Sustainability Committee
Environmental Scan Report to Strategic Planning Committee
February 2009

The Sustainability Committee replaced the Environmental Committee in Fall 2007. The mandate and goals of the committee were defined on the basis of the Sustainability Report written by the Sustainability Task Force in the 2006-2007 year. Attached is the Intranet site of the Sustainability Committee; it contains the report, purpose statement, and other documents the committee is guided by. The goals are in response to the Strategic Plan and President’s Climate Partnership document.

Internal:

  • The President has signed the President’s Climate Partnership Agreement, which commits us as a campus to working towards and achieving carbon neutral status. The Administrative Services office has taken responsibility for following through on the agreement. The Sustainability Committee is working to get regular access to data for an annual carbon footprint report and indicator report to help us mark and work towards achieving carbon reductions and other sustainability goals. We are also members of Seattle Climate Partnership. Tim Payne is our representative and we report on indicators of progress yearly. See committee intranet site for documents pertaining to these commitments.
  • SCC students are passionately advocating for increased transportation options such as multi-zone student bus passes and improved bus routes and service. The student government is looking into the feasibility (or creating a student survey) of the creation of a student transportation fee to help subsidize these options. To support security, parking, and a bus pass, the administration, in discussion with student government, is promoting the survey and a vote to forward a student transportation fee. A transportation information center in the PUB is also in the planning stages in the Sustainability Committee.
  • Several faculty on campus are offering courses with sustainability service projects on campus and in the community. These projects meet the Strategic Plan goals of excellence and innovation in education, bringing sustainability into the curriculum while working with campus and community. See attached document for a list of current and past projects. Faculty from several divisions are participating in a Sustainability Curriculum Transformation Project and a new Continuing Education course “What is Sustainability?” is being offered by an interdisciplinary team of SCC faculty, and several new IDS courses are being offered next year with sustainability themes.
  • The Zero Energy Technology Training program is thriving. Courses are full and the program has been recently recognized. See Bellwether Award summary below.
  • The Communications sub-committee (a sub-committee of the Sustainability Committee) is in the process of creating a sustainability website to function as a centralized clearinghouse of all communication related to sustainability on campus (i.e. curriculum, events, operations) and also including external links to sustainable resources in the community and green related job opportunities. The Sustainability Committee could use help in directing news of all sustainability efforts to this central place. The coordination of Earth Week still rests with the student Environmental Club; however, the committee hopes to support activities by helping with communication and an event on our regular meeting day of April 23rd.
  • The PUB Landscaping sub-committee (a sub-committee of the Sustainability Committee) is coordinating planting at selected locations on campus between grounds crew and interested faculty to enhance student learning in disciplines such as botany, environmental science, and geography by demonstrating xerophytic plantings and native plants especially those emphasizing unique ecological roles.
  • The Recycling sub-committee (a sub-committee of the Sustainability Committee) is working on improving recycling capability on campus through a more strategic positioning of recycling receptacles, a more tailored pick-up schedule, and more accurate and informative signage.
  • The Student Body Association Parliament has established a new position (Social Justice Minister) that is dedicated, in part, to sustainability on campus through advocacy and participation on theSustainability Committee.
  • Although there are individuals who work to put sustainability into how we operate, Shoreline lacks coherent and explicit policies on sustainable practices. There is not yet a sustainable purchasing policy that could lead to things such as a green chemical use plan, salmon friendly designation, or sustainability in sourcing or construction RFP’s (see attached LEED & green building sites). Administration and the Sustainability Committee are working to have a meeting with finance to discuss possibilities; the committee hopes to have a recommendation for a policy by the end of this committee year.

External:

  • Green collar jobs are seen as a major engine of the new economy. See Green economy jobs site
  • AASHE continues its work to promote and support sustainability on campuses across the country. With hundreds of colleges and universities working to promote sustainability on all levels, we need only the time and the dedication to follow suit. Trends across the country are towards having a sustainability coordinator/center much like having a women’s center or multicultural center. There is evidence that given the right scope of work, the coordinator can in fact save enough money by implementing conservation and sustainable purchasing programs to more than offset their salaries. We are members of AASHE. Any campus member can access their many resources. Please see attached site.
  • Shoreline Solar Project is an innovative and active community organization working on making alternative energy a reality in Shoreline. They sponsor Shoreline’s Solar Fest each year; this year it will be on July 17-19. it is an annual opportunity for communication and education and having Solar Fest on our campus and collaborating with Shoreline Solar Project would be very desirable. This is not yet a formal goal in committee but is being discussed within PIO.
  • CleanScapes is the new recycling and garbage vendor for the City of Shoreline. They promote recycling by not charging for it up to 200% of the waste collected from a site. They also accept mixed recycling so there is no need to separate glass, paper, and plastic. See attached site.
    Resources:

Sustainability website:Sustainability Committee intranet site:

Bell weather summary, current and past sustainability related service learning projects, Upcoming LEED related events:


AASHE web address:

To access locked data put in , password: sky87

Shoreline Solar Fest sponsored by Shoreline Solar Project

Chill Out: Campus Solutions to Global Warming

AIA recognition for a realization of sustainable RFP goals
National Sustainable Building Advisor Program (NaSBAP)

Green Economy Jobs:

EvergreenState College’s recent Sustainable entrepreneurship event:

CleanScapes:

2007/8 Transportation relevant synopsis