For media inquiries, contact:

Paul Rowland, Executive Director
AASHE
paul.rowland@aashe.org
303.605.3534

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AASHE, NWF Release Guide to Creating and Maintaining Eco-Rep Programs
The step-by-step publication covers the the design, implementation and evaluation stages of Eco-Rep programs

Denver, Colo. (March 30, 2012)— The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology program are pleased to announce the release of a new, step-by-step guide to creating student peer-to-peer sustainability education programs—often known as “Eco-Rep” programs—on college campuses. Authored by Champlain College Sustainability Director Christina Erickson, “Student Sustainability Educators: A Guide to Creating and Maintaining an Eco-Rep Program on Your Campus” takes readers through the design, implementation and evaluation stages of an Eco-Rep program.

“For me personally, this guide is a goal realized,” said Erickson. “When I completed my doctoral dissertation I wanted the findings, which I routinely field requests for, to be shared in a user-friendly way. I turned to two organizations who I knew could make this happen, and they willingly obliged.”

“By creating Eco-Rep positions, Dr. Erickson shows how students and staff can effectively engage their peers in practices that reduce waste, improve public health, and make higher education more affordable,” said Julian Keniry, co-founder of NWF’s Campus Ecology Program. “This guide documents a powerful way in which students are taking ownership of their own communities and futures.”

“Christina's work will be invaluable to students who are seeking ways to become more involved in campus sustainability,” said AASHE Executive Director Paul Rowland. “AASHE is pleased to partner with NWF to help get this information into the hands of students who can help lead the sustainability transformation on their campuses.”

With more than 60 active student sustainability education and outreach programs on campuses across the U.S. and Canada, and many others planned or underway, NWF and AASHE are addressing a demonstrated need for campus guidance in both creating and maintaining Eco-Rep programs. Often the main motivation for starting such programs is a desire to extend outreach efforts on issues such as waste reduction and energy conservation to a broader student audience, beyond those who are already “eco-minded.”

Readers of the guide will find:

• Step-by-step action items and tips for creating, maintaining and evaluating a campus Eco-Rep program
• Brief descriptions of actual programs and their best practices
• Case studies of successes and roadblocks
• Activity, event, marketing and outreach examples
• Eco-Rep recruiting tools, sample job descriptions, and other resources

A joint webinar will be presented on April 18 at 2:00 EDT by AASHE and NWF celebrating the launch of this new guide. Erickson will be joined by Eco-Rep staff at Babson College (Massachusetts), Lehigh University (Pennsylvania), the University of Pennsylvania, and Western Washington University, who will share their experience with designing, implementing and evaluating a student Eco-Rep program on their campus.

About AASHE
AASHE is helping to create a brighter future of opportunity for all by advancing sustainability in higher education. By creating a diverse community engaged in sharing ideas and promising practices, AASHE provides administrators, faculty, staff and students, as well as the business that serve them, with: thought leadership and essential knowledge resources; outstanding opportunities for professional development; and a unique framework for demonstrating the value and competitive edge created by sustainability initiatives. For more information about AASHE, visit www.aashe.org.

About NWF’s Campus Ecology
National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology program has been working with colleges and universities to improve their overall green educational programming and onsite sustainability since 1989. Its student outreach programs, campus consulting, climate action competition and educational events and resources reach about 1,000 campuses each year. For more information, visit www.nwf.org/campusecology.