Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 57.98
Liaison Jonna Korpi
Submission Date June 2, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Minnesota, Duluth
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Mindy Granley
Sustainability Director
UMD Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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 No
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 No
Other sustainability publications or outreach materials not covered above Yes

A brief description of the central sustainability website:

The Office of Sustainability and the UMD Campus are committed to communicating, educating, and inspiring action to integrate sustainability into all aspects of campus life. Our website incorporates past, current, and future aspirations for UMD Sustainability efforts in Education and Research, Programs, Campus Initiatives/Operations, and Student Projects.


The website URL for the central sustainability website:
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:

Our sustainability newsletter is in the form of an online news blog that features current sustainability news, events, and green tips! All entries are fed onto our UMD Sustainability website home page, and an email is sent to all subscribers.

Stories from the Sustainability blog are also shared on Facebook (837 students/staff/faculty "like" the Sustainability Office, and Twitter, where we have 811 followers) These are powerful tools to disseminate information, because students, staff, and faculty often share the story via their own Facebook or Twitter account, broadening the reach. UMD External Affairs shares our sustainable updates often, with their thousands of followers.


The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
A brief description of the social media platforms that focus specifically on campus sustainability:

The sustainability office engages in social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to promote sustainability practices. Recently, we added Flickr, to archive past photos and events.


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:

UMD Undergraduate Research Opportunity Project and Sustainable Development Research Opportunity Project offers students research dollars and valuable links to faculty, staff, and community members for basic research and sustainability projects. Results are disseminated to the campus through Departmental symposiums, poster sessions, and projects are often highlighted on the Sustainability website and social media platforms.

Many of the SDROP and UROP students attend an annual SELFsustain conference (Student Engagement Leadership Forum on Sustainability), hosted via the U of M Institute, where sustainability student leaders from across U of M meet to
discuss sustainability progress on each campus and across the U of M system
Students also share posters/projects at the annual campus Sustainability Fair.


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 buildings at UMD feature a sign that displays the level of green certification obtained. In addition, the Labovitz School of Business and Economics (UMD's first LEED Gold building) has signs that feature the green and sustainable elements in building. These elements include energy efficiency, water savings, healthy building elements, lighting upgrades, and recycled/local building materials. The Bagley Classroom has an interpretative display sign just outside the building. In addition, energy usage information from Bagley is regularly updated on our website z.umn.edu/solar

Details for all of our green buildings are being archived on our UMD Sustainability website (click on Campus Initiatives ->Energy->Green Buildings).


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:

Signs in UMD Dining (both in the Dining Center and Food Court) address the following:
- Compostable and recyclable materials
- Signs to identify locally-grown food from the UMD Farm (during growing season)
- Healthy choices, vegetarian and and gluten-free/friendly options
- Waste-free events, offered through UMD Catering
- Other Dining sustainability efforts


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:

Our biggest sustainable grounds feature is the UMD Rain Garden (http://www.d.umn.edu/sustain/raingarden/index.html), and the Garden is continually featured/toured by campus and our surrounding community members. The rain garden has a large display, along with paper copies of plant lists and a suggested tour of the stormwater treatment features. The tour guide and plant list are also uploaded on our website.

In addition, our Grounds crews use many alternative plantings to sod, including wildflowers and native plants, which also have signs across campus.

In Summer 2010 -2014, edible gardens were planted on campus. Interpretative signs were posted in these gardens, and a fall Harvest Event for student volunteers and the campus will be hosted, serving the veggies and berries from campus.


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:

The UMD main map has a sustainability layer being developed currently by a student intern, Andrew Leider via the Sustainable Development Research Opportunity Project program. The Sustainability layer can be clicked to show features such as LEED certified buildings, solar photovoltaic arrays, rain gardens, etc. (Click on "Show more Places and Things -> Sustainability)


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:

The U-PASS Program is an innovative partnership between UMD and the Duluth Transit Authority to encourage use of public transportation at UMD. Unlimited, free rides are provided for students anytime, anywhere around the Twin Ports area. A $10 per semester student service fee helps cover the cost of the U-PASS program. Staff and faculty (even part-time!) can purchase a U-PASS for only $50 for the year, via payroll deduction! The number of riders from UMD has now exceeded 5 million using the UPASS!

We also have a Bike-to-Campus program, including two RFID bike reader stations that "count" bike riders each day, three bike-repair stations, and multiple bike parking options (including designated Winter Bike Parking.)

UMD added the first Electric Vehicle charging station in 2013 as well. To date, there have been almost 250 unique vehicle-charging events.


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 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:

Resident Assistants are given information on living sustainably in the dorms and are encouraged to incorporate green themes into displays and information boards on their dorm and apartment floors.

Signage is also displayed in the Laundry Rooms for "going green while getting clean".

A Sustainable Living Guide was developed by student Nate Levendoski, and it summarizes presentations given to RAs and incoming freshman at Bulldog Welcome Week. The Guide is available to RAs to help them create meeting themes and sustainable-themed bulletin boards.


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 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 has a paper brochure, developed by a graphic design student, that describes opportunities for students to get involved.


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 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 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 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):
---

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):
---

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):
---

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):
---

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.