From Macro to Micro: Greening Your Campus. District of Columbia College Personnel Association Annual Conference, Washington, DC, December 2010.

1. From MACRO From MACRO
to MICRO to MICRO
greening your campus greening your campus
Triple Bottom Line Triple Bottom Line
The triple bottom line (abbreviated as "TBL" or "3BL", The triple bottom line (abbreviated as "TBL" or "3BL",
and also known as "people, planet, profit" or "the three and also known as "people, planet, profit" or "the three
pillars") captures an expanded spectrum of values and pillars") captures an expanded spectrum of values and
criteria for measuring organizational (and societal) criteria for measuring organizational (and societal)
success: economic, ecological and social. success: economic, ecological and social.
Institutional Commitments Institutional Commitments
• AASHE – Association for the Advancement of • AASHE – Association for the Advancement of
Sustainability in Higher Education – aashe.org Sustainability in Higher Education – aashe.org
• STARS – Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and • STARS – Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and
Rating System – stars.aashe.org Rating System – stars.aashe.org
• Education and Research • Education and Research
o ACPA Sustainability Monograph - bit.ly/esQY5P o ACPA Sustainability Monograph - bit.ly/esQY5P
o ACPA Institute on Sustainability - bit.ly/agjre9 o ACPA Institute on Sustainability - bit.ly/agjre9
o Green Teaching Certificate - bit.ly/b28HF7 o Green Teaching Certificate - bit.ly/b28HF7
• Administration • Administration
o Talloires Declaration - bit.ly/fJGbpa o Talloires Declaration - bit.ly/fJGbpa
o American College and University Presidents o American College and University Presidents
Climate Commitment - Climate Commitment -
http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/ http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/
o Fair Labor Association – fairlabor.org o Fair Labor Association – fairlabor.org
o Worker Rights Consortium – workersrights.org o Worker Rights Consortium – workersrights.org
• Operations • Operations
o LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environment o LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environment
Design - bit.ly/bC2JzL Design - bit.ly/bC2JzL
o DC Green Roof Grants – dcgreenworks.org o DC Green Roof Grants – dcgreenworks.org
o Purchasing – greenseal.org, ecologo.org o Purchasing – greenseal.org, ecologo.org
o Cleaning o Cleaning
o Dining Programs – realfoodchallenge.org o Dining Programs – realfoodchallenge.org
o Carbon Neutrality o Carbon Neutrality
o Zero Waste Policies o Zero Waste Policies
o Water Usage o Water Usage
o Capital Bikeshare – captialbikeshare.com o Capital Bikeshare – captialbikeshare.com
o Zimride – zimride.com o Zimride – zimride.com
o CSA – Community Supported Agriculture – o CSA – Community Supported Agriculture –
localharvet.org localharvet.org
Departmental Practices Departmental Practices
• Office Eco-Certification - bit.ly/hmR1l5 • Office Eco-Certification - bit.ly/hmR1l5
• Green statements • Green statements
• FSC – Forrest Stewardship Council – fsc.org • FSC – Forrest Stewardship Council – fsc.org
Student Buy-In Student Buy-In
• Eco Reps - /bit.ly/f2zHWf • Eco Reps - /bit.ly/f2zHWf
• Campus Conservation Nationals – • Campus Conservation Nationals –
competetoreduce.org competetoreduce.org
• Recyclemania – recyclemania.org • Recyclemania – recyclemania.org
Contact us! Contact us!
Sophia Benedicktus – benedick@american.edu Sophia Benedicktus – benedick@american.edu
Paul Brown – pbrown@american.edu Paul Brown – pbrown@american.edu

2.
it starts with it starts with
you
Shut down and unplug electronics. Make small
you
Shut down and unplug electronics. Make small
changes to use and pay for less energy, like shutting changes to use and pay for less energy, like shutting
down your computer when you're not using it and down your computer when you're not using it and
plugging your cell phone and other electronics into plugging your cell phone and other electronics into
power strips so you can turn several devices off with power strips so you can turn several devices off with
one switch. one switch.
Wash your clothes in cold water. By using cold water Wash your clothes in cold water. By using cold water
instead of warm, the average household can avoid instead of warm, the average household can avoid
emitting 1,281 pounds of carbon dioxide annually and emitting 1,281 pounds of carbon dioxide annually and
save on energy bills. Most loads don't need hot water, save on energy bills. Most loads don't need hot water,
and 90% of the energy used by washing machines goes and 90% of the energy used by washing machines goes
into heating. into heating.
Update your wardrobe for less. Instead of consuming Update your wardrobe for less. Instead of consuming
new products, trade fashionable clothes, accessories, new products, trade fashionable clothes, accessories,
cosmetics and shoes for free (you only pay for cosmetics and shoes for free (you only pay for
shipping). By swapping merchandise you can lower the shipping). By swapping merchandise you can lower the
amount of harmful emissions caused by the amount of harmful emissions caused by the
manufacturing process. Check out swapstyle.com. manufacturing process. Check out swapstyle.com.
Exchange CDs, DVDs and books instead of buying. Exchange CDs, DVDs and books instead of buying.
Now you can avoid purchasing new products without Now you can avoid purchasing new products without
forfeiting your entertainment needs. Visit swapacd.com, forfeiting your entertainment needs. Visit swapacd.com,
swapadvd.com and paperbackswap.com for access to swapadvd.com and paperbackswap.com for access to
thousands of CDs, books and DVDs. thousands of CDs, books and DVDs.
Sign Up for Green Energy. More than half of all Sign Up for Green Energy. More than half of all
electricity consumers in the U.S. now have the option of electricity consumers in the U.S. now have the option of
purchasing green power from their utility. Find out how purchasing green power from their utility. Find out how
you can buy it by visiting the Department of Energy's you can buy it by visiting the Department of Energy's
state-by-state list of providers. You can also check with state-by-state list of providers. You can also check with
your own utility to see what's available. your own utility to see what's available.
Choose Hormone-Free Milk. Look for milk that has Choose Hormone-Free Milk. Look for milk that has
been certified organic or carries the words "no artificial been certified organic or carries the words "no artificial
hormones." Conventional dairies inject cows with hormones." Conventional dairies inject cows with growth
growth hormone (rBGH) to boost production. The hormone (rBGH) to boost production. The practice has
practice has been implicated in udder infections, been implicated in udder infections, requiring more
requiring more veterinary antibiotic use, and is banned veterinary antibiotic use, and is banned in many
in many countries. Some scientists worry the hormones countries. Some scientists worry the hormones may
may affect consumers. affect consumers.
Stop Receiving Junk Mail. You can stop 75% of Stop Receiving Junk Mail. You can stop 75% of
unsolicited mail by registering on the Mail Preference unsolicited mail by registering on the Mail Preference
Service on the Direct Marketing Association Website, Service on the Direct Marketing Association Website,
dmachoice.org (for a fee of $1). Within 90 days, most dmachoice.org (for a fee of $1). Within 90 days, most
unsolicited mail will stop. unsolicited mail will stop.
Change a Light, Change the World. When your Change a Light, Change the World. When your
incandescent light bulbs stop working, replace them incandescent light bulbs stop working, replace them with
with the new, energy efficient compact fluorescent light the new, energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs
bulbs (CFLs). According to the U.S. Environmental (CFLs). According to the U.S. Environmental Protection
Protection Agency CFLs use 2/3 less energy than Agency CFLs use 2/3 less energy than traditional
traditional incandescent light bulbs and last 10 times incandescent light bulbs and last 10 times longer.
longer. Making this switch will save you money and Making this switch will save you money and energy.
energy.