| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 81.82 |
| Liaison | Ryan Ihrke |
| Submission Date | Feb. 23, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Green Mountain College
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Ryan
Ihrke Director of Sustainability Sustainability |
Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts?:
A brief description of the central sustainability website (optional):
Created by the Sustainability Office, this website consolidates information about Green Mountain College’s sustainability efforts including the Sustainability 2020 Strategic plan, leadership in sustainability, climate neutrality, on campus and in the community sustainability activities. It highlights new events and initiatives related to sustainability such as the biomass facility, sustainable purchasing initiatives, student run projects through the Student Campus Greening Fund, and sustainability policies, awards and accolades.
The website URL for the central sustainability website:
Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter?:
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
The GMC Journal is a weekly electronic newsletter sent to the GMC community and external stakeholders with a regular articles and announcements highlighting to sustainability initiatives of Green Mountain College. It keeps faculty, staff and students up to date about sustainability issues, events, initiatives, and advice.
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
Does the institution have social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, interactive blogs) that focus specifically on campus sustainability?:
A brief description of the social media platforms that focus on sustainability:
The Sustainability Office maintains a Facebook account where it promotes sustainability initiatives, events, and awards. Additionally,Green Mountain College's primary social media accoutns(Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) regularly focus on sustainability.
Sustainability Office Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/sustyGMC/
Green Mountain College Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/GreenMtnCollege/
Green Mountain College Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/greenmtncollege/
Green Mountain College Twitter
@greenmtncollege
The website URL of the primary social media platform focused on sustainability:
Does the institution have 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 the regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
A regular sustainability-related article is published in The Mountaineer, GMC's on-line student-run campus newspaper. Recent topics have included the following:
• Photos and recount of students participating in the fall 2017 March for Racial Justice in Washington DC.
• Experiences of being a black student at a predominantly white institution.
• A Religious Perspective on Social Justice
• Montaintop Removal
•Green Mountain's Sustainability Rankings
•Syrian Refugee programs in the local community
•The Food Pile - food waste reduction efforts
•Do it in the Dark competition
•GMC I Energy Efficiency Projects
•Sustainable Transportation Options at GMC
•New Composting System Encourages Student Involvement
•UN Climate Change Conference at a Glance
The website URL for regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
Does the institution produce a vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability?:
A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
An internal database, the Authentic Sustainability Database, collects student created research that is focused on sustainability. Research is coded in relationship to the college's Sustainability 2020 strategic plan and is searchable by all members of the campus community based on key word, date, and strategic plan goal. One of the Environmental Liberal Arts core curriculum classes required of all upperclassmen, A Delicate Balance required the production of a informational document or poster regarding a sustainability project that is the core deliverable for the class. Each document or poster is uploaded to the Authentic Sustainability Database at the end of each semester.
The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
Does the institution have building signage that highlights green building features?:
A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :
A live energy dashboard in the student center displays electricityuse in residence halls, along with information about the sustainability aspects of the electricity and heat sources. The biomass facility also has an educational sign outside, purchased by students and faculty who came up with the initial idea for the project. The sign not only explains the technology in the facility, but also tells the story of student activism and cross-campus collaboration that made the conversion from a #6 fossil fuel oil heating facility to a renewable fuel facility a reality. Signs are also available for other major projects on campus, such as the transformation of the Two Editor's Inn into a model of energy efficiency for old buildings. The Two Editor's Inn was designed by students working through a media internship.
A three-panel time-line in the Student Center gives a history of sustainability at GMC, beginning in 1996, when the Environmental Mission of the College was adopted, and leading to Climate Neutrality in 2011.
The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
Does the institution have signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems?:
A brief description of the signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
A brochure from the on-campus farm describes the farm’s sustainable food system, including details of how it operates, as well as information about the CSA (community-supported agriculture) share that it offers. An online newsletter also shares the activities on the farm to the broader community.
Signage related to trayless dining, food conservation, compost, and origin of food is provided by the College's food service provider, Chartwells. Labels above food choices designate locally sourced food, low carbon options and produce from GMC's Cerridwen Farm to encourage sustainable choices.
Signage for composting food scraps is placed in the dining hall above the trash and compost receptacles. These signs are used to prevent unwanted materials in the compost piles by informing students, staff, faculty, and visitors about the proper procedures for separating compost contents and ensuring better quality of compost. Signage also communicates the past months food waste generation and how the food waste was processed or recovered.
The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
Does the institution have signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed?:
A brief description of the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
Green Mountain College has multiple natural areas devoted to preserving native plants and educating the community about ecological processes. The natural areas crew posts signage highlighting native plant and sustainable food production gardents that were paid for and planted by various student groups on campus (e.g. Student Campus Greening Fund, a Botany Class). This signage highlights the College's goal to increase native species throughout the campus and address food insecurity.
With assistance from the National Park Service Rivers and Trails program and the support of the Town of Poultney, VT, a walking trail was developed by the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District that connects the various educational, recreational and environmentally important sites in the town. The trail system has now become a major focus of the Poultney 2020 redevelopment effort, and several staff and students are serving on the parks and recreation committee, which is working to clear the town trails system, install better signage, and thoroughly map all the trails. Additionally, at various locations on the GMC campus along the Poultney River, permanent wooden signs have been placed to inform visitors and students about the characteristics of the location and the environmental management it receives.
A natural areas boardwalk was also constructed by students in 2014 to minimize damage to the grounds on a well-traveled path to the river. In the spring of 2016, an interpretive koisk was placed at the end of the boardwalk highlighting features of the surrounding natural areas.
The website URL for the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
Does the institution produce a sustainability walking map or tour?:
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
The sustainability tour highlighting sustainability resources throughout Green Mountain College is available as a video on Youtube.
A walking tour is also available in person from Sustainability staff during major events including alumn reunion, family weekend, and open houses. All first year students participate in a Sustainability Tour during their first semester IMAGES of Nature class and sustainability Tours are also offered as a stand alone activity at least one time per semester and advertised via the Green Mountain College Journal. The sustainability office also provides a number of sustainability tours upon request.
The Sustainability tour covers Green Mountain College's the environmental, social, and economic sustainability initiatives by walking around campus and viewing items including our waste handling systems, the biomass facility, solar panels, community meeting house, and native plant nursery.
The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
Does the institution produce a guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation?:
A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
The GMC sustainability website offers an online resource guide for alternative transportation provided to the Green Mountain community. This site includes information on the free shuttle, various bus routes, train information, and carpool matching services.
The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
Does the institution produce navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians (e.g. covering routes, inter-modal connections, policies, services, and safety)? :
A brief description of the navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
The website URL for navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
Does the institution produce a guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
Does the institution produce other sustainability outreach materials or publications not covered above?:
A brief description of these materials or publications:
A series of videos highlighting students and faculty who are sustainability leaders on and off campus.
The website URL for these materials or publications:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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.