Unity College 2008 Campus Sustainability Leadership Award Application

Category

Four-year and Graduate Institutions Under 1,000 Student FTE

Unity College Student Inspecting the Campus Garden's Lettuce
Photographer: Peter Finger

Contact

Rob Beranek
Sustainability Coordinator
Office of the President
Unity College
Unity, ME
(207) 948-3131
rberanek@unity.edu

Governance & Administration

Unity College has taken the message of sustainability and woven it throughout its culture and organizational framework.  Two years ago a Sustainability Policy Committee was convened.  At their recommendation, every employee is now responsible for contributing to the college's endeavor for sustainability through their formal job description.  Department heads are responsible for producing sustainability plans with yearly benchmarks and goals, and they incorporate sustainability into employee performance evaluations.  The first round of plans have been completed and reviewed and will guide Unity College's Climate Action Plan for the next three years.

Some exciting results have already emerged:

• All catered events place a primary emphasis on local and seasonal foods.
• Commencement features local foods, recycled materials, and low impact preparations.
• A Wellness Committee promotes healthy lifestyle changes.
• Human resources is examining changes to the new employee orientation to include an introduction to recycling and waste minimization, and energy conservation.
• The college chartered a new arts publication, Hawk and Handsaw: The Journal of Creative Sustainability
• A summer workshop was initiated with the Orion Society titled "Educating in a Changing Climate"
• A partnership formed with the Maine State Housing Authority to develop protocol linking low-income housing retrofits to Unity College's carbon offsets

Beyond individuals and departments, the college has made state and national commitments to sustainability.  At the national level, Unity College is a charter signatory of the American College and Universities Presidents Climate Commitment.  President Mitchell Thomashow is an active member of the Presidents Climate Commitment Steering Committee.  In Maine, the college is a member of the Governor's Carbon Challenge.  Under this program the college committed to a 25% reduction in actual greenhouse gas emissions, with a minimum 5% reduction a year.

Thoughtfully considering the effects of our current actions on the ability of future generations is an element of any comprehensive strategy for sustainability.  To this end, the college recently completed a comprehensive Master Planning Process, called Unity 2020, derived from sustainability values and criteria.  The resulting master plan shapes the college's plans for building responsibly and meeting our current and future needs.

Solidifying the future of sustainability at Unity College, President Thomashow appointed the college's first full time Sustainability Coordinator in July of 2008.  This position reports directly to the President and advises staff and students on sustainability initiatives.  Some of the priorities include consulting with department heads on meeting sustainability benchmarks and goals, serving as chair of the Sustainability Policy Committee, being an active member of the Master Planning Committee, and assisting with student generated initiatives.

Operations

Unity College's operations continually lowers the college's carbon footprint while maintaining a beautiful, safe, clean, and environmentally healthy campus.  Over the past two years, various initiatives reduced the per student greenhouse gas emissions an additional 9% down to 71% of or our 2001 levels.

Manifesting the college's commitment to sustainable development, three new buildings are campus leaders in energy efficiency and environmental health.  Maplewood, a residence hall, and its sister building, the health center, feature 100% renewable electricity, super-insulated R60 cellulose in the ceiling and R26 blown-in-blanket insulation in the walls, natural lighting systems, a super-insulated "Alaska slab" foundation with under floor heat, low-e windows, and low VOC paints, glues and adhesives.

The college president's residence is our third campus leader.  Slated to be completed in August of 2008, this revolutionary prototype is anticipated to produce net-zero carbon emissions.  Passive solar heating, a photovoltaic array, solar thermal hot water, and an air source heat pump will work in concert to operate the climate neutral residence.  The open floor plan will allow for multi-purpose use including hosting events, classes, and general living space.

Many improvements to existing buildings have contributed to decreasing emissions as well.  On demand hot water, new boilers, insulation, and window upgrades cumulatively affect the efficiency of half of the college's total square footage.  New, energy efficient buildings and improvements to existing infrastructure allowed the college to increase total square footage by 6% while realizing the 9% reduction in per student greenhouse gas emissions.

Unity College custodians implemented a green cleaning program.  The comprehensive system starts with mats at every major entrance to stop dirt before it enters the building.  Next, microfiber cloths and mops clean what dirt and dust escapes the mats and can be reused thousands of times.  Then environmentally friendly cleaning products are utilized to ensure a clean campus free of harmful toxins and odors.  The custodial crew has also switched to team cleaning thereby reducing the amount of time spent cleaning and the amount of cleaning product needed.

Large, colorful, and standardized recycling bins will be found around campus this year.  The bins encourage instant sorting of recycling and provide an easily identifiable and accessible alternative to the waste basket.  Campus recycling is supported by a crew of Unity College students that complete a final sorting before the material heads to the local recycling center.

Dining Services also has several recent sustainability initiatives.  Fifteen percent of the food is purchased locally; decreasing the college's peripheral carbon footprint.  The campus garden contributes vegetables to the cafeteria and the local food pantry.  This year, the cafeteria is going trayless, eliminating up to 80 cycles of the dishwasher a day.  Kitchen recycling has expanded as well to include cans, cardboard, plastic, and cooking oil.

The college has also implemented sustainable land use practices.  A modest flock of sheep is part of an experimental rotational grazing scheme, and three woodlots measuring several hundred acres are managed for carbon sequestration and long-term ecological productivity.

Curriculum & Research

Unity College provides dedicated, engaged students with a liberal arts education that emphasizes the environment and natural resources. Unity's graduates are prepared to become environmental stewards, effective leaders, and responsible citizens through active learning experiences within a supportive community.  Unity College is "America's Environmental College" because it is the only college where every degree granted uses the environment as the integrating context for learning.

Strategic organizational foresight lead the college to enter into a "centering process" that culminated this year.  The results are five centers (Center for Biodiversity, Center for Environmental Arts and Humanities, Center for Environmental and Experiential Education, Center for Natural Resource Management and Protection, and the Center for Sustainability and Global Change) that house Unity's existing degree programs and lay the foundation for flexibility in our environmentally oriented curriculum to prepare students for the challenges of the twenty-first century.

Last year, the college finished a four year process of developing an Environmental Stewardship Core Curriculum.  Four courses complete this mandatory suite of classes for every student.  Students take these courses over the span of their entire program.  "The Unity Experience" starts the sequence and enculturates students to living and learning at a sustainable college.  "The Environmental Citizen" engages students in an action research project surrounding an environmental issue.  "Sustainability" exposes students to the science of many pressing issues of our time and the applied social science to examine and inform humanity's response.  Lastly, "Environmental Challenge" inspires students with accomplished role models who participate in a lecture series and motivate the students to action.

Two new degree programs have been approved for the Fall of 2008.  While all of the college's programs focus on the environment, these add sustainability as a significant discipline of study.  Additionally, these programs are interdisciplinary to a new level.  "Agriculture, Food, and Sustainability", for instance, explores the intersections in the field of agriculture and food systems study between biology, ecology, economics, critical social sciences, and history, as well as applied sciences such as horticulture, livestock management, and marketing.  The second program, "Sustainable Design and Technology", allows students to develop their talents and skills as applied scientists and planners in the fields of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and response to climate change.  Students learn to evaluate and implement emerging technologies and to design, quantify, and account for programs of energy efficiency and climate emission reductions for government, for private businesses, or for households.

Another important dimension to the Unity College's curriculum exists beyond the disciplines of study; it is the individuals who make up our student body.  About a third of every incoming class, are first generation students from rural New England.  Unity College's unique composition contributes to a broadening of the traditional constituency of the environmental movement and the pursuit of sustainability.

Campus Culture

Students at Unity College regularly pursue a host of academic and club projects exploring the many facets of sustainability.  One group, The Grease Car Club, teaches students how to change gas and diesel vehicles to burn discarded fryer oil as fuel.  This club has a strong eco friendly message and outreach.  This outreach led to articles in some of Maine's largest newspapers and a 10 minute video featured on Time Warner Cable of Maine.  

The list continues of students doing practical things that encompass sustainability:  

• The college Sugar Makers Club recently built a new sugar shack and christened it with a batch of maple syrup from sugar maples tapped on campus
• Students in the eco-cottage reduced their energy consumption by 40% compared to other students in similar campus housing
• Groups of hunters and fishers take advantage of Maine's natural bounty
• Student organized RecycleFest finished off Earth Week with a recycled materials derby car race, club booths, an eco challenge, several local bands playing on campus, and a 5k race
• Members of the Constructive Activists club have initiated education campaigns, shown films, and conducted effective, peaceful demonstrations on campus.
• The student-staffed Comprehensive Recycling Action Program (C.R.A.P.) Crew collects, sorts, and transfers the college's recycling to local recycling program. This group also coordinates Unity College's participation in Recyclemania.

Unity College students also experience the social aspect of sustainability.  For example, yearly campus wide community meetings hosted by Unity College's Student Government Association model how a diverse group of active citizens can share common resources.  Last year, students discussed snowmobile use on campus trails and many varied views were weighed.  At the end of the process, student generated recommendations emerged based on consensus and were submitted to the Campus Trails Committee for consideration.

The Women's Environmental LEADership (WE LEAD) program demonstrates Unity's commitment to empowering traditionally underrepresented groups in the environmental movement.  WE LEAD educates and empowers female students, faculty and staff to become socially conscious environmental stewards and proactive members of their community.  The program provides faculty and staff mentors for female students, courses in women's studies, an environmental speaker series that brings both local and national figures to campus to share their experiences, a student-run organization that sponsors retreats and open circle gatherings, and a WE LEAD certificate that students earn while participating in WE LEAD. 

Other students have pursued sustainability projects to benefit local communities.  One group of students helped a local school district assess site feasibility for a wind turbine.  Another student worked  studied turtle health in Central Maine related to waste water discharge.  During the Spring 2007 semester, one group of civic minded students took up the cause of genetic engineered crops and their impact on Maine organic farms.  They organized a bike ride from the Unity College campus to the capital in Augusta, Maine, to call attention to the issue.  They also earned a meeting with the Director of the State Department of Agriculture.

Community Service and Outreach

Students and faculty have a long standing history of actively supporting new community-based initiatives and helping to sustain many existing programs that address environmental, social and economic needs of our surrounding communities.   Whether it's repairing a segment of community trail, or preparing the grounds for Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association's annual Common Ground Country Fair, the college, through its academic programming, student-led clubs and campus-community workgroup, often takes the lead in providing human, intellectual, and material resources.  Below are a few examples of the many ways Unity College works with and serves its broader community:

Elementary School Garden Project: students designed and installed a food producing hoop house and habitat garden for a local elementary school. The habitat garden includes a butterfly sanctuary, blueberry and pumpkin patches, a mini-apple orchard, outdoor classroom space, and therapeutic walking paths.  In Spring of 2008, a freshman leadership class coordinated and led the school's first-ever Earth Day for more than 100 students.

Environmental Studies and Capacity Building Projects:  students monitor water quality work with the lake association and watershed restoration project.  Courtesy boat inspections helped prevent the spread of invasive aquatics, and bank erosion control strategies preserve water quality.  In the past year, they conducted a number of field inventories for area land preserves, regularly maintain and repair the local trail system, and built a barn for a therapeutic riding center.  

The Vibrant Community Project
This campus- community workgroup is supported by the college both administratively and programmatically. This forum serves as a workplace in which local residents, area professionals, and college faculty and students identify and address issues of local concern.  Students from the college through course-based or individualized project work assist the VCP with the following community betterment initiatives: 

Empty Bowls Fundraiser: For the past thirteen years, the college has partnered with the local community to host an annual fundraiser that benefits local food pantry programs.  Students secure donations of food from local farms and pottery bowls from area potters, and prepare a simple meal of soup and bread.  In 2007, Unity College students coordinated the event and raised $4000 for food relief organizations. 

Unity Recycling Project:When concerned citizens asked for help to increase recycling among local residents, a policy advocacy class identified current recycling rates, barriers to recycling activity, and the cost to the town for not meeting its established quota of recyclable materials.  Students are now working with the town selectmen to develop a new recycling and solid waste disposal contract that will include several of the students' suggestions.

Local Food Guide:In an effort to promote local agriculture, support small scale producers, and highlight the rural, agrarian character of the region, members of the VCP are in the process of completing a free local food guide to the more than 150 local farmers and producers.