As readers of Campus Sustainability Perspectives already know, many AASHE staff are participating in Greening of the Campus VIII this week in Indianapolis. The conference has taken off quickly with a full days worth of pre-conference workshops and two keynote addresses already presented.

I spent Sunday with our friends from the campus recycling community for the College & University Recycling Council’s all day workshop. The topics discussed ranged from the nuts & bolts of a recycling program to advocacy and ways to track and report recycling efforts. The day was rounded out with a town hall meeting on the future of a national college and university recycling group. Be on the lookout for a future blog article with more details on this workshop.

The US Green Building Council also hosted a pre conference workshop on the topic of the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance rating system. Participants learned how to identify processes for utilizing the rating system as a framework for increased student engagement in campus greening—through both curriculum integration and co-curricular opportunities.

The American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) hosted a half-day workshop on how four institutions have produced or are producing their climate action plans and the lessons gained from their experiences. The workshop covered who needs to be involved, how to engage them, and the elements of a successful process. There was an in depth look at both Furman University and Middlebury College's climate action plans.

AASHE and the National Wildlife Federation partnered to host a Student Summit as a pre conference workshop as well. The intent of this summit was to allow students to collaborate on projects taking place on their campuses, to share best practices, to learn about new and innovative initiatives, and to give students an opportunity to develop solutions to climate change on their campuses and in their regions.

Sunday night was wrapped up with a keynote address from Jerome Ringo the President of the Apollo Alliance. The Apollo Alliance is a coalition of organized labor, environmental, business and civil rights leaders determined to free the United States of dependence on foreign oil. The alliance is trying to educate the public and lobby the Hill about the need to invest in alternative clean-energy sources, energy-efficient technology and jobs. Ringo's keynote gave examples from his experience organizing environmental and labor communities, and his drive to further diversify the environmental movement. Jerome Ringo was the United States’ only black delegate at the 1998 Global Warming Treaty Negotiations in Kyoto, Japan.

This Monday morning conference attendees got the opportunity to witness the public release of the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). STARS is a voluntary, self-reporting framework for gauging relative progress toward sustainability for colleges and universities. Available online now are the STARS 1.0 Early Release Technical Manual and the functionality for campuses to register to participate in STARS.

The announcement of STARS came right before the keynote of Geoff Chase who has been the Dean of Undergraduate Studies at San Diego State University since 2002. Geoff currently serves as Board Chair for AASHE, and has served on our board since 2005. Geoff’s keynote address focused on curriculum change and his work leading workshops on institutional change, curriculum, and sustainability.

Be sure to check back for more updates and news from Greening of the Campus VIII this week!