When I accepted this position, I told many people it was my dream job. At the end of my first semester, this rings true. I’m energized by the passion of our students, our brilliant faculty and the talented staff who make this campus run. I’m particularly inspired by the people in the Office of Sustainability who believe so much in our mission that they devoted their careers to this work.
We’ve been busy! The Office of Sustainability has grown this semester from two staff members to six. We have expertise in waste and composting, transportation, facilities management, clean energy, climate change, sustainability in the curriculum, and energy equity. Our office supported eleven proposals that were submitted to the Sustainable Campus Fund this semester, including an approach to track and share unused furniture on campus, a plan for more covered bike parking and a strategy to increase sustainable clothing sold on campus. We also hosted an electric vehicle ride and drive event and engaged twenty student EcoReps to educate the campus community about sustainability. We finalized and published a Facilities Sustainability Plan to guide project development and implementation across campus and presented in several classes and at faculty events.
Next semester will bring more. The office will lead the development of the Comprehensive Sustainability Plan (CSP) with broad input from the campus community. We are convening a Campus Sustainability Work Group that will include students, faculty and staff and recommend themes and topic areas for inclusion in the CSP. We will also launch the Sustainable Solutions Lab (SSL). Through the SSL, our office will facilitate collaboration across campus to research and address sustainability issues and develop solutions, creating meaningful educational experiences for students. The Office of Sustainability will also be moving from 12 Cochester Avenue to a more central location and a new office in Marsh Hall. Please stop in and say hi!