Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 68.18
Liaison Ezra Small
Submission Date Feb. 5, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Massachusetts Amherst
EN-5: Outreach Campaign

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Ezra Small
Sustainability Manager
Physical Plant
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Has the institution held at least one sustainability-related outreach campaign directed at students within the previous three years that has yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Yes

Has the institution held at least one sustainability-related outreach campaign directed at employees within the previous three years that has yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Yes

The name of the campaign (1st campaign):
Sustainable UMass, Eco-Rep Program, NetImpact, MASSPIRG, UMass Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign, Permaculture Initiative, Real Food Challenge, USGBC Student Chapter (UMGBC)

A brief description of the campaign (1st campaign):

There are numerous extra-curricular based campaigns on campus from Registered Student Organizations like MASSPIRG (Ban the Bottle), to SUMAC/Sustainable UMass Action Coalition (Anti-Fracking Campaigns) to the UMass Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign, to curricular and co-curricular based campaigns such as the Eco Rep Program, Fellowship Program, Sustainability Student Steering Committee, the Permaculture Initiative, and the Real Food Challenge.

One of the major aspects of the Eco-Rep Program is teaching the students in the program to develop and run their own campaigns on issues surrounding sustainability. Over the past 4 semesters the program has involved over 400 students and has reached out consistently to the undergraduate class. Many Eco-Reps go onto serve in other sustainable related campaigns that are listed above.

Sustainable UMass has done many outreach campaigns, one of the most prominent examples is the sustainable move-out campaign which will be expanding in 2014 to include a campus wide Reuse Tag Sale in the fall.

UMass Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign has recently been successful in having a divestment campaign supported and signed by the Student Government Association President as well as the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, and most recently convinced the UMass System Foundation to establish a Committee on Socially Responsible Investing.

The Real Food Challenge has developed into a 20-30 student co-curricular internship program that gives students the opportunity to not only run the RFC calculator for Auxiliary Services food audit but to learn in a collaborative setting about building more local and regional food system options for UMass and it's food suppliers.

In 2013 the Student Steering Committee reformed under the leadership of the Campus Sustainability Manager with a new task to help implement the new Sustainability Innovation and Engagement Fund by reviewing and ranking each proposal as well proposing their own ideas to the fund.


A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign (1st campaign):

Earth Day and Campus Sustainability Day celebrations each year: Van Jones (2012), Robert F Kennedy Jr. (2012), Annie Leonard (2013), Dr. Robert Bullard (2014)

UMass Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign: Foundation created a Committee on Socially Responsible Investments (2014)

The Common Read for the 5,000 incoming freshman for the class of 2017 was "No Impact Man" and hosted author Colin Beavan for the First Year Student Convocation in the Fall of 2013 and again as a guest on campus in October.

Permaculture Committee: There are now four Permaculture Gardens on campus and a very active local food network of students who are impacting the movement on a regional scale.

Real Food Challenge: The Chancellor has signed the Real Food Challenge, making UMass the largest campus dining program in the country to sign on.

Student Massachusetts Chapter of the USGBC: Helped distribute over 5,00 LED light bulbs to campus residents.

Eco-Rep Program and Fellowship Program: Electricity consumption and waste has decreased total and per student over the last 3 years despite a growing occupancy rate each semester and less access to fellow residents due to safety measures in the residence halls. Waste diversion ranks in the top 3 percent compared to other state communities. The Sustainable Move Out diverted 110 tons of waste from being disposed of improperly. The 2014 EPA Gameday Challenge yielded over 2,000 lbs of recycling diverted from landfill at November 12 football game with over 75 volunteers collecting and weighing recycling at the tailgate.


The website URL where information about the campaign is available (1st campaign):
https://www.umass.edu/sustainability/

The name of the campaign (2nd campaign):
UMass Green Office Program

A brief description of the campaign (2nd campaign):

The Green Office Program now has 60 offices participating as certified green offices and have active employees in each office serving as Eco-Leaders who are responsible for implementing sustainability measures in energy efficiency, waste reduction, kitchen sustainability, and green purchasing.


A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign (2nd campaign):

Over 60 offices are participating and an unknown amount of virgin paper is being reduced in these offices, energy is being saved minimally, greener cleaning products and more reusable products in kitchens are providing a more sustainable and healthy work space.


The website URL where information about the campaign is available (2nd campaign):
http://www.umass.edu/sustainability/get-involved/green-office

A brief description of other outreach campaigns, including measured positive impacts:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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