USC Sustainability Report 2013 (1)

2013 Annual Report
2013 Annual Report

It is our mission to implement sustainable practices on
campus while developing innovative outreach and
educational programs for the university and local community.
We see the cultivation of stewardship as central to the
responsibility USC has to its students, and it is the aim of our
office to ensure USC’s fulfillment of this obligation.
We believe that through achieving several primary goals, we
can better incorporate a philosophy of environmental protection
into the culture of USC. These goals include: a reduction in
university energy consumption and solid waste generation;
an improvement in the quality and accessibility of university
sustainability resources; and strengthened relationships
between university organizations and the local community.
As USC continues to forge ahead on many fronts, our office
works to ensure that sustainable practices underlie all efforts
and progress made. We find this to be crucial to USC’s
commitment to the future, and to the students who will lead it.

our department staff
Halli Bovia..........................................................Program Manager
Criz Gutierrez...........................................Administrative Assistant
Elliott Lavi......................................................Green Office Program
Estefanee Villalba.....................................................Urban Garden
Danielle Salah.........................................Assessment and Planning
Patrick Talbott........................................Assessment and Planning
Lucas Whiteman................................................... Greeks Go Green
Kirstin Louie......................................................... Greeks Go Green
Justin Bogda......................... Partnerships & Student Engagement
Austin Reagan.....................................Communication & Outreach
Bianca Hernandez..................................................Trojan Athletics
Victoria Chu............................................. Tailgate Waste Diversion
Britanny Chang.......................................Coliseum Waste Diversion
Liam Duffy.......................................................Zero Waste Tailgate
USC | Sustainability | University of Southern California
3434 S. Grand Avenue, CAL 120 | Los Angeles, CA 90089-3915
sustainability@caps.usc.edu
The Office of Sustainability at the University of Southern California
leads campus initiatives to reduce USC’s environmental impacts,
promote environmental awareness, and shape the culture of USC to be
environmentally responsible.The Office hosts a community garden, a zero-
waste tailgate certification program, green-office certification, and works as a
liaison between the University and environmentally focused student groups.
2 · USC Sustainability 2013 Annual Report

Department Staff..................................................................2
Strategic Plan.......................................................................4
Programs
Green Office .................................................................7
Communication and Outreach.......................................8
Greeks Go Green...........................................................9
Urban Garden.............................................................10
Sustainability Tour......................................................12
Student Engagement...................................................14
Assessments..................................................................15
Game Day
Tailgate Waste Diversion.............................................17
Zero Waste Tailgate.....................................................18
Coliseum Waste Diversion............................................19
Collaboration......................................................................21
Moving Forward ...............................................................24
table of contents

our strategic plan
Solutions to society’s biggest problems often take shape at the university
level. Ideas abound, leaders develop, and the seeds of progress take root.
With each graduating class, universities send into the world a new brand of
thinkers and innovators, well prepared to tackle the challenges we face.
As concerns over environmental protection mount on a local and global scale, USC finds itself in a position to foster a generation
of people for whom stewardship and sustainability are a chief priority.
We believe that through achieving several primary goals, we can better incorporate a philosophy of environmental protection into
the culture of USC.
These goals align with the larger targets established by our office’s division, Career and Protective Services.
The Office of Sustainability has worked to develop practical and effective means of achieving these objectives.
We maintain our core values as critical to both the external and internal operations of the Office of Sustainability.
As USC continues to forge ahead on many fronts, our office works to ensure that sustainable practices underlie all efforts and
progress made. We find this to be crucial to USC’s commitment to the future, and to the students who will lead it.

our strategic plan
Vision
The USC Office of Sustainability aims to serve as the global leader for
sustainable campus development by pioneering cultural and behavioral
shifts that promote environmental and social welfare.
Mission
It is our mission to implement sustainable practices on campus while
developing innovative outreach and educational programs for the
university and local community. We see the cultivation of stewardship as
central to the responsibility USC has to its students, and it is the aim of
our office to ensure USC’s fulfillment of this obligation.
Values
Accountability, integrity, collaboration, efficiency and innovation.
Goals
a reduction in university energy1.
consumption and solid waste generation
an improvement in the quality2.
and accessibility of university
sustainability resources
strengthened relationships between3.
university organizations and the
local community.
CAPS Mission Critical Drivers
safeguard USC’s human, financial and1.
environmental assets
advance employee and2.
institutional excellence
cultivate and strengthen internal and3.
external partnerships
innovate and streamline services4.
USC Sustainability 2013 Annual Report · 5

green office
Purpose of Program
Crucial to sustainable development
is the propagation of collective
responsibility and shared awareness.
With these ideas in mind, the USC
Office of Sustainability has designed
and implemented its Green Office
Certification Program. Central to
this program are two goals: the
adoption of green and economically
feasible practices by academic
and administrative offices, and the
education of staff and faculty to
integrate a sustainable paradigm into
the backbone of the university.
Achievements
The Green Office Certification Program,
now in its second year, gives USC
offices a framework for implementing
sustainable practices in the workplace.
Green office leaders within each
participating office work to ensure that
certain green standards are being met,
and that certification, once achieved,
is maintained. In addition, the program
accomplishes education and outreach
among university staff, allowing them
to understand the implications and
consequences of the waste generated in
USC offices.
Certified offices benefit from lower
costs, particularly with regards to
electricity usage, the purchase of office
supplies, transportation methods and
energy management. These reductions
in cost allow for the allotment of funds
to other areas that further the progress
of this university. The program has
successfully operated on the assumption
that each staff and faculty member
assumes his or her own responsibility.
Together, everyone benefits.
Since its start, the Green Office
Certification Program has certified
10 offices on campus, with 14 staff
members and student workers
participating as green office leaders.
Within certified offices, over 120 staff
and faculty have committed to the
adoption and observance of sustainable
practices. By the end of 2014, it is the
goal of the Office of Sustainability to
have certified over 60 campus offices.
Using an Internet course platform, staff
members will have access to tutorials
and training sessions regarding green
office practices. This will enable more
offices to participate in the Green Office
Certification Program.
Challenges
The program has not been without its
obstacles. Engagement of office workers
remains one of the largest challenges
towards achieving certification. It is
often the case that staff and faculty will
prioritize other office issues ahead of
sustainable practices, and compliance
can be difficult to ensure. Despite these
problems, there is tremendous promise
for the program.
Future Goals
By the end of next year we aim to have
over 60 offices on campus certified.
We plan to provide training sessions
as a tutorial over the internet so staff
members can train themselves on their
own schedule rather than having to
come to our sessions. This will enable
more offices campus wide to participate
in our program on their own time.
The Green Office Certification
Program provides realistic
sustainability policies that
require small actions on
an individual level, but
amount to a significant
impact school-wide.
Ray Barkley
Facilities Services Manager
Annenberg School for
Communication and Journalism
“
“

Purpose of Program
Central to the success of the Office of
Sustainability are the relationships we
form and maintain with members of the
student body, faculty, and university as
a whole. We also strive to reach out to
members of the local community and
alumni of USC, increasing our visibility
within the Trojan Family. Through our
communication and outreach efforts,
we inform contacts of all news,
programs and initiatives using
multiple social media platforms.
Achievements
Our email listserv, operated through
Constant Contact, includes nearly
10,000 people, with about a 17%
open rate (1,700 opens).
Our Facebook page, USC Sustainability,
has over 900 likes, and is a great
platform for sharing news and photos.
Photos are also shared on our Instagram
account, @uscsustainability.
Started in September, the account
has been slow to gather followers, but
sharing capabilities allow us to link
Instagram photos to numerous social
media outlets.
And in the age of retweets and hashtags,
no thriving communications campaign
would be complete without a Twitter
account. Ours, @GreenUSC, allows us to
share quick news blurbs with the public,
such as weekly reminders about the
Trojan Farmers Market.
Challenges
In working to publicize the efforts of this
office, our greatest challenge has been
expanding our communications base.
At public events, we often have sign-up
lists and encourage people to “like” and
“follow” us using their smartphones.
But it can be difficult to ensure that
people partake. Thankfully, platforms
like Facebook provide feedback as to
how posts are trending, and the type of
viewership we are getting. This allows us
to track our progress.
Future Goals
As our Office grows in the scope
of its responsibilities, we plan as
well to continue expanding our
communications base, encouraging
students and faculty to subscribe to
our email listserv and various social
media outlets. We also hope to dispatch
a photographer at our tailgate and
campus events, documenting our work
and sharing these photos with the
public. In working to develop a culture
of sustainability on campus, it is the
responsibility of Communication and
Outreach to ensure strong relationships
with green student organizations,
promoting their programs and sharing
their successes.
communication & outreach

Purpose of Program
It is our intention to strengthen lines of
communication with the Greek system,
to make our office’s resources more
accessible, and to integrate a mindset of
environmental protection into Greek life.
Achievements
Through our Greek Tailgate Waste
Diversion Program, fraternities are
given the opportunity to partake in
the partnership spearheaded by the
Office of Sustainability. Participating
fraternities recycle cans, bottles and
red Solo cups used at football tailgates,
and also make use of compost bins
to minimize food waste. Meanwhile, a
Greeks Go Green committee has worked
to design strategies for sustainable
living at fraternity and sorority events
and houses. One such adoption of green
practices has been through the Red Solo
Cup Brigade, sponsored by TerraCycle.
Hundreds of plastic cups, otherwise
sent to landfills, are recycled as new
consumer products.
Thesesuccessesincludetheparticipation
of six different fraternities in the Greek
Tailgate Waste Diversion Program, and
the representation of twelve different
Greek organizations on the Greeks Go
Green committee. These houses include
Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Nu, Kappa Sigma,
Phi Delta Theta, Phi Gamma Delta,
Zeta Beta Tau, Phi Kappa Psi, Alpha Tau
Omega, Sigma Chi, Sigma Alpha Mu,
Delta Delta Delta and Delta Gamma.
Challenges
Although most houses in the Greek
community seem enthusiastic about
adopting green policies, many of these
projects are costly and it can be difficult
for fraternities and sororities to find
the necessary funding. The Office of
Sustainability plans to reach out to
the USC Interfraternity Council and
Panhellenic Council to encourage the
provision of funds. We hope that the
current successes of the Greeks Go
Green initiative will promote further
financial support.
Future Goals
By the end of the Spring 2014 semester,
we hope to have most houses on the
Row fitted with water-conserving
dishwashers. We also hope to shift
fraternities away from the high-
waste output of disposable silver and
dishware, preventing over 2.3 million
pieces of plastic trash from being sent to
the landfill each year.
greeks go green

Purpose of Program
Perhaps the most literal manifestation
of our efforts to plant the seeds of
environmental stewardship, the Office of
Sustainability’s Urban Garden, located
at 3015 Shrine Place,
works to teach sustainable gardening
practices to members of the
university and local communities.
Achievements
To learn of sustainable practices in a
textbook or classroom is one thing.
To see these practices performed
and, better yet, to partake in their
implementation, takes sustainable
education leaps and bounds further.
Monthly gardening workshops, open
to the public, aim to teach best
practice techniques to both seasoned
and aspiring gardeners. Underlying
these workshops is the integration of
a scientific curriculum. We hope to
instill an understanding of how simple
practices done in a garden can have a
significant impact on the environment
and on daily life.
Started in the summer of 2012, the urban
garden workshops have focused on such
topics as composting, seasonal planting,
soil preparation, and integrated pest
management. In all, our workshops have
drawn over 150 attendees – university
students, faculty, and members of the
downtown neighborhood.
In addition to hosting workshops, the
urban garden program has launched
an initiative to promote gardening at
local schools. Currently, we partner with
a class of seventh graders at George
Washington Carver Middle School.
Such partnerships reap many benefits:
the promotion of outdoor physical
activity, the teaching of healthy
nutritional habits, the beautification
of school campuses and, most
importantly, the integration of
practical environmental science
into the curriculum.
Challenges
With our garden continuing to grow,
we hope to address issues of visibility
and outreach.
We would like to increase student
awareness of the urban garden
and promote attendance of the
garden workshops, emphasizing
the utility of such skills in the lives
of college students.
We also hope to continue attracting
community members, strengthening
the connection between USC and the
surrounding neighborhood.
The act of gardening
is not only good and
healthy for your
body and your heart,
it is therapeutic
for your soul.
Estefanee Villalba
Urban Garden Coordinator
“
“
urban garden

Future Goals
As far as infrastructure goes, we would
love to create a greenhouse at our
facility on Shrine Place, and believe
it would expand the range of topics
covered during our monthly workshops.
We would also like to establish
partnerships with more schools in the
area. And because our ultimate aim is to
encourage a culture of sustainability at
USC, we plan to recruit more students as
volunteers in the garden.
urban garden

university park
The campus Sustainability
Tour was launched in April
of 2013 and highlights many of the
sustainability features on campus.
There are eight stops on the tour,
and each stop has an informational
sign and corresponding QR tag
that links to a webpage with more
information and a short video.
RTCC – The Ronald Tutor
Campus Center
is USC’s first LEED certified building. The
main hub of campus life, the facility is
designed to reduce energy consumption
through high-efficiency roofing,
fluorescent lighting, and a plumbing
system designed for a 40% reduction in
water use.
Drought Tolerant Landscaping
In light of Southern California’s ongoing
drought, USC’s landscaping minimizes
irrigation needs and costs, integrating
many drought tolerant succulents and
native plants that have adapted to little
rainfall. Drip irrigation systems greatly
reduce water run-off and evaporation.
Cromwell Thermal Energy
Storage System
Below Cromwell Track and Field resides
a 3.2 million gallon thermal energy
storage system that chills water at night
when electricity demand is low, and
circulates the cold water throughout
campus buildings during the day to
reduce air conditioning costs.

sustainability tour
Annenberg School for
Communication and Journalism
Annenberg is the first school at USC to
certify all staff departments through
the Green Office Certification Program.
This transition has resulted in $10,600 in
annual savings, and 285,868 pounds of
carbon dioxide offsets.
USC Recycling
Over 100 recycling bins are distributed
throughout the University Park Campus,
and the recycling program alone diverts
approximately 10 tons of cardboard per
week during each academic year.
Everybody’s Kitchen
EVK supports sustainability through its
recycling of all kitchen grease and paper
products, as well as the procurement
of nearly all food from local vendors,
minimizing transportation-related
emissions.
Alternative Transportation
USC Auxiliary Services is working to
minimize air pollution and greenhouse
gas emissions through the reinvention of
its transportation feet. This includes the
adoption of green shuttles, Campus
Cruiser,Zipcar,andbiodieselfuelstations.
Urban Garden
Established in the spring of 2010, the
Urban Garden provides a learning
opportunity and a fresh source of
vegetables to members of the USC and
local communities. Neither chemical
fertilizers nor pesticides are used to
maintain the garden.

PurposeofProgram
Though each of us plays a
role in the advancement of
sustainable practices at USC,
the greatest responsibility
for propelling this university
into an age of environmental
consciousness lies with its
students. With a population
of over 40,000, the student
body comprises the largest
group on campus.
At the Office of Sustainability,
we see these students as
vanguards of stewardship
and progress. We’ve made
it our mission to engage
them with events and
opportunities, and to forge
strong partnerships between
student organizations and
our office. Ultimately, it is
these students who will
graduate from USC, and go
on to shape the world we live
in. It is our responsibility therefore, to
ensure that they inherit the world with a
philosophy of protecting it.
Achievements
Through programing and events
organized by the Office of Sustainability,
we’ve encouraged the adoption of a
green-minded culture at USC. In 2013,
we planned a comprehensive Earth
Week with 22 events that ran from April
12 to May 2, 2013. These events included
a student trip to Yosemite National
Park, eco-tours of campus, and speaker
panels on climate change. Partnerships
with 16 student organizations made
Earth Week possible, and an estimated
1,800 students attended our events.
Earth Week also featured collaboration
with campus departments and staff
initiatives. Faculty spoke on panels,
and an estimated 125 faculty and staff
engaged in our events.
Following the success of Earth Week,
the Undergraduate Student Government
approved $5,000 to go towards a
green student initiative, which has
developed into the Environmental
Student Assembly (ESA), the newest
branch of USC’s Program Board. The
assembly will work closely with the
Office of Sustainability on solidifying
student outreach and engagement. With
our office as a sponsor, the ESA will also
have the capacity to work with university
administration and push for green
reforms at USC. Upon publication of
this report, the Office of Sustainability is
sponsoring Earth Month 2014, presented
by the Environmental Student Assembly.
Challenges
The ESA’s $5,000 budget constraint
places limitations on the scope of its
impact, but the assembly will work
to secure greater funding in future
semesters. The ESA looks forward to
gaining full assembly status within the
Undergraduate Student Government in
April, following this fall’s “trial semester.”
Future Goals
As USC’s culture of sustainability
expands, it is important to remain close
lines of communication and cooperation
with the student organizations leading
this culture shift. We plan to continue
supporting the Environmental Student
Assembly as it develops in the coming
years. We also hope to sponsor
other green student groups like SC
Outfitters and the Environmental Affairs
Organization through public events
and publicity. By dedicating time and
energy to this type of programming, we
promote increased visibility on campus.
student engagement
Celebrate the Earth in
Yosemite with SC Outfitters
Reserve here: http://scoutfitters.org
/trip/celebrate-the-earth-in-yosemite/
Environment Fair
Hosted by USC Staff Assembly
Health Sciences Campus
10-1:30pm
CicLAvia: Explore
the Streets of LA
Hosted by SC Outfitters
Meet with a bike & helmet
@ PSX, 9:00am
Campus Eco-tour
Hosted by USC Office of Sustainability
Meet @ Moreton Fig, 11:45am
What Can We Do About Climate Change?
A Panel with LA Deputy Mayor for Environment Romel
Pascual Hosted by the Political Student Assembly,
Bedrosian Center for Governance & CALPIRG
Tutor Campus Center 227 5:30-7:30pm
Food starts @ 5:30pm
Urban Garden Compost Workshop
Hosted by Students for Environmental Enterprises
& the USC Office of Sustainability
3015 Shrine Place, 3:30pm
Earth Day Performing Arts Celebration
Hosted by Program Board’s Performing
Arts Committee and USC Global Brigades
Ground Zero, 7:00pm
First 100 attendees get free milkshakes!
Recycled Fashion Showcase
Hosted by USC Fashion Industry Association and CALPIRG
Tommy Trojan 12-1:00pm, free giveaways begin @ 12:00pm
Riding the Green Wave: An Evening with
Surfrider Founder Rob Caughlan
Hosted by: Political Student Assembly
Tutor Campus Center 450, 5-7:00pm
Free food starts at 5:00pm
What’s UpCycling? Turning Your Trash to Treasure
Hosted by Academic Culture Assembly
Taper Hall 108, 7-9:00pm
Sustainable Vegetarianism for the Environment
Presentation and vegan feast with Buddhist Monk Tukarama
Hosted by the Tzu Ching Trojans
MRF Hamovitch Conference Room
7-8:00pm, free food starts @ 7pm
Earth Week Environment Fair
Hosted by USC Staff Assembly
Trousdale Parkway, 10am-1:30pm
Yoga in the Park
Alumni Park, 10:30am
BYOM (bring your own mat)
Art in the Park
Hosted by USC Marshall Net Impact
Alumni Park, 10am-5:00pm
Submit artwork to uscnetimpact
@gmail.com by 11:59pm on April 5th!
Earth Week Advocacy Fair
Hosted by the Political Student Assembly,
Special Events Committee, Program Board, & KXSC
McCarthy Quad 6-8:30pm. Farmer’s market begins
@ 6:00pm, Lazer light show begins @ 7:30pm
Environmental Sustainability
Research Symposium
Hosted by Environmental
Sustainability Research Network
Tutor Campus Center 450, 12-4:00pm
Food starts @ 12pm
Earth Week Clothing Drive
Hosted by USC Panhellenic Council
Taper Hall Room 101, 6pm
The Price of Carbon: A Presentation
with the Climate Reality Project
Hosted by USC Environmental Affairs
Organization & the Political Student Assembly
Tutor Campus Center 351, 12-1:00pm,
Free food starts @ 12:00pm
Switch Documentary
Screening with
Dr. Scott Tinker
Hosted by USC Energy Club
TCC 227, 7:00pm
THURSDAY, APRIL 18th
SUNDAY, APRIL 21st
MONDAY, APRIL 22ndMONDAY, APRIL 22nd
APRIL 13-15th
TUESDAY, APRIL 23rd
WEDNESDAY APRIL 24th
WEDNESDAY APRIL 24th
THURSDAY, APRIL 25th
FRIDAY, APRIL 26th
MONDAY, APRIL 22ndMONDAY, APRIL 29th
THURSDAY, MAY 2nd
An Interfaith Gathering
Celebrating the Environment
United University Church,
Fellowship Hall, 2-3:30pm
SUNDAY, APRIL 28th
USCSustainability

assessment
Purpose of Program
It is important, before making any
moves towards progress, to first
understand where the University stands.
The Sustainability Assessment aims to
provide this baseline evaluation.
Achievements
Using two different databases as tools,
the Office of Sustainability has assessed
USC’s current sustainability baseline.
Starting with the Sustainability Tracking,
Assessment and Rating System (STARS),
a program of the Association for the
Advancement of Sustainability in
Higher Education (AASHE), a study of
the current state of sustainability on
campus was estimated. This report
focused on three main categories:
Education and Research; Operations;
and Planning, Administration and
Engagement. Each category has
multiple subcategories, allowing
for a comprehensive analysis of the
sustainable initiatives of USC.
The second report, an Ecological
Footprint Calculator, was presented by
the Footprint Company, who wanted an
opportunity to pilot their calculator with
a sizeable university. While there was
some categorical overlap, this calculator
focused instead on our campus’
interaction with the surrounding
environment. The final result displayed
the University’s impact in quantities of
planets, to represent the amount of
land that would be required if everyone
on the planet used the same amount of
resources as the average member of
the Trojan community. This quantitative
result lends itself to a very tangible
ultimate goal in terms of where we want
the University to work towards.
Challenges
Data collection proved to be the great-
est challenge in the development of
this assessment. Most departments at
the university do not currently archive
sustainability metrics, so it was often
difficult to access the information nec-
essary to complete the report. However,
as sustainability gains traction as a ma-
jor campus issue, we hope that campus
offices and departments will improve
record keeping, better informing our
planning and moving us towards a more
environmentally friendly university
Future Goals
This assessment will serve as a launch
pad for USC’s Sustainability Steer-
ing Committee, which is currently in
the process of writing USC’s first ever
sustainability plan, to be presented for
adoption by the university administra-
tion in the fall of 2014.

game day
No member of the Trojan Family could deny
how central sports – and, more specifically,
football – are to the culture at USC. And
there is perhaps no greater showing of
Trojan pride than the weekly flooding of
cardinal and gold that happens on campus
during football season. At the Office of
Sustainability, we see tailgating and athletic
events as tremendous opportunities to
promote waste reduction and stewardship.
Not only do such events generate significant
amounts of plastic, glass, aluminum and
compostable materials, they are also occasions
during which we can interact directly with
the entire USC community.
Accordingly, the Office of Sustainability
operates three initiatives aimed at
promoting zero-waste game days which
we hope will serve as a model for other
universities and football programs planning
to increase sustainable waste diversion for
their own schools.

tailgate waste diversion
Purpose of Program
Working with student volunteers,
we aim to increase environmental
awareness through the peer education
of tailgate participants on waste
diversion practices. Our goal is
to promote a fun perspective on
sustainability, encouraging tailgaters to
enjoy themselves responsibly, and to
dispose of their waste appropriately.
Achievements
There was a significant improvement
between the previous year’s metrics
and this 2013 football season. Last year,
the program employed 451 students
for 6 home games, whereas this year,
the tailgate waste diversion program
employed 382 student volunteers from
over 30 student organizations for the
season’s seven home games.
This shows increased efficiency in
coverage around campus with fewer
students but more home games.
Additionally, our education initiative
has diverted 20% of waste from
on-campus tailgates with an all time
high of 31% diversion at the Utah Game.
This is a 9% increase from last year’s
diversion metrics.
At the games against Stanford and
UCLA, we distributed our brand new
ReSCycle bags to tailgaters as they
entered the University Park campus,
enabling them to engage in recycling at
their own tailgates.
Our continued partnership with the Los
Angeles Conservation Corp has greatly
contributed to the success of this year’s
tailgate waste diversion program. The
Corp, which aims to provide at-risk
young adults with education and work
training emphasizing conservation and
service projects, significantly increased
the metrics of recyclable material
collected during tailgates.
At each home game the Corp employed
10-20 members to collect recyclables
around campus, as well as the ReSCycle
bags we administered at the last two
games. These materials were then
sorted and metrics were incorporated
into our seasonal waste diversion rate.
Challenges
Our biggest challenge with the program
remains the logistical complications
surrounding waste diversion zones
and resources. Anyone who has been
at USC on game day knows how busy
it can be. Tens of thousands of people
sprawl out all over campus, so ensuring
that we reach all of them is difficult.
We’ve also found that compliance and
accountability are hard to mandate,
especially when there are so many
people in attendance. While our
campaign is frequently well received,
there are some tailgates that make little
or no effort to help us achieve our goal
of zero waste.
Future Goals
In future football seasons, we hope to
increase personal accountability among
members of the Trojan family. One way
that we plan to reach this goal is through
the installation of permanent waste
diversion bins throughout campus.
In addition to facilitating zero waste
tailgates, these will encourage recycling
year-round for students, faculty and
visitors to USC’s campus. We also hope
to build a long-term relationship with
the Trojan fan base, such that waste
diversion practices become a standard
aspect of tailgating.

zero waste tailgate certification
Purpose of Program
We believe that efforts made by
members of the USC community on
behalf of sustainability should be
recognized and congratulated. With
this in mind, we launched our second
initiative aimed at promoting zero-waste
game days: the Zero Waste Tailgate
Certification Program.
Achievements
The Office of Sustainability has designed
a list of criteria to be met by tailgates
interested in achieving certification.
These criteria include the elimination of
all Styrofoam products and single-use
plastic cups, plates and utensils.
Participants must use certified com-
postable alternatives, and must agree
to divert all recyclable and compostable
materials to appropriate bins. Tailgaters
can achieve either Cardinal or Gold level
certification. Both levels are commend-
able, however the Gold level focuses on
the reuse of items and materials rather
than recycling alone.
Over the course of the 2013 football
season, the Office of Sustainability
has certified three Gold-level tailgates
through the Zero Waste Tailgate
Certification Program. Included in this
group is the tailgate of Delta Omicron
Zeta, and that of the Chinese American
Student Association. The Office of
Sustainability has also reached out to
over 40 tailgates and organizations with
information about the program, and the
certification process.
Challenges
The primary challenge faced by the
program is expansion and outreach.
This includes maintaining contacts
with active tailgates and organizations
on campus, raising awareness of the
certification process, and ensuring that
Zero Waste Tailgate Zone
On November 23, 2013, we put on a Zero Waste Tailgate
Zone on McCarthy Quad before kickoff against Utah State.
The event featured a recycle bin design contest, a recyclable
redemption station, and our signature blender bike.
Student artists entered to
participate in a recycling bin
design contest where tailgaters
were able to vote on their
favorite design by recycling
their bottle in each bin.
A ReSCycle Store,
sponsored by ESPN
Environmentality, the
USC Bookstore, and
USC Auxiliary Services,
provided tailgaters with
swag they would be able
to buy. The catch? The only
currency we accepted was
recyclables.
A blender bike gave
tailgaters the opportunity to
blend their own smoothies
made from fresh fruit, all
with the power of their own
peddling!
participants understand the ultimate
goal of zero waste practices. We have
also struggled to make certification a
logistically and financially streamlined
process for tailgaters.
Future Goals
Our goal for the coming football season
is to launch an outreach campaign to
garner more participants, and eventually
to certify at gold level a majority of the
organized tailgates held on campus,
including the Associates Picnic held in
Founders Park.

Purpose of Program
Our responsibility to achieve zero-
waste game days encompasses not
only tailgating events held prior to the
games, but the games themselves. As
Trojan fans make their way from campus
to the Coliseum, we work to encourage a
continued mindset of sustainability and
appropriate waste diversion. Regardless
of whether our team wins or loses, there
is no excuse for poor waste practices.
Achievements
We have implemented a composting and
recycling initiative within the Coliseum
to encourage game day attendees to
dispose of their trash properly. Any
facility built to hold over 93,000 people
is bound to generate waste. Our aim is
to ensure that we are not necessarily
generating trash.
Challenges
The Coliseum Waste Diversion
Program has not been without its
roadblocks. Largely because of the
sheer size of the venue, it is difficult to
raise awareness about the zero waste
efforts going on. It is also complicated to
facilitate the cooperation of all vendors
and custodial staff.
Future Goals
In the coming seasons, we hope to
eliminate the need for trash cans
inside the Coliseum by continuously
advocating on behalf of green practices
and by educating game day fans about
composting and recycling. We would
also like to work closely with stadium
vendors to develop a uniform standard
of compostable packaging for all food
and drinks served.
coliseum waste diversion

collaborations
Small Steps/Big Wins
In an effort to increase stewardship on
campus, the Office of Sustainability
has partnered closely with myActions
and NetImpact in the “Small Steps, Big
Wins Campus Challenge”. The Challenge
motivates students to make a positive
social and environmental impact
through the power of social network and
mobile innovation.
Undergraduates compete within campus
organizations and against other college
campuses while taking actions, such as
recycling, carpooling, or volunteering.
Each action raises points that correlate
to money donated to meaningful
nonprofits like the World Wildlife Fund
or the Environmental Defense Fund.
The Office of Sustainability promoted
this challenge through peer educators
from the Tailgate Waste Diversion
program, eliminating 5,700 pounds
of carbon dioxide emissions. We look
forward to partnering with MyAction on
future projects.
Associate’s Picnic
This football season, the Office of
Sustainability partnered with the
Alumni Association to bring sustainable
practices to the USC Associates
Tailgate. By working with the staff,
catering company, and the attendees
themselves, we encouraged proper
waste diversion and became proponents
for composting and recycling wherever
possible. With the help of 53 student
volunteers we were able to see a
significant impact not only on the
picnic’s waste diversion rate, but also
on the exposure of our program. This
season saw a total of almost 10,000
picnic attendees, which we recognized
as a huge chance to further waste
diversion practices. On our final game
day, we were able to divert 1,227 pounds
of the picnic waste produced by the
1,800 attendees.

collaborations
USC Solar Decathlon
This year, USC students partook in the
US Department of Energy’s annual solar
decathlon, held at Orange County Great
Park in Irvine. With backgrounds ranging
from architecture to engineering, these
students built a home that included a
plug-in for electric vehicles. The USC
team finished first in appliances and
third in architecture.
USC Sustainability supported USC’s
Solar Decathlon team, mainly through
providing produce from the USC Urban
Garden for the meal competitions,
providing the USC Sustainability electric
vehicle for demonstrating charging,
and promoting their efforts through our
communications channels.
Market
This year, we partnered with USC
Hospitality to launch the Trojan
Farmers Market. Held every Wednesday
on McCarthy Quad, the market brings
together vendors from throughout the
area to provide fresh, local produce
and food to students and faculty.
The market has been extremely well-
received by the Trojan community, and
has become an important aspect of
USC’s campus culture.
Environment Fair
We partnered with the USC Staff
Assembly to host the annual
environment fair during the month of
April. The environment fair showcases
sustainable services and practices to the
USC community.
Athletics
The spring semester saw a new
development in our partnership with
the USC Athletics Department. On
Saturday, April 27th, the Women’s
Sand Volleyball team joined with the
Office of Sustainability to facilitate the
first Zero Waste athletics event at the
new Merle Norman Stadium. Through
fan engagement and a collaborative
effort with the players and coaches, we
were able to encourage environmental
stewardship, reducing the waste
generated at the event. The women’s
team also participated in a beach
cleanup at the Annenberg Beach House
in Santa Monica to pay forward the spirit
of sustainability.
Research Symposium
Working with the Environmental
Sustainability Research Network, our
office hosted a research symposium last
spring. The event featured 40 student
projects relating to the environment and
sustainability, including undergraduate
and graduate submissions from
Keck, Dornsife, and Viterbi. Students
competed for prizes that were awarded
to them based on faculty votes.
Dorm Move Out
USC Sustainability helped organize
and facilitate a dorm move out waste
diversion initiative at the end of the
2012-2013 school year. We focused on
collecting items that students planned
to throw out, ranging from e-waste to
recyclables to old clothes.
Many items were donated to local
families in need. This event also gave us
the opportunity to speak face to face
with students and their parents about
sustainability issues and the work of our
office on and around campus.

moving forward
Green Revolving Fund
In 2013, we worked extensively with
Energy Services and with the Marshall
School of Business MBA Program to
propose a USC green revolving fund. This
fund would invest in utility efficiency
projects to reduce energy consumption,
reinvesting realized savings into future
initiatives. Green revolving funds differ
from one-time investments in utility cost
savings in that these investments grow
the fund’s assets over time. Additionally,
savings beyond the initial loan amount
(plus interest) will accrue directly to the
participating university, freeing up funds
to be used in support of USC’s academic
goals. Similar funds across the country
have reported project returns on
investment (ROI) ranging from 29% to
above 47% with a median ROI of 32%.
Sustainability Plan
We are currently working with students,
faculty, and staff to create a university-
wide sustainability plan. The plan
addresses sustainability efforts in
the areas of education and research,
engagement, energy and greenhouse
gas emissions, procurement,
transportation, waste, and water. This
plan represents USC’s first collective
action in sustainability as a university.
The plan is expected to be presented for
adoption to the cabinet in 2014.
Hero Appreciation
Network
Currently, we are partnering with the
non-profit Hero Appreciation Network
to pilot the “Ink for Education” program
at USC. Students will be encouraged to
recycle ink cartridges and recruit local
businesses to do the same. A majority
of the profits (85%) from the recycling
program will go towards student loans
and tuition fees (up to $200,000). This
is intended to be a pilot program for a
nation-wide initiative, and will roll out in
the spring of 2014.

moving forward
Sustainability
Video Contest
We are collaborating with the USC
School of Cinematic Arts’ Change
Making Media Lab (CMML) to organize
a sustainability video contest. This
project is intended to bring awareness to
issues of sustainability and stewardship
through the use of creative visual
media. Contest winners will receive
scholarships and prizes. We plan to hold
this contest in the spring of 2014.
Greenhouse Gas Inventory
In the spring of 2014, the Office of
Sustainability will be taking inventory of
the greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted
from various direct and indirect sources
at USC. This includes emission sources
such as natural gas combustion for
heating, electricity usage, solid waste
generation, and transportation. Data will
be collected through partnerships with
various departments on campus. The
campus-wide inventory aims to provide
a baseline assessment with the ultimate
goal of drafting and adopting USC’s first
Climate Action Plan.
Green Student Union
For this semester, the Green Office
Certification Program aims to certify the
Student Union Building and all its offices,
including the Asian Pacific American
Student Services, the Daily Trojan, USC
Credit Union, and the Ticket Office. With
more than 15 offices, the Student Union
Building will help us reach our goal of 50
certified offices.

USC Sustainability Report 2013 (1)

USC Sustainability Report 2013 (1)

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