The 熊猫在线视频 Office of Sustainability's core services, exclusive
of recycling, include outreach and education to students, staff and faculty; gathering
and compiling data on UAA's sustainability efforts and reporting those to the Association
for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE); partnering with internal
and external entities to promote sustainability efforts and events; collaborating
with student groups to support their sustainability efforts; aiding faculty in developing
curricula that incorporates sustainability concepts into teaching; identifying sustainability
research; encouraging reductions in waste and use of resources and energy; and promoting
alternative means of transportation.
Recycling is a gateway to sustainability as its most visible aspect and the service
most people think of when asked about sustainability. The core service of UAA's recycling
program are gathering, sorting and processing recycling materials. UAA employs students
to provide these services to the campus community. Items recycled include paper,
cardboard, certain plastics (those that are accepted for recycling in Anchorage),
glass, aluminum and steel cans, batteries, and vegetable waste from the Commons.
UAA strives to build and maintain sustainable models for northern universities (and
communities) through research, action, and collaboration. Students will encounter
significant issues in their lifetimes, including water use, food security and climate
change. Sustainability focuses on social justice, economic soundness and environmental
wisdom; thinking systemically. When students think holistically, in terms of systems
and interconnections among different disciplines, they are better able to anticipate
unintended consequences and adapt to change. Most futurists agree that sustainability
will become a necessary component of all disciplines in the future.
According to Dictionary.com, sustainability is "to keep up or keep going, as an action or process; to supply
with...the necessities of life." There are several definitions that describe sustainability,
but whichever one you choose, you will see that sustainability is a highly important
concept that impacts all of us - from our community, to the country, to the entire
planet itself.
A huge amount of scientific evidence has shown that many of the world's important
resources are being rapidly exhausted. Not only does this alarming news severely
affect us, it also puts future generations in serious risk of living in a depleted
world. Sustainability is the key to halting and potentially reversing this devastating
problem. By seeking to conserve our remaining important resources and be more mindful
of our use of electricity, paper supplies, gas emissions, and the like, we can turn
Earth into a clean and self-sustaining planet that can be enjoyed through many more
generations. This future won't be easy to achieve by any means, but by working together
with the countless dedicated recycling and sustainability programs throughout the
world and making our own conscious decisions toward greener living, we can make this
a reality.
One of the purposes of UAA's Academic Plan is "to ensure that our graduates are citizens
who can capably and quickly work to ensure the long-term health and vitality of our
cultural, economic, environmental, and social systems in our city, state, nation,
and world." You can join UAA's cause simply by making a few small changes in your
day-to-day life. When everyone contributes, the impact is tremendous. The sustainability
of our planet is in your hands.
- 2015
- The Office of Sustainability partners with Total Reclaim 熊猫在线视频 to host an electronics
recycling event in celebration of Earth Day
- The Office of Sustainability hosts a Free-Store Swap to promote reducing, reusing,
and recycling during Sustainability Week
- The Office of Sustainability co-hosts the "Successful & Sustainable: Career Clothing
Fashion Show" with UAA Career Services Center to promote the UAA Professional Clothes
Closet program during Sustainability Week
- The Office of Sustainability holds a "Can Crushing" event to promote the office and
help students relieve stress during midterms
- The Office of Sustainability co-hosts a Climate Change Writing Workshop with the UAA
English Department, UAA Bookstore, and 49 Writers
- The Office of Sustainability offers free t-shirts to students, staff, and faculty
who participate in the 2nd Annual Winter Bike to Work Day to promote alternative transportation
- The Office of Sustainability donates bottle caps to continue the UAA Winter Design
Project, "The Flow of Color," to raise awareness about the number of plastic bottles
used everyday.
- The Office of Sustainability hosts the "Send Valentines to Seniors" event, encouraging
everyone to make Valentine's Day cards out of recycled materials to give to the residents
at a local senior assisted living facility
- UAA hosts the Director of Renewable and Appropriate Energy from UC-Berkeley during
the Complex Systems Lecture Series
- The Office of Sustainability co-hosts a Climate Change Concert with the UU Fellowship
and 49 Writers
- The Office of Sustainability attends the Resource Expo during Howl Days to promote
sustainability to incoming students
- 2014
- The UAA Office of the Registrar renews their Green Department Certification and receives
the Living Tree Award for putting the UAA Catalog online
- UAA Students collaborate with Subway on campus to reduce plastic bag use
- The Office of Sustainability partners with Total Reclaim to recycle over 7,000 lbs.
of electronics on America Recycles Day
- The UAA Interlibrary Loan Department becomes Green Department Certified and significantly
reduces costs
- UAA is one of five winners in the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree Campus USA contest (large
school division)
- UAA Facilities and Campus Services plants 300 trees at the UAA 熊猫在线视频 Airlines Center
and roughly 5,500 trees between Ninilchik (2,400), the Matanuska-Susitna Valley (~1,000),
and the Kenai Peninsula (2,100)
- UAA New Student Orientation renews their Green Department Certification for 2014
- The Office of Sustainability reaches over 500 signatures pledging to use reusable
water bottles and the hydration stations on campus
- UAA offers a free "Upcycling" sewing special that promotes repurposing household items
- The Office of Sustainability hosts a "recycling game" during Campus Kick-Off to educate
participants about what can and what cannot be recycled
- The Office of Sustainability attends the Resource Expo during Howl Days to promote
sustainability to incoming students
- The Office of Sustainability donates over 6,000 water bottles to the Anchorage Museum
for the "Plastic Fantastic" event
- UAA partners with The Berry Company to place recycling bins on campus to collect old
phone books for the sixth annual "Think Yellow Go Green" campaign
- The Office of Sustainability partners with UAA Student Activities to host a BBQ for
Bike to Work Day participants
- The Office of Sustainability gathers 99 members to be on the Cycling Seawolves team
for the 10th annual Bike to Work Day
- The Office of Sustainability promotes sustainability during Staff Development Day
with an educational booth
- UAA hosts a yard sale to benefit the APU Consortium Library
- University Housing promotes alternative transportation by using bikes (tricycles)
during summer months to get work done
- UAA launches its first Bike-Share program for students, staff, and faculty
- UAA hosts Sustainability Week to promote sustainability with the following:
- Reduce/Reuse/Recycle Day
- Local Foods Day
- Clean Energy Day
- Bike Day
- UAA hosts its 3rd Annual EcoChic Fashion Show
- UAA upgrades the Professional Studies Building Lecture Hall with energy efficient
LED lighting
- The Office of Sustainability gives prizes to students "caught" biking around campus
- The Office of Sustainability donates seven pounds of plastic bottle caps to the UAA
Winterfest 2014 Winter Design project
- UAA replaces campus drinking fountains with new ADA-accessible and eco-friendly water
bottle filling stations (hydration stations)
- 2013
- The Office of Sustainability and the UAA Sustainability Club take part in America
Recycles Day by informing the campus how to reduce, reuse, and recycle
- The Transportation Working Group (TWG) has its first meeting to discuss transportation
on campus
- UAA becomes the first UA campus to join the Fresh Air Campus Challenge at the Silver
Campus level (campuses currently working on a smoke or tobacco-free initiative)
- UAA Facilities & Campus Services plants approximately 6,000 seedlings on university
land in the Kenai Peninsula and 500 seedlings in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley
- The Office of Sustainability hosts a contest during Campus Kick-Off to see who can
guess the amount of paper UAA recycles each year (173,756 lbs in FY13)
- The UAA Green Fee creates a Facebook page
- UAA is named a Tree Campus USA university for the third year in a row by the Arbor
Day Foundation
- The Office of Sustainability participates in the city's annual Bike to Work day event
by offering a free BBQ and creating a Cycling Seawolves team (Anchorage also celebrates
becoming a silver level Bicycle Friendly Community)
- The Office of Sustainability hosts its 2nd Annual Sustainability Fashion Show - "Eco
Chic" and offers free movie showings of "Kilowatt Hours" and "Trashed" during Earth
Week
- The Career Services Center promotes The Professional Clothes Closet, which provides
gently worn professional attire (donated by UAA staff and faculty) to students to
help them when they enter the workforce
- UAA hosts its 3rd Annual Clothing Drive for the One Shirt National Collegiate Clothing
Challenge
- UAA begins recycling glass as glass recycling starts up again in Anchorage
- The Office of Sustainability awards the Office of Chancellor and Anchorage's UAF Cooperative
Extension staff with Green Office Certification
- 2012
- The Office of Sustainability and the USUAA Sustainability Committee hosted the first
ever "Eco Chic" Fashion Shows, where participants created clothing from repurposed
or recycled clothing and materials
- The second annual ONEShirt National Collegiate Clothing Drive is held, bringing in
492.2 pounds of donated clothing
- UAA is recognized as a "Tree Campus USA" by the Arbor Day Foundation for the second
year in a row
- Staff members from the Office of Sustainability reach out and educate several hundred
incoming students at various events, such as Howl Days and Campus Kickoff
- Students, staff, and faculty volunteers come together to plant approximately 250 trees
at the UAF experimental farm in Palmer
- Hosted an event in conjunction with America Recycles Day, reaching out to approximately
300 people
- 2011
- UAA receives AASHE Bronze Star Award
- Purchased new plastic, can, and paper recycle bins
- A base measurement was taken to determine the amount of plastic and can recyclables
produced at UAA
- First ever ONEShirt National Collegiate Clothing Drive, 870 pounds of used clothing
donated- The carbon emission report entitled "Carbon Emissions Report 2010 熊猫在线视频" is released
- Second year in a row UAA wins the Sustainability Cup against UAF
- Green Wolf newsletter is published to inform readers about sustainability initiatives
around campus
- Electronics Recycling Fair collected over 29,000 pounds of personal electronics and
saved over $10,000
- UAA is the first college in the State of 熊猫在线视频 to be named Tree Campus USA by the
Arbor Day Foundation
- 2010
- UAA on and off campus recycle bin locations were plotted on a campus map
- Educational campaign implemented to inform students about recyclable items in Anchorage
and on the UAA campus
- 2009
- Old wooden "professor evaluation boxes" were reused and made into recycle bins
- The first annual Seawolf Sustainability Students Social is held, highlighting UAA's
actions to become more sustainable
- UAA's first Sustainability Director, Paula Williams, begins work
- 2008
- 2007
- UAA releases its new Energy Policy
- Newly appointed Chancellor Ulmer reaffirms UAA's commitment to sustainability
- USUAA receives an EPA grant to convert the recycling truck from diesel to vegetable
oil
- Chancellor Maimon signs the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment
(ACUPCC)
- 2005
- UAA faculty and administrator collaborate with APU faculty, students, and administrators
to present information on sustainable communities, the Chester Creek Watershed Project,
and updates on UAA/APU sustainability efforts at a U/Med Neighborhood Meeting
- Sustainability Task Team members present workshop at Staff Development Day. Shared
UAF/UAA guest speaker Dr. Chris Uhl, Penn State Ecologist, holds UAA workshop on institutional
ecology, and teaches course and presents public lecture on Developing Ecological Consciousness
- Sustainability Task Team members present campus ecology workshop at USUAA Leadership
Conference. Students vote to approve initiative calling for all new buildings and
major remodeling projects to be built to LEED standards
- UAA hosts a three day conference, "Educating for a Sustainable Future: UAA's Next
50 Years and Beyond ~ Implementing the Talloires Declaration at UAA," featuring a
showcase of UAA sustainability projects, public lectures, and university-community
workshops to advance sustainability initiatives at UAA
- 2004
- Sustainability Resource Room opens in the new Consortium Library, funded by the Vice Provost's office
- UAA's first sustainability website is launched
- GSS institutes a practice of supplying all GSS-maintained campus photocopiers with
30% post-consumer recycled paper
- Chancellor Lee Gorsuch, Faculty Senate President Larry Foster, and USUAA President
John Gondek sign the Talloires Declaration
- 2003
- Faculty Senate and USUAA approve the Talloires Declaration University Leaders for
a Sustainable Future and urge Chancellor Lee Gorsuch to make UAA a signatory
- UAA Faculty Senate establishes an ad hoc committee on sustainability