Waller Creek
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
Over the past decade, a comprehensive approach to research in Waller Creek—the urban stream that bisects The University of Texas at Austin—was developed by faculty in the College of Natural …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Publications
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Resilience Planning
- Boston University (MA)
- Cornell University (NY)
- Smith College (MA)
This work initiates an inventory of good practices and introduces a theoretical framework for the assessment of resilience planning in order to guide and support institutions of higher education in …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Publications
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Campus sustainability in the US: Environmental management and social change since 1970
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA)
- Smith College (MA)
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
This work establishes the first comprehensive analysis of campus sustainability's development in the U.S. since the early 1970s.
In the US, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have occupied a distinct role …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Publications
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Cross-Campus and Community Collaborative Bikeshare
- Champlain College (VT)
- University of Vermont (VT)
Champlain College and UVM played an integral role in advancing the timeline of bringing bikeshare to Chittenden County. With almost 75% of active Greenride members being affiliates of UVM and …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
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A New Zero Waste Goal for Division 1 Football Games
- University of Texas at Austin (TX)
Lauren Lichterman, the Operations and Sustainability Coordinator for Intercollegiate Athletics at The University of Texas at Austin, is not one to stop and rest on her laurels. She used a …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
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University Student Sustainability Conference
- Universidad de Chile (Region Metropolitana)
The CEUS Congress (for its acronym in Spanish) is a space for convergence of young leaders from all over the country, where discussions are held on the different topics of …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
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The Ripple Effect: Community Cultivated, Regionally Replicated
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette (LA)
Last fall, the U.S. Global Change Research Program released “Volume II: Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States” from the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4). It emphasizes that the …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
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Diversifying the U.S. Climate Movement
- Antioch University, New England (NH)
People of color are poised to reach 50% of the United States population by 2046, yet they continue to be underrepresented in environmental organizations. This report summarizes the barriers for …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Publications
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STARS Aligned: Higher Education and the SDGs
- Bard College (NY)
- AASHE (MA)
Given the unique position of higher education institutions (HEIs) in society, not only can these institutions model sustainable practices but they can be agents of change themselves in the societal …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Publications
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Resilient Cities Initiative: South Campus Neighborhood Project - Neighborhood Improvement Study
- California State University, Chico (CA)
The South Campus Neighborhood Project is a neighborhood improvement planning effort coordinated by the Resilient Cities Initiative at California State University, Chico and the Public Works-Engineering Division at the City …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Publications
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Mainstreaming Biodiversity on Campus - Niagara College's BioBlitz Program
- Niagara College Canada (ON)
The Niagara College BioBlitz program is part of a continuous focus at Niagara College on experiential learning and providing the opportunity to students and the community to use the campus …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
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Students of Color Environmental Conference
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
The first ever Students of Color Environmental Conference (SCECon) was intended to bring together students of color from across California to connect and build with local environmental justice activists. This …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
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This Way to Climate Action at Chico State
- California State University, Chico (CA)
Students at CSU, Chico used the Cal-Adapt climate tools to forecast the future climate for the City of Chico, Butte County, and CSU, Chico, and project the climate impacts to …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
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Fill Plates, Not Landfills: Implementing the Bobcat Eats Food Waste Awareness and Prevention Program
- University of California, Merced (CA)
The Bobcat Eats Food Waste Awareness and Prevention Program is a collaboration between the University of California, Merced (UC Merced) and the Merced County Food Bank to reduce food waste …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
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Climate Change Escape Room
- Harvard University (MA)
In April 2019, the Resource Efficiency Program (REP) constructed and staffed a climate change themed escape room. Each minute in the room equated to four years of climate change impacting …
- Posted May 17, 2019
- Case Studies
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BCIT’s Sustainable Infrastructure Project wins Envision Gold
- British Columbia Institute of Technology (BC)
The North Campus Infrastructure Project (NCIP) at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in Burnaby, British Columbia, is an ambitious and forward-thinking initiative that leverages the opportunity of infrastructure …
- Posted May 15, 2019
- Case Studies
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Associations Between Higher Education Sustainability and Alumni Giving
- Harvard University (MA)
Remaking higher education campuses to meet climate commitments will have real and significant costs, yet many campuses are financially constrained. For most institutions, alumni giving is a significant, yet declining, …
- Posted May 15, 2019
- Publications
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Mobilizing transdisciplinary collaborations: collective reflections on decentering academia in knowledge production
- California State University, Long Beach (CA)
- University of Calgary (AB)
- Massey University
- The Nature Conservancy (VA)
Global sustainability challenges and their impact on society have been well-documented in recent years, such as more intense extreme weather events, environmental degradation, as well as ecosystem and biodiversity loss. …
- Posted May 13, 2019
- Publications
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Founder, Students on Sustainability
- University of Calgary (AB)
I founded Students on Sustainability, a student society at the University of Calgary that educates grade school students on sustainability topics linked to climate change, and supports student action projects. …
- Posted May 13, 2019
- Case Studies
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University of Pittsburgh Student Office of Sustainability
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
The student office of sustainability was created in 2015, before the university of Pittsbugh had a campus wide sustainability office, which opened in 2018. Not only was the student office …
- Posted May 13, 2019
- Case Studies
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Suffolk County Community College's Earth Day Events
- Suffolk County Community College (NY)
Suffolk County Community College, hosted a week long earth day celebration. Activities ranged from a beach clean up at our local state park, to an earth day yoga class, to …
- Posted May 8, 2019
- Photographs
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Reviewing University Community Gardens for Sustainability: taking stock, comparisons with urban community gardens and mapping research opportunities
- Keele University
Community gardens (CGs) in university settings are faced with challenges associated with a transient and inexperienced population of student gardeners, but they also have the potential to have a lasting …
- Posted May 7, 2019
- Publications
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‘Student Switch Off!’: how do university students respond to a corporate-sponsored pro-environmental social marketing campaign?
- University of York
- University of Birmingham
- Queen Mary University of London
Sponsorship in pro-environmental social marketing campaigns has received limited academic attention within a higher education (HEI) context. This study examines how multi-level variables, i.e. individual (general environmental attitudes), organisational (scepticism …
- Posted May 7, 2019
- Publications
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Sustainability Demonstration House Project
- Michigan Technological University (MI)
The goal of the Sustainability Demonstration House (SDH) project is to retrofit the former president’s residence, built in 1953, titled the Kettle-Gundlach Building, into a sustainability demonstration house. The SDH …
- Posted May 7, 2019
- Publications
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Central Community College Earth Month 2019
- Central Community College (NE)
Central Community College hosted Earth Month events across 4 of its college locations throughout the month of April. Events included expos with local organizations and student projects, a highway cleanup, …
- Posted May 5, 2019
- Photographs
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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.