| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 74.63 |
| Liaison | Sam Lubow |
| Submission Date | July 30, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Stanford University
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Moira
Hafer Sustainability Specialist Office of Sustainability |
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 Sustainable Stanford website provides information about Stanford’s sustainability efforts across all campus realms, including academics, research, campus operations, and student engagement. The website discusses specifically the campus plans for energy, transportation, food, waste, landscaping, Sustainable IT, and other sustainability topic areas. It also provides suggestions for what staff, students, and faculty can do to promote sustainability within their own lives, including comprehensive campus-wide sustainability campaigns (http://sustainable.stanford.edu/be_cardinal_green). The website is also an information hub for Sustainable Stanford publications, including the newsletter, fact sheets, how to guides, and the annual year in review (http://sustainable.stanford.edu/news_and_resources).
The website URL for the central sustainability website:
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
Sustainable Stanford's monthly newsletter, Cardinal Green, describes the latest campus sustainability news and success stories. It covers sustainability awards and recognition, new programs, campus sustainability improvements, upcoming events, and engagement opportunities.
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
A brief description of the social media platforms that focus specifically on campus sustainability:
Sustainable Stanford maintains an active Facebook page and Twitter account (@SustainStanford). Both platforms are maintained by Office of Sustainability staff and promote current events, campaigns, tips, and general sustainability information to the community at large. In addition, both platforms frequently link and share other sustainability campus news coming from research institutes, university communications, etc.
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:
Stanford has a number of journals dedicated to publishing student research. These include the Stanford Undergraduate Research Journal, Stanford Service in Global Health Journal, and Stanford Environmental Law Journal. Student sustainability research projects can be submitted to any one of these publications.
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 :
The Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy (Y2E2) building is a flagship high performance building on the Stanford campus and is LEED-EBOM Platinum certified. The building features computer kiosks that highlight specific sustainability features, an online dashboard, and stairwell signage which describes sustainability themes incorporated into the building design and construction. Each restroom includes signage describing the use of recycled water to flush toilets and urinals.
http://sustainable.stanford.edu/sites/sem.stanford.edu/files/documents/Stanford_Y2E2_facts
Similar signage has been included in numerous other high performance buildings on campus, including the Knight Management Center (the Graduate School of Business), the Huang Engineering Center, and the Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, among others.
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:
All Stanford dining halls and Stanford-operated cafes practice composting and utilize compostable serviceware. As a result, all include signage describing the differences between recyclable, compostable, and waste material. Stanford Dining also promotes a “Love Food Hate Waste” campaign which includes signage describing the environmental impacts of food waste. Additional dining hall signage promotes the "performance dining program" and directs students to healthy food choices tailored for their next activity (https://www.stanford.edu/dept/rde/cgi-bin/drupal/dining/sites/default/files/pdfs/PD_IntroHOrevised.pdf). Vegan and vegetarian options are highlighted with signage, and sustainable fish is also highlighted. The Stanford Dining publication “Sustainability: A Way of Life” describes how Stanford incorporates sustainability into its food system.
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:
Stanford's "Waterwise Demonstration Garden" serves as an educational model for the entire campus community regarding native and drought-tolerant plants.
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 2013 the Office of Sustainability launched a self-guided sustainability walking tour that highlights the university's major sustainability achievements (http://lbre-apps.stanford.edu/sustours/). Since 2009, the Office of Sustainability has also offered a campus sustainability tour at major university events and a short tour upon request. Aboard one of the new fully electric Marguerite shuttles, participants travel to venues where campus operations feature sustainable practices in action. Staff members provide presentations both on the bus and on-site at select stops. Topics include water, waste and recycling, transportation demand management, energy, sustainable landscaping, and a version of some high performance building tour. Upon request, Office of Sustainability staff offer walking tours of several high performance buildings, including Y2E2 and the Knight Management center.
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:
Stanford's Parking and Transportation Services provides extensive information online and through one-on-one consultations regarding alternative transportation. The commute planning assistance program provides personalized recommendations (http://transportation.stanford.edu/commuteplanning/). The guide “Thriving at Stanford Without a Car” provides an overview of public transit options on and around campus. Stanford's "Commute Club" incentivizes the use of public transit and carpooling.
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:
Stanford employs a full-time Bicycle Coordinator to support bicyclists on campus. A sample of the services provided to bicyclists include: bike registration, a brochure titled "biking around Stanford," a mid-peninsula bicycle map, city and county bike maps, brochures to make rides easier and safer, discounts on bike helmets, and clothes lockers and bike storage rentals, as well as information on the location of accessible shower facilities.
In addition, commute planning assistance is available to any member of the Stanford community, including all pedestrian travelers (http://transportation.stanford.edu/commuteplanning/).
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:
Sustainability is a core value on campus and within Residential & Dining (R&DE) Enterprises Student Housing. The R&DE Student Housing Sustainability and Conservation Programs Office collaborates with students and staff to foster behavior change, reduce energy and water consumption and waste production in our residences, and to integrate long-term sustainable thinking into everyday operations. Building upon past publications of student living guides, R&DE student housing partnered with the Office of Sustainability to produce "How To Be Cardinal Green: Student Sustainable Living Guide," an annual electronic publication sent to each incoming student and available to all students online.
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:
The Stanford Daily reports on sustainability on campus on a regular basis. Several Stanford Daily reporters work with representatives from Land, Buildings, and Real Estate, the Office of Sustainability, and other entities to collect and promote information on Stanford's sustainability initiatives. For example, the Stanford Daily has written numerous articles on the Stanford Energy System Innovations (SESI) project (http://www.stanforddaily.com/tag/sesi) and the LEED-EBOM Platinum certification for the Yang and Yamazaki Energy and Environment Building (Y2E2) (http://www.stanforddaily.com/tag/y2e2/). The Stanford Daily also covers most of the sustainabiliy-focused events that occur on campus, such as the annual Keys to Sustainability fair meant to help students learn about ways to get involved in sustainability activities on campus (http://www.stanforddaily.com/2014/02/10/keys-to-sustainability-makes-the-environment-the-focus).
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):
The Office of Sustainability publishes an annual report titled “Sustainability at Stanford – A Year In Review.” This publication provides campus sustainability metrics and trends as well as highlights campus sustainability stories from the past year. The publication highlights the actions taken across campus to improve sustainability and provides valuable year-to-year tracking on consumption metrics.
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):
The Stanford University Energy and Climate Plan, first developed in 2009 and revised in 2013, outlines an in-depth framework for Stanford's plans to advance the sustainability of Stanford's energy system. This document was created through strategic partnerships between Stanford's Department of Sustainability and Energy Management and Stanford faculty experts. Stanford’s Energy and Climate Plan, when fully implemented, will immediately reduce campus GHG emissions by 50% and potable water use by 15%, while also opening a path to full energy sustainability over time through greening the campus electricity supply.
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):
The Project Delivery Process (PDP), originally developed in 2001, serves the Stanford University community as an invaluable resource for assisting staff, clients and contractors who are embarking on a new building or renovation project for Stanford.
The PDP manual is designed to facilitate communication with internal and external stakeholders interested in understanding both general and specific purposes. The PDP Manual can assist in educating new staff, clients and contractors as well as serve as an invaluable day-to-day reference manual for seasoned personnel. The goal is to improve understanding and communication between all stakeholders by clearly identifying the roles and responsibilities of the numerous team members and the Process and Controls that are expected at each phase of the project. With clear expectations and communications, overall project quality and satisfaction will be improved.
The website URL for this material (3rd material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (4th material):
A brief description of this material (4th material):
The Woods Institute for the Environment produces numerous publications related to sustainability, including policy briefs, research plans, and general reports on the following topic areas: climate, freshwater, land use & conservation, and oceans & estuaries.
The website URL for this material (4th material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (5th material):
A brief description of this material (5th material):
Sustainable Stanford publishes a large number of Fact Sheets that explain various aspects of campus sustainability. These publications are designed to provide a concise overview of a particular environmental topic and how it is being addressed on campus. Fact sheet topics include “Food & Dining,” “Transportation,” “Water Conservation,” “Energy and Climate Action,” and fourteen others.
The website URL for this material (5th material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (6th material):
A brief description of this material (6th material):
Sustainable Stanford published Green Event Guidelines designed to inform faculty, staff, and students putting on events about Stanford’s sustainability goals and how to incorporate these into event planning. The guideline discusses utilizing reusable signage, proper event composting and recycling, and additional tactics.
The website URL for this material (6th material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (7th material):
A brief description of this material (7th material):
Sustainable Stanford publishes step-by-step “How To Guides” on various campus sustainability topics. These guides are intended to help individuals on campus take specific actions to contribute to campus sustainability. The guides directly support the Building Level Sustainability Program (http://sustainable.stanford.edu/building_level_sustainability). Topics include “How to Eat More Sustainably,” “How to Start an Office Composting Program,” “How to Reduce Computing Energy Use,” and five other campus-specific topics.
The website URL for this material (7th material):
Does the institution produce another sustainability publication or outreach material not covered above? (8th material):
A brief description of this material (8th material):
Stanford University Sustainability Scholars is a student groups that works to develop creative methods of sustainability outreach. The group regularly updates a sustainability blog which profiles students and faculty working on sustainability issues, mentions upcoming sustainability events on campus, and discusses campus sustainability concerns. Any and all students are welcome to contribute to the blog. In addition, the Office of Sustainability funds one student writer for the blog each year.
The website URL for this material (8th material):
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.