| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 72.34 |
| Liaison | Ciannat Howett |
| Submission Date | July 25, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Emory University
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Kelly
Weisinger Director Office of Sustainability Initiatives |
Does the institution produce the following outreach materials and/or publications that foster sustainability learning and knowledge? :
| Yes or No | |
| A central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution’s sustainability efforts | Yes |
| A sustainability newsletter | Yes |
| Social media platforms that focus specifically on campus sustainability | Yes |
| A vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability | Yes |
| Building signage that highlights green building features | Yes |
| Food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems | Yes |
| Signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed | Yes |
| A sustainability walking map or tour | Yes |
| A guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation | Yes |
| Navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians | Yes |
| A guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience | Yes |
| Regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat | Yes |
| Other sustainability publications or outreach materials not covered above | Yes |
A brief description of the central sustainability website:
The Office of Sustainability Initiatives website serves as a central resource for Emory’s sustainability vision, efforts, news, events, organizations, policies, guidelines and initiatives. In addition, the website provides links to other related websites, including Emory Recycles, the Emory University LEED Map,Transportation and Parking Services, Bike Emory, Outdoor Emory Organization, and the Emory Piedmont Project. The Office of Sustainability Initiatives plans to update its website in Winter 2014.
The website URL for the central sustainability website:
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
The Office of Sustainability Initiatives publishes an online newsletter twice a year that is distributed to the Emory community and surrounding neighborhoods. OSI also issues sustainability notices through the Sustainability Listserv, which updates subscribers about sustainability events and news around campus. Currently, the listserv has 2,017 subscribers, and notices are sent out roughly 3-4 times a month.
The sustainability website also features an "Articles and Resources" section, which serves as an online compilation of News and Articles related to sustainability efforts and events at Emory.
Lastly, sustainability features prominently in numerous campus newsletters including "Emory Magazine", "Emory Report", and Campus Services' "Newsbeat," which regularly features green efforts of the Facilities Management Department.
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
A brief description of the social media platforms that focus specifically on campus sustainability:
Emory's Office of Sustainability manages a Twitter account (@EmoryGreen), Facebook page (Emory Sustainability), and Pinterest page specifically focused on Sustainability.
The website URL of the primary social media platform that focuses on sustainability:
A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
The Scholarly Inquiry and Research at Emory (SIRE) Program serves as the primary vehicle for showcasing undergraduate student research. SIRE promotes undergraduate research projects through grants, faculty-student research partnerships, and summer research stipends, offering advantages to both students and faculty. Undergraduate Research Symposiums are held bi-annually and feature student research from all disciplines. While this symposium is not focused directly on sustainability research, numerous research projects in the past have related to sustainability. Some examples of previous research projects in sustainability research include: "British Missionary Attitudes to Food and Related Culture" by Romana Perez (Fall 2012); "Tufted Deer Habitat Selection in the Motianling Land Trust Reserve, Sichual Province, China" by Heidi Ma (Fall 2012); "Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in Rivers and Streams of Northern Coastal Ecuador" by Gouthami Rao (Spring 2012); "Behavioral Response and Mortality of Grass Shrimp Palaemonetes pugio Exposed to South Louisiana Crude Oil and Hiclean Chemical Dispersant" by Gwyneth Manswer (Spring 2012); "Responses to Natural Disasters in the Ottoman Empire" (Spring 2013); "Climate of Crisis: America in the Age of Environmentalism" (Spring 2013); "Effects of Bee Species Losses on Foraging Behavior" (Spring 2013); "Ecology of Infectious Diseases in Ranomafan, Madagascar" (Spring 2013).
The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :
All LEED certified buildings at Emory feature a LEED certification plaque. There is also additional signage around campus that highlights particular green features of some of the LEED buildings. 19 of Emory's buildings are equipped with a building dashboard that measures and displays total electricity, heating energy, cooling energy, water consumption and per-floor electricity use. In many of our LEED certified buildings, a number of plaques highlight various green features of the building, including natural lighting and recycled material used in construction.
During the initial phase of construction of a new building, construction signage is used to educate about green building features. For example, for a new hospital tower construction project, the construction fencing highlights the project's compliance with the University's "No Net Loss of Tree Canopy" Policy and will update construction fencing signage during each phase of construction with appropriate sustainability features of the project.
The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
A brief description of food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
In the main dining halls, there is signage to highlight the local and organic foods available in the dining area, as well as signs instructing customers about recycling and composting. Cling stickers at each food station indicate if the food is obtained from the state of Georgia or Emory’s 8 state region, as defined in the Emory Sustainability Local Food goal. Emory's Cox Hall food court is piloting a "Zero Landfill Waste" program, given that Styrofoam is the only landfill waste that Emory produces. New and improved signage was developed and installed throughout the food court, including chalk boards with updated local & sustainable food options and "how to" descriptions for recycling and composting.
Outdoor light pole banners, electronic signs, posters, and hard copy flyers draw attention to Emory's Educational Garden projects, Emory Farmer’s Market, Local Food specials, and other sustainable food initiatives. The Emory Dining Sustainability website and a “Sustainability News corner” in Emory Dining’s monthly electronic newsletter also highlight sustainable food options and tips.
The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
A brief description of signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies:
The Emory Grounds Department uses signage around campus to indicate water conservation efforts, indicating when irrigation is provided by underground cisterns and the use of plant species that use less water. The recent installation of 2 rain gardens and a bioswale have prompted the design of additional signage, not yet available.
The website URL for signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies:
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
In May 2010, Emory launched a comprehensive online, interactive campus sustainability map in conjunction with Emory's Walk n' Roll campaign. Using the layered map, people can view the locations of Emory's educational food gardens, Bike Racks and shower facilities, building tours of Emory's LEED certified buildings, Cliff shuttle routes, recycling options, and guides to campus plant life, history, arts and more. Pocket-sized sustainability maps have been produced and are distributed to new students, staff and guests, portions of this map have been added to the University's mobile app, and in-person sustainability tours are given upon request.
In addition to the online Sustainability Map, the "Emory as Place" Guided Lullwater Walks provide a one hour and fifteen minute introduction to the history, ecosystems, and ethical responsibilities inherent in Lullwater Preserve as part of Emory University’s legacy. Exercises include story-telling, identification of plants and their historical Creek and Cherokee usage, and discussion of Emory’s commitment to sustainability. These guided walks are open to all Emory community members and are regularly taken by first year residents as part of their hall programming.
The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation:
Both the Office of Sustainability Initiatives and the Office of Transportation and Parking websites provide information to commuters about Emory's many alternative commute options, including Bike Emory (features Bike Map), Cliff Shuttles (features Cliff Shuttle schedules and real-time locater), subsidized MARTA passes, and more. The Transportation and Parking office developed a real-time shuttle locator that is available as a web page or a mobile app.
The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use alternative methods of transportation:
A brief description of the navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
The Office of Sustainability Initiatives provides pedestrian information by linking to Atlanta's PEDS website. PEDS is an organization that advocates for a walkable Atlanta. Bike Emory provides bicycle maps of the Atlanta area, including Emory's campus, and offers regular bicycle safety classes for free through collaboration with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition. The OSI website also links to the Map My Ride website where bicyclists can post information about bike routes in metro Atlanta.
The website URL for navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
Emory's "Living Green: Sustainability in the 21st Century Living Learning Community" is a program available to first year students at Emory which fosters student commitment to a living green lifestyle through various hall programs. In addition, residence hall bulletin boards and hall decorations highlight various green living tips ranging from energy reduction to recycling.
Beginning in Fall 2012, Green Action is a Second Year at Emory living-learning community that builds upon the theme of Living Green into the second year residence life experience. This community occupies one floor of the Woodruff Residential Center. Residents have an active voice in what’s included in the residential programming, events, and education of this sustainable community. Residents also have an opportunity to sit on a Green Action leadership council to control programming and events that take place in Woodruff Residential Center, within the Second Year at Emory program, and among the greater Emory and Atlanta communities.
The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
A brief description of regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat:
Emory's student newspaper, The Emory Wheel, provides regular coverage of sustainability and has a regular beat reporter focusing on campus life and sustainability.
The website URL for regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat:
A brief description of another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above (1st material):
Generation Response is officially "Emory's Environmental/Humanitarian magazine” written by Emory students. The magazine covers local, national, and international humanitarian and environmental issues. Articles shed light on the people and organizations at Emory and in the greater Atlanta area that are making a positive difference in response to the issues.
The website URL for this material (1st material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (2nd material):
A brief description of this material (2nd material):
Sustainability initiatives in Emory Healthcare are routinely covered in print and electronic publications and occupy a permanent space in Emory Healthcare's intranet, accessible to staff.
The website URL for this material (2nd material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (3rd material):
A brief description of this material (3rd material):
Featured prominently around Emory's campus are light-post banners that promote various sustainability initiatives and sustainability tips to the Emory community and visitors. The banners advertise upcoming events, highlight energy saving tips, and promote Emory's Sustainability Pledge which asks community members to choose particular sustainability efforts that they already do or they will complete in the near future.
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Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (8th material):
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.