| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.13 |
| Liaison | Olivia Wiebe |
| Submission Date | Dec. 28, 2023 |
University of Idaho
EN-5: Outreach Campaign
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Olivia
Wiebe Sustainability Manager Office of the President |
Has the institution held a sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at students and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Has the institution held a sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at employees and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Name of the campaign:
A brief description of the campaign:
In preparation for the return of recycling on campus, the Student Sustainability Cooperative partnered with the Office of Sustainability, Facilities, and University Communications and Marketing to design and implement an educational campaign to help introduce single-stream recycling methods and the importance of keeping contamination down. The Vandals Recycle campaign is designed to continue throughout the duration of the recycling program to offer continuing education to our rotating campus population. This campaign was aimed at faculty, staff and students.
The Vandals Recycling campaign has several different features and programs:
1.) Several digital and print assets that have been distributed throughout campus communication lines including recycled flyers, social media posts, flatscreen ads, bin labels, and educational posters for above recycling bins.
2.) Recycling Presentations: Offered in-person or on zoom, sustainability staff provided PowerPoint presentations with information about the new recycling program and best practices to any class, department, unit or other university entity upon request.
3.) Recycling Ambassadors: An ambassador program with a quick 15-minute training that allows students, staff and faculty to learn how to help communicate with our campus community about recycling and contamination mitigation.
4.) SSC Recycling Fair: The SSC hosted a Recycling Fair in the Idaho Student Union Building with tables with information about recycling, reusing, repairing, composting, reducing consumption and rethinking how we throw things away. Students were invited to participate in various activities, including eco-bricks, clothing mending kits, Recycling Ambassador training and a recycling sorting game where they could enter to win a countertop composting bin.
https://www.uidaho.edu/sustainability/waste/recycle
https://www.uidaho.edu/sustainability/get-involved/recycling-ambassador
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign:
As a result of this campaign, 53 presentations were given to departments, units, and classes, 71 Recycling Ambassadors have joined the effort, and the bins around campus have been properly labeled and placed.
The previous recycling program had very little outreach or education and at the time of cancellation had between 80-90% contamination.
As of the time of reporting, the preliminary contamination rates after only 3 months has already dropped to between 30-50%. We hope that as new students are introduced to the Vandals Recycle campaign and current students continue to engage that we will see our contamination continue to fall and our diversion rates increase.
Name of the campaign (2nd campaign):
A brief description of the campaign (2nd campaign):
In April 2023, the Student Sustainability Cooperative hosted Earth Month in celebration of Earth Day. Earth Month featured four themed weeks and a total of eight engagement events. Each week had two events and themed instagram stories with information about the sustainable topic and potential behavior changes and solutions that would help address each issue.
Week 1 focused on Waste, and the SSC hosted a Recycling Fair and a Clothing Swap with the Apparel, Textile and Design Club. Students learned about reducing waste, rethinking purchases, repairing clothing, recycling properly and composting food scraps. Students also were taught about textile waste and fast fashion and given an opportunity to swap old clothes for new-to-them second-hand items.
Week 2 focused on Food and included a tour of the Vandal Food Pantry, a tabling event where the SSC handed out their new "Scrappy Cookbook", and a Get Dirty event where students could volunteer to help at the Soils Steward's organic farm. Students learned about food insecurity and donating usable items, how to cook with food scraps, and the work that goes into sustainable farming practices.
Week 3 focused on Alternative Transportation with a Bike-to-Work-Week and Earth Jam, the SSC's celebration of Earth Day. Students, staff and faculty submitted photos of their alternative transportation commute and one submission won a Vandal bike helmet, bike light, Tri-State giftcard, a reclaimed water bottle and a selection of compostable stickers.
Week 4 focused on biodiversity with a City Nature Challenge and Plant the Palouse. The SSC partnered with the City of Moscow Environmental Services department to promote a City Nature Challenge, where residents practice citizen science through the iNaturalist app. Plant the Palouse was a celebration of Arbor Day where the SSC partnered with Housing and Residence and the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute to plant 800 native trees across the Palouse.
This campaign was catered to a student audience, but faculty and staff were welcome to participate.
Find more about Earth Month here: https://www.uidaho.edu/current-students/sustainability
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign (2nd campaign):
Over the course of April, the 8 engagement events had a total of 496 participants, 70 volunteers, 332 volunteer hours and 800 native trees planted.
Volunteer reflection sheets were filled out for Get Dirty and Plant the Palouse. A selection of questions and responses are included below:
What did you learn while volunteering with us?
"Our Palouse Prairie is one of the most endangered ecosystems and planting native plants can help."
"I learned the different types of native trees that do well near the water and how to protect them using blue tubes."
"I learned the roots can prevent erosion and that helps the streams."
"I learned it is very rewarding to help the environment."
"We learned a lot about native and non-native plants, composting, plant health, fungi, etc. This volunteering event was one I’ve learned the most from and I really liked that. The end reflection was really nice."
After today, do you feel like you can have a positive impact on our environment through volunteering?
100% of respondents indicated "Yes"
A brief description of other sustainability-related outreach campaigns:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Olivia Wiebe, Sustainability Manager, Office of the President
Olivia Wiebe, Sustainability Manager, Office of the President
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.