Program Manual 2015-2016
Contents Mission ....................................................................................................... 3 Vision: ..................................................................................................... 3 Program Goals: ........................................................................................... 3 All Eco-Reps Will: ........................................................................................ 3 Eco-Reps for Residence Halls Should: .............................................................. 4 Eco-Reps for Activities Should: ..................................................................... 4 Eco-Reps for Athletic Teams Should:............................................................... 4 Eco-Reps for Faculty and Staff Should: ............................................................ 4 What is an Eco-Rep at Dickinson? ........................................................................ 5 Eco-Reps Responsibilities.................................................................................. 6 Educating for Change ...................................................................................... 9 Target Your Audience: .................................................................................. 9 Connect with Your Audience: .......................................................................... 9 Allow Your Audience to Arrive at Their Own Conclusions:......................................... 9 Help Your Audience Make a Plan for Their Goals: ................................................. 10 Things to Avoid: ......................................................................................... 10 Tips for Becoming a Successful Eco-Rep ............................................................... 11 How to Plan Successful Eco-Reps Programming ....................................................... 12 1.
Planning the event: ............................................................................... 12
2.
Funding the Event: ................................................................................ 13
3.
At the Event: ....................................................................................... 13
4.
After the Event: ................................................................................... 14
Event Ideas ................................................................................................. 15 How to Conduct Successful Bin Audits.................................................................. 16 Compost 101 ............................................................................................... 17 How Do I Do That? ......................................................................................... 18 GEt CREAtiVE & tAkE ACtiON! ........................................................................... 19 A Few Definitions .......................................................................................... 20 Dickinson Definitions ...................................................................................... 21 Dickinson Sustainability Organizations ................................................................222 Sustainable Transportation Options ...................................................................244 Contact ....................................................................................................266 2015-16 Eco-Reps Contract .............................................................................277
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Dickinson Eco-Reps Program Strategy Program Mission: The Dickinson Eco-Reps program strives to create a community of leaders in sustainability who work to empower others to make sustainable changes in their lives and in their communities through peer education, programming, and outreach. The program empowers Dickinsonians to represent and lead a community of their choice to become more sustainable and foster connections. Eco-Reps form a network of leaders that work together to create a sustainable campus.
Program Vision:
A holistically sustainable Dickinson community shaped by empowered leaders.
Program Goals: 1. Help Dickinsonians gain a better understanding of sustainability at Dickinson and how to connect these opportunities to their lives. 2. Create a more sustainable campus through peer education. 3. Develop a peer education system and structure that allows Eco-Reps to learn, teach, and lead. 4. Develop student, faculty, and staff leaders that can effectively educate others and be proactive agents of change. 5. Make resources for promoting sustainability at Dickinson more accessible. 6. Educate peers about how certain choices affect their environments, including natural resources, finances, and their communities. 7. Empower constituents to make sustainable decisions through peer education and programming.
All Eco-Reps Will: 1. Serve as peer educators for sustainability. 2. Select a community to represent and lead toward a more sustainable life. 3. Be encouraged to reflect on personal growth and communicate successes and struggles as a way to spread learning experiences and evolve the goals of the program. 4. Attend Eco-Reps workshops and events for self-improvement and to become a more successful community leader. 5. Conduct “Place Audits� to ensure the understanding of sustainability in your community for yourself and your constituents. 6. Provide a connection between CSE and the Dickinson College community.
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Eco-Reps are a corps of volunteer leaders comprised of Dickinson students, faculty, and staff. When applying, each Eco-Rep will designate a community to serve. Examples could include a/an: residence hall/special interest house, varsity or club athletic team, fraternity/sorority, student organization, academic department, office, center etc. The Eco-Rep should be involved in the community he or she chooses to represent. Below are a few suggestions that will help you determine how you can serve your community as a leader in sustainability by being an Eco-Rep.
Eco-Reps Serving Campus Residential Spaces Should: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Serve as peer educators within residential communities at Dickinson. Attend meetings to discuss issues and ideas regarding the program. Attend Eco-Rep Educational Workshops and earn incentives! Plan and host at least one educational event or campaign in your residence. Manage specialized recycling and compost bins in your residence. Be an available resource for sustainability across campus. Become a Green Devils’ Advocate.
Eco-Reps Serving Clubs/Organizations Should: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Serve as peer educators within student life communities at Dickinson. Attend meetings to discuss issues and ideas regarding the program. Attend Eco-Rep Educational Workshops and earn incentives! Plan and host at least one educational event or campaign for your organization. Manage any composting or specialized recycling in your organization’s space. Be an available resource for sustainability across campus. Become a Green Devils’ Advocate.
Eco-Reps Serving Athletic Teams Should: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Serve as peer educators within athletic and team communities at Dickinson. Attend meetings to discuss issues and ideas regarding the program. Attend Eco-Rep Educational Workshops and earn incentives! Maintain plastic bag recycling bins within athletic facilities. Plan and host at least one educational event or campaign for your team. Be an available resource for sustainability across campus. Become a Green Devils’ Advocate.
Faculty/Staff Eco-Reps Serving Departments/Offices/Centers Should:
1. Serve as peer educators within professional communities at Dickinson (offices, departments, center, library, HUB, gallery, etc.) 2. Attend meetings to discuss issues and ideas regarding the program. 3. Attend Eco-Rep Educational Workshops and earn incentives! 4. Advocate sustainable practices within your professional environment. 5. Be an available resource for sustainability in your community. 6. Help your department/office/center etc. achieve Green Place Certification. 7. Become a Green Devils’ Advocate.
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What is an Eco-Rep at Dickinson? Eco-Reps are volunteer leaders (students, faculty, or staff) that serve as peer educators for sustainability across all areas of residence life, student engagement, operations, academics, admissions, advancement etc. Eco-Reps work with their communities and serve as mentors for sustainability. Any Dickinsonian can apply to be an Eco-Rep. Students, faculty, and staff with an interest or passion for sustainability are encouraged to join the team! We support selecting a diverse group of individuals to create the team as new opportunities arise each semester. Eco-Reps are supported by the Center for Sustainability Education, with assistance from CSE student interns. The Center for Sustainability Education promotes learning and action by members of the Dickinson College community for creating a sustainable world. Our vision is for every Dickinsonian to have the competencies and dispositions to help make the world a better place—a world that is socially just, economically vibrant, and environmentally sustainable. Through peer education, Eco-Reps make vital contributions to this mission.
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Responsibilities for Eco-Reps Peer Education: You will be a resource for sustainable living! Get creative on new ways to outreach to your audience. What are the problems? How can you help? Work together to create community-specific educational opportunities. Additionally, you should attend Eco-Reps workshops so that you have a solid working knowledge of sustainability at Dickinson. Doing independent research, interviewing campus resources and getting involved are also great ways to build your knowledge and better serve our community. Part of peer education is collaboration! Do not be afraid to collaborate with other Eco-Reps, other organizations on campus, or individuals in your communities.
Workshops & Meetings: Eco-Reps will be invited and encouraged to attend educational workshops as part of outreach for the Center for Sustainability Education. These workshops will combine info sharing, knowledge and action and allow Eco-Reps to identify tangible project ideas for their community. Workshops aren’t mandatory, but will be incentivized. All Eco-Reps will be invited to attend, with a primary goal of networking amongst leaders. The program will strive to have mandatory meetings about once a month. These will last for approximately 45 minutes and will likely be broken down by community type (residential, athletics, faculty & staff, campus life). Meetings give Eco-Reps and CSE staff the ability to talk face-to-face about issues and ideas regarding the program. Meetings also help to keep everyone accountable for their responsibilities and create a space for collaboration and teamwork.
Programming: Eco-Reps should plan and host one educational event, project or campaign for their community. This event can take on several different meanings or forms, so be creative! Each community has different objectives, needs, strengths, and problems, so keep those in mind as you think about your program.
Recycling: Eco-Reps are encouraged to monitor recycling bins in their communities’ proximities to make sure waste diversion is maximized. Additionally, Eco-Reps could create specialized recycling containers, such as for plastic bags, electronic waste, etc., for their space.
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Place Audits: Audits of your communities’ space should be conducted. Audits help you and CSE address the needs of all communities on campus and identify strategies for creating greener places. Additionally, they are critical to ensure that the EcoReps program’s outreach is succeeding. They help keep Eco-Reps accountable and keep CSE informed. Eco-Reps should turn in place audits on a bi-weekly basis either online or in CSE. Steps of a Place Audit: Bin Audits: Do bin audits to make sure that waste diversion is being maximized. o If you notice a consistent issue with incorrect waste disposal or recycling, take the steps necessary to correct the issue. Does the area or bin need additional signage? Could an informational email help? Try to take action on the issue. Use CSE as a resource for guidance. Create & Maintain Bulletin Boards: Bulletin boards help educate on sustainability and make sustainability a visible force in your community. o Change the bulletin board once each semester and repair any damaged materials as needed. Post sustainability related opportunities, tips, and events. Tips for successful bulletin boards can be found later in this manual. Eco-Reps for traditional residence halls: All residence halls have a designated sustainability bulletin board. Eco-Reps for other communities: check out your space and see if there is an unused bulletin board. Get permission to dedicate it to sustainability! No bulletin board? No problem! This is a great opportunity to design a brief digital poster or newsletter for your group. Repairs: Finding and reporting repairs quickly can make a big difference for sustainability! o Report any maintenance concerns to Facilities via work order (recycling bin replacements, leaky faucets, etc.). Instructions on how to report repairs can be found later in this manual. Maintain Compost: Compost is a crucial element of sustainability on campus. Compost from food waste on campus is taken to the farm and used to grow our organic produce. o If your place has a compost bin, take the bin to the common receptacle each week, wash bins, and look to see if it is being used correctly.
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o Report any concerns to the Eco-Reps Supervisor or to the Center for Sustainability Education at sustainability@dickinson.edu. o If you think your community could use a compost bin, or an event you are hosting should have a compost bin, talk to the Eco-Reps Supervisor. ďƒ˜ Establish & Maintain Plastic Bag Recycling: Plastic bags collected on our campus are taken to Giant Foods, and are then turned into park benches through the “Bags to Benchesâ€? program! o Establish a plastic bag recycling collection bin for your community. o Check the plastic bag recycling in your space during bin audits. Make sure the receptacle is visible and well-labeled. CSE will provide you with the correct posters and signage for these bins. o Separate items placed in the bin incorrectly. o Take the bags to the central collection spot in the bottom of the HUB.
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Educating for Change Peer education is the main objective of the EcoReps program. This information is designed to help you learn how to reach others effectively. We are all creatures of habit. Changing our habits is difficult and it takes time—even when we know the change will be for the better! How many times have you told yourself to exercise more or procrastinate less? Now, imagine trying to change other people’s habits! Here are some strategies to help you effectively communicate with your constituents about behavior change. Remember to stay positive and patient!
Target Your Audience:
Ask yourself, what motivates this person? If you don’t know, try to find out. Your audience will respond better to messages that speak to their values. You will have to balance emotional and fiscal arguments to reach your entire community. Try appealing to shared values and goals of the community. Ask them to define why creating a sustainable community is important. The program workshops are built to help Eco-Reps target multifaceted audiences effectively. Lastly, be flexible and genuine! Don’t assume a tactic that worked for one person will work for everyone.
Connect with Your Audience:
Your audience will be more willing to listen to people they know and trust. When talking with them, try to stress shared interests and community standards. If you do not know the person you are talking to, try emphasizing your shared experience as a Dickinsonian.
Allow Your Audience to Arrive at Their Own Conclusions:
Instead of telling them what changes they should make, guide them to arrive at their own conclusions. Give your audience enough information in order for them to make their own informed decisions. Once they take ownership of an issue, they will be much more likely to carry out any new behaviors than if someone else had suggested it to them.
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Help Your Audience Plan Their Goals:
While defining goals for your audience, remember to outline how these goals will be implemented. For example, if your sports team wants to reduce their use of plastic water bottles, help them make an action plan for this goal. Try connecting the goal to something fun, like “Water Bottle Wednesdays.� However, what happens when a teammate prefers Gatorade instead of water for practice? This is an example of a barrier to behavior change. In order to avoid some of these barriers, help your audience plan ahead. Suggest that they try using Gatorade powder instead of buying a disposable bottle every day. Therefore, not only does your audience have a goal, they also have a plan. Having a plan will remove many of the barriers to behavior change, making them more likely to follow through with their goals.
Things to Avoid:
Do not overload your audience with apocalyptic messages. Make sure to include in your message a balance of the issues and some possible solutions; otherwise, you will leave your audience feeling depressed and helpless. Make them feel like their actions will have a positive impact! Do not present unsustainable as normal. Help those interested in sustainability see that a sustainable lifestyle is simply part of being a Dickinsonian, being a productive citizen. In situations like this, try focusing on positive behaviors, such as the fact that dining services composts 100% of post-consumer food waste!
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Tips for Becoming a Successful Eco-Rep Work primarily to empower those Dickinsonians who are already involved with sustainability and those who are interested but need some direction to get involved. Help them recognize that they represent the majority on campus. Working with these people to reestablish the social norm on campus will indirectly target those Dickinsonians who were not originally open to changing their behavior through the influence of their peers. Do not act as the “Green Police.” The purpose of the Eco-Reps program is not to make those who are not living sustainably feel bad, but rather to educate them to make more informed decisions. Make sure to “practice what you preach.” It is important for Eco-Reps to live the lifestyle they are trying to promote in order to provide a good role model. The Green Devils’ Advocate Program will help with this! You don’t have to know everything! If someone comes to ask you a question that you don’t know the answer to, help them find a good resource or tell them you will let them know and look it up.
Some talking points… 1. Dickinson is committed to providing all Dickinsonians with the knowledge to engage the world in a responsible and sustainable way. The Eco-Reps program is an initiative to help further students’ useful education. 2. We are trying to encourage and empower our peers to live more sustainably. The Green Devils’ Advocate Program will help here! 3. Because of Dickinson’s sustainability initiatives, the college has been able to distinguish itself among other liberal arts colleges. By supporting this movement on campus, you are contributing to the success of the college, a contribution that will make your degree more valuable. 4. Eco-Reps is sponsored by CSE and is a great way to start getting involved. After volunteering as an Eco-Rep, you may want to apply for one of CSE’s paid internship positions, such as the Eco-Reps Supervisor!
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How to Plan Successful Eco-Reps Programming These directions are meant as a set of general guidelines to be followed every time you plan an event. We want to give you enough guidance to be able to plan a successful program while still giving you enough freedom to add your own creativity into your event. Get creative! Use humor! And most importantly, have fun!
1. Planning the event: Plan: o Talk to your supervisors, officers, colleagues, R.A. and other Eco-Reps for your community about constituent needs and a good time and place for your event. o Think about what you want the event to be. Do you want to create an entirely new event? Is there an event that your community usually holds that you can make more sustainable? Planning strategies: Think carefully about time and plan ahead! Events at the end of the semester when everyone is stressed with projects and finals will have low attendance and participation, and will only add to your stress levels. Consider the flow of the semester when planning your events. Consider problems or areas that need improvement within your community, space, or residence. Target these issues with your event to raise awareness and make meaningful change! Organize: o Complete the Event Planning Sheet provided by the Eco-Reps Supervisor as early in the semester as possible. Use CSE interns as resources.
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Promote and Advertise: A few ideas to alert your constituents: o Make flyers and post them on bulletin boards. o Go to floor/group/team/staff meetings and promote the event. o Talk to your individual peers about the event. o Tell the Dickinsonian what you are planning. o Ask if you can briefly talk to sustainability-related First Year Seminars, classes, or clubs about your event. o Use CSE social media. o Get your supervisors and/or colleagues to help promote the event.
2. Funding the Event: Apply for funding from the Eco-Reps fund through CSE. o Obtain pre-approval from Eco-Reps Supervisor and Lindsey Lyons, CSE for expenditures. Purchase any required materials. o Lindsey can purchase materials with the CSE credit card or the student can pay with their own money and be reimbursed later. Save ALL receipts and submit them to Kathleen Banski, CSE Administrative Assistant, to obtain reimbursement. Email Eco-Reps Supervisor at least two weeks prior to your program to arrange details.
3. At the Event: Bring: o Camera o Compost bin o Recycling bin o Event materials Introduce yourself, the Eco-Reps program, and CSE. o Explain why the Eco-Reps program is important to the mission and success of the college. o Explain how the Eco-Reps program helps Dickinsonians live more sustainably. o Explain your role as an Eco-Rep and how you will serve your community.
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o From here, take the goal of living sustainably as a given (this is part of being a Dickinsonian). Spend your time showing them how to live sustainably instead of debating why they should. Present and start your event! Encourage people to compost food scraps, bring their own plates/cups, or recycle them. Explain how you will be doing space and bin audits routinely and educate your constituents on proper recycling habits. Try to encourage discussion and save time for questions!
4. After the Event: Clean up after the event and leave the space as you found it. Fill out an event evaluation form after every event. Every Eco-Rep should complete the form, even for joint events. Turn in all receipts to Kathleen Banski, CSE Administrative Assistant. Post about the event on CSE social media, including photos! Discuss the successfulness of the event with other Eco-Reps at the meeting. Share ideas for future planning with Eco-Reps.
You are not limited to one program per semester. As an Eco-Rep, you have the opportunity be a vehicle of change and to have your voice heard! If you’re feeling inspired, take advantage of this opportunity!
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Program Ideas Creating fun and exciting events is a large part of an Eco-Rep’s success. These events create opportunities for communities to interact, establish important values, share information, and have fun. Below are some ideas for events to help get your creative thoughts flowing. Do not feel limited to these ideas as some of our most successful events have been new and creative events proposed by individual Eco-Reps!
Bulb Swap: Light bulb swaps allow Eco-Reps to interact with their constituents and get
them to swap out incandescent bulbs in their desk lamps for more efficient CFL bulbs. To acquire CFLs, discuss your options with CSE and/or Facilities.
Clothing Swap: Organize a clothing swap for your constituents or work with other Eco-Reps to organize one for multiple organizations. This is a great way for people to reuse clothing they no longer wear and add new life into their wardrobe.
Film Night: Show a film about an environmental issue (WALL-E, Erin Brockovich, An inconvenient Truth, Bag It, Chasing Ice, etc.) and have a discussion before or after about the issue and what Dickinsonians can do about it. Hike: Organize a hike for your constituents so that they can see some of the beautiful
natural resources in and around Carlisle. The Outing Club may be able to help you with ideas, planning, and materials.
Local Food Dinner: Cook a dinner using local foods and invite your group to share the meal. You can even have them shop and cook with you. This event is a great time to chat and get to know your constituents, as well as discuss environmental issues. Make sure to encourage them to bring their own reusable plates, cups, and utensils! Potluck: Organize a potluck for your constituents with a speaker about an environmental
issue. You may also just use this event to get to know your group better. Make sure to encourage them to use local ingredients and bring their own reusable dishware!
Tour: Organize a tour of a sustainability effort or sustainable location on Dickinson’s campus (Treehouse, Greenhouse, College Farm, Biodiesel Shop, Handlebar, Farmers Market, etc.). You may also consider organizing a tour of sustainability efforts in Carlisle by contacting the Greater Carlisle Project. Upcycle Projects: Get creative with this event! There are a ton of different upcycle projects that use everyday objects and create useful and/or beautiful things for every college student’s life. A great example are the Upcycled Notebooks from CSE. Ask your group to each bring a cardboard box and some scrap paper and you provide the hole puncher and the spirals. Volunteer: Get your group out and volunteering! You can contact ALLARM, the Farm, the
Greater Carlisle Project, the Carlisle West Side Neighbors, Project Share, and many other organizations to see their volunteer schedule or when you can create a volunteer opportunity!
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How to Conduct Successful Bin Audits Bin audits should be conducted every two weeks and audit sheets must be turned in to the Eco-Reps Supervisor at the monthly meeting. 1. Walk by the recycling areas every two weeks (minimum) to make sure that the users seem to understand how to sort the recycling. If there are problems with sorting the recycling, try posting reminders by the recycling bins. If this does not work, send out an email to your constituents addressing the problem. 2. Check compost and take compost to receptacle if necessary. This should be done weekly. 3. Make sure the area around the compost bin is clean and free of pests. Request cleaning supplies from housekeeping and clean up any messes as necessary. 4. If there is a problem with the bins themselves, such as a missing or broken bin, report the problem. If there is a problem with a compost bin, report to CSE; if there is a problem with a recycling or landfill bin, report to Facilities. 5. Sort out bins once a month to identify what is being placed in each bin. 6. Network with other Eco-Reps to see how recycling is being handled in their areas. Discuss any issues with other Eco-Reps or Supervisor. 7. Update and maintain all signage at recycling and compost centers.
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Compost 101 Composting: The biological process of breaking down certain wastes, including food waste, leaves, grass trimmings, into a nutrient-rich substance that can be added to soil.
etc.
Food scraps from the cafeteria, as well as food collected in compost bins around campus, are composted at the College Farm. Eventually, this compost serves as soil, providing beneficial nutrients and microorganisms to plants and crops.
Composting contributes to Dickinson’s institutional sustainability by creating a cycle; our food waste from campus is used to grow our food at the Farm, which we then eat and turn into compost again.
C am p u s F o o d W a s te C o m p o s t R e c e p t ac l e s o n C am p u s D i c k i n so n C o l l e g e O r g an i c F ar m C am p u s F o o d What to Compost: Fruit and vegetable waste, bread and food scraps, egg shells, dryer lint, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, brown paper towels, napkins, leaves, grass trimmings. Meat and Dairy spoil quickly and should not be collected in space composting (they are still collected in the dining hall!). How you can help: Bring a compost bin to any event with food (or bring a plastic bag that you can transfer food waste from your event to a compost bin). If your community has a designated space, request a compost bin for that area. Encourage your peers to compost! Include information and tips on composting in your Eco-Reps bulletin board or newsletters. Check on composting bins around campus to make sure that they are clean, adequately signed, and properly used.
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How Do I Do That? Get more info on a sustainability topic:
Attend Eco-Reps Educational Workshops for the latest information! Conduct personal research in the CSE resource library or on the internet. Attend a personal development session or event hosted by CSE. Talk with the CSE staff about your topic. Attend a workshop or seminar.
Order new Recycling, Compost, or Landfill posters: E-mail the CSE Eco-Reps Supervisor to order a new poster, indicating size and quantity needed. The poster can be picked up in CSE. Report a missing or damaged compost bin: Contact the Eco-Reps Supervisor. Empty and clean damaged bin and return it to CSE. If in a residence hall, notify the AC of the $50 replacement fee that the residence hall will be charged. Replace the bin with a new bin and any necessary signage ASAP. Report a concern to Facilities:
Go to dickinson.edu/repairs. Type in your Dickinson e-mail address to begin. Fill out the fields. Describe the problem. Select a completion date. o Urgent concerns such as leaks, heating, or cooling problems should be completed by the next day. Less urgent problems, such as a missing recycling bin, should be completed within the week. Type in the password (the password is “password”). Press submit. You should receive a confirmation e-mail. Forward the confirmation e-mail to your Eco-Reps supervisor.
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GEt CREAtiVE & tAkE ACtiON! Bathroom Stall Newsletters: Create a brief newsletter once a month to hang on bathroom stall doors of your space. Include sustainability stats or tips, and advertise sustainability-focused events happening on campus, or your Eco-Reps event.
E-Newsletter: Design an electronic newsletter with sustainability stats, tips, and events. This is an especially important idea if your community does not have a bulletin board or bathrooms! If your community already has a regular newsletter, ask if your Eco-Reps section can be included, or just start your own!
Ice Cream Social: Host an ice cream event for your community. You can either buy ice cream, or try making your own at the event! Be sure to encourage participants to bring their own bowls and spoons, and stimulate discussion about sustainability.
Sponsor a Campaign: Want to get your constituents excited about a sustainability initiative? Sponsor a campaign! Choose a sustainability issue relevant to your group, campus, Carlisle, or anything. Focus your effort around one action that can be achieved and make an impact! For example, if you notice that a lot of your constituents are using disposable beverage bottles, collect and display them, and then encourage them to buy reusable bottles.
Encourage Green Devils’ Advocate Certification: Help your constituents learn about ways to live sustainably and encourage them to pursue GDA Certification. Help them develop strategies to incorporate more of the action items into their daily lives. If you have a residence hall or your community has a space, work together to pursue Green Place certification! Host “Power Downs”: Get your constituents outside, minimizing their energy use, and enjoying the weather! Use this event as study time, or plan outdoor activities.
Co-Sponsor On-Campus Events: If you hear about a campus event with a sustainable focus, such as a lecture or movie, contact the event organizers and ask if Eco-Reps can cosponsor the event. You can help them with promotional work and logistics. Ideally, Eco-Reps’ name would be attached to the event, generating publicity for the program and creating a unified sustainability goal on campus.
Collaborate: There’s strength in numbers! Work with other Eco-Reps to coordinate larger-scale campaigns and events. For example, a residence neighborhood, multiple sports teams, or Greek organizations coming together for a sustainable cause creates a much larger splash than one single group. Get creative together!
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A Few Definitions Active Programming: Active Programming includes programs that require participation in order to function. Examples include an event for the group or a survey questionnaire.
Biodegradable: A product or material capable of decomposing in nature within a reasonably short period of time.
Carbon Footprint: The total amount of greenhouse gases emitted directly or indirectly through an activity, or from a product, company, or person, typically expressed in equivalent tons of either carbon or carbon dioxide.
Carbon Neutral: If a place or activity is carbon neutral, it releases net zero carbon emissions to the atmosphere. To achieve neutrality, carbon emissions from an identified product, service, or company must be balanced with emissions reductions or carbon offsets in order to reach net zero carbon emissions.
Green Building: A comprehensive process of design and construction that minimizes adverse environmental impacts and reduces the energy consumption of a building, while also contributing to the health and productivity of its occupants. Common metrics for evaluating green buildings include the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and Australia’s Green Star program.
Passive Programming: Passive programming does not require active participation in order to function. Examples include a bulletin board or poster.
Phantom Energy: The energy consumed by an electronic device that is switched off or not in use, but is not unplugged. Examples include microwaves, coffee makers, computers, or chargers.
Post-Consumer Recycled Content: Material recovered after its intended use as a consumer product can be reused as a component of another product. Aluminum cans, PET soda bottles, carpet tiles (for new yarn and tile backing), and office paper are all examples of post-consumer waste that can be recycled.
Sustainability: Sustainability means meeting the needs of the current generation without sacrificing those of future generations. It is about making human activity viable over time, which requires a consideration of our environmental, economic, and social demands.
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Dickinson Definitions As an Eco-Rep, it is important to be familiar with the sustainability organizations and efforts at Dickinson. You certainly do not need to know everything about sustainability, but the information below will allow you to be a resource for others on campus who may have questions about sustainability at Dickinson.
Campus Wall: A Dickinson-only site that allows students to buy and sell used books, games, furniture, clothing, etc. within the Dickinson community. This encourages reusing things while keeping them among Dickinsonians.
Green Devils’ Advocates: A program that allows Dickinsonians to become certified according to their level of commitment to living sustainably. After completing the online certification survey, they are awarded bronze, silver, gold, or platinum certification and receive recognition. Dickinsonians who become certified then serve as positive examples in their communities, and become part of a network for sustainability at Dickinson.
Green Place Certification: A program geared toward recognizing, encouraging, and certifying sustainable infrastructures in campus locations. Unlike LEED Certification, Green Place Certification targets tangible goals and daily functions, rather than construction or design. Those who work or serve in a certain place can try to make it a “Green Place” by completing certain sustainability initiatives. Like the Green Devils’ Advocates program, each place will be awarded a certification level, bronze, silver, gold, or platinum. Each place will be awarded a certificate to be proudly displayed and will serve as a positive example for the Dickinson community.
LOCALTUNITY: A program that allows Dickinsonians to get money to shop at the Farmers on the Square Market. In groups of three or more, you can get $5 each to the market or $10 each if you agree to cook together and send pictures to CSE. LOCALTUNIY sign up happens at the HUB Info Desk, and each person can only participate twice per semester. Sustainability Connections (SCON): Courses that touch on sustainability. These courses will now fulfill the new Sustainability degree requirement. Depending on the course, there may be a unit on sustainability, it may be an underlying message that is not discussed prominently, or there may be some material related to sustainability. These courses can also cover economic and social sustainability. You can search for these courses under the “Attribute Type” section in the course catalog and course schedule search.
Sustainability Investigations (SINV): Courses that focus on sustainability topics. These courses will now fulfill the new Sustainability degree requirement. Ranging from environmental science courses to history courses to special topics courses, these courses all have a significant focus on sustainability. You can search for these classes online under the “Attribute Type” section in the course catalog and course schedule search.
U-Turn: At the end of each year, the Carlisle chapter of United Way, a non-profit organization, hosts a large sale of donated items. In 2015, the sale raised over $15,000. Generally, there are bins located in each residence hall and around campus for students and staff to donate items that they no longer need that are still in good condition.
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Dickinson Sustainability Organizations Knowledge of Dickinson’s sustainability-focused organizations can help you inform your community and target their interests. Additionally, these are great organizations to reach out to and work with for events. Engaging with these organizations can help Dickinson better promote our sustainability goals and will further inspire change in campus culture.
Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM): ALLARM is an organization that provides technical assistance to watershed groups, K-12 environmental education, and public education and outreach. Rather than monitoring streams throughout the state, ALLARM teaches local watershed groups how to monitor their streams and performs quality assurance tests to confirm the local groups’ results. ALLARM also monitors our local LeTort Spring Run, which travels directly through Carlisle. One of their major projects is educating the public about the impacts of storm water runoff on the LeTort. Another major project is teaching communities how to monitor for the impacts of shale gas in communities across PA, WV, and NY. Center for Sustainability Education (CSE): CSE is an organization that creates opportunities to learn about sustainability both inside and outside of the classroom. Working with many partners, CSE serves as a hub of Dickinson’s sustainability efforts, funds student-faculty research, helps faculty incorporate sustainability into their teaching, and hosts speakers, events, and workshops. CSE interns work on projects including the energy challenge, promoting biking, analyzing data, coordinating the Eco-Reps program, and much more. Climate Action Plan: The Climate Action Plan facilitates Dickinson’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2020. The plan, established in 2008-09 by students, faculty, staff, and administrators, aims to reduce Dickinson’s carbon emissions by 25% and purchase offsets for the remaining 75%. The plan includes measures to increase use of renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, and improve conservation efforts. The Climate Action Task Force reviews the plan, action steps, and progress toward our goal. Dickinson College Farm: The Dickinson College Farm is a 50-acre, certified organic farm. It is used for many purposes including farming education, research, and events. They grow produce and have sheep, cows, and chickens. Students can volunteer at the farm most days of the week in the morning or afternoon, with a car typically leaving from the Kaufman parking lot at 8am or 1pm. Students can complete independent studies or research on the farm. The Farm hosts a stand at the Farmers on the Square Market on Wednesdays and in the HUB on Fridays. CSE | Eco-Reps Manual 2015- The Relaunch | 22
Dickinson Science Magazine: The Dickinson Science Magazine is staffed by students and faculty and features articles covering Dickinsonians’ research, recent advancements, science news, club updates, columns on health and wellness, career advice for science majors, opinion pieces, and much more. Farmers on the Square: FOTS is a farmers market that takes place from 3-7pm on the corner of High St. and Hanover St. during the summer and in Project Share during the winter months. You can purchase fresh, local foods from farmers in the area, including the College Farm. You can also use Dickinson’s LOCALTUNITY program to purchase food from the market in groups of three or more. The Handlebar: At The Handlebar, Dickinsonians learn to fix and build bikes. The shop is run by student and staff volunteers and CSE interns. Along with helping Dickinsonians fix their bikes, volunteers build Green Bikes from donated bike parts and bikes. The Handlebar is located along D-Walk under Davidson-Wilson. Idea Fund: The Idea Fund is a student-run group that supports student projects on campus through project consulting, PR and marketing, grants, and loans. They have supported projects such as creating glasses from old wine bottles, The Peddler, sustainability classes for local children, and The Dog House. To bring up an idea, attend one of their weekly meetings! Outing Club: The Outing Club leads outdoor trips for interested students, ranging from hiking and camping to climbing and skiing. The Peddler: One of Idea Fund’s projects, The Peddler is a student-run, zero-waste coffee cart made mobile by biking. They serve fair trade, locally roasted coffee and encourage the use of reusable mugs and thermoses. The Treehouse: The Center for Sustainable Living, or Treehouse, is a LEED Gold certified residential community at Dickinson. It was built following sustainable practices and was the first of its kind in Pennsylvania. The residents live following sustainable behaviors including composting, line-drying their laundry, growing a garden, taking 3 minute showers, buying local foods, and unplugging electronics when not in use. The Treehouse hosts events each semester such as Open Mic Nights, Soup and Bread Discussions, and Open Houses. CSE | Eco-Reps Manual 2015- The Relaunch | 23
Sustainable Transportation Options Transportation contributes a significant portion of the College’s carbon outputs. In order to reduce our footprint and move toward our reduction goals, eliminating excess transportation outputs is crucial. Below are some sustainable transportation resources available to the Dickinson community.
Break Shuttle: Break shuttles run between campus and the Harrisburg Airport, Harrisburg Train/Bus Station, and the Philadelphia Airport during move-in, fall pause, Thanksgiving break, winter break, spring break, and move-out. There are schedules posted on the Dickinson website, and you must purchase a ticket for these shuttles in advance. There are also shuttles offered to NYC, BWI, North Jersey, and New England through the outside provider, Break Shuttle. Carlisle Circulator Bus: The Carlisle Circulator Bus is a recent expansion of the Capital Area Transit (CAT) service area. The service is free to Dickinson students with ID. The bus covers three routes, including commuter, retail, and health and human services. The retail route is the most heavily used by students, with stops at Carlisle Commons (Wal-Mart, movie theater), Giant, Target and Kohl’s, and the High Point Mall (Bon-Ton, Dunham’s, Lowes). To get on the retail route at Dickinson, go to the stop at High St. and Cherry St. at the corner of the Kline Center. This is an excellent resource that will allow students without a car to get around Carlisle. Green Bikes: The Green Bike program allows Dickinson students and employees to take out a bike for a full semester. This is a great way for students who do not own a bike or who live too far away from campus to bring a bike to have one available on campus! Users pay a refundable $25 cash deposit at the beginning of the semester and receive a bike, lock, and helmet to keep for the whole semester. When the user returns the equipment at the end of the semester, he/she will receive the $25 back as long as the bike is in good condition. Bikes for the Green Bikes program are built by volunteers at The Handlebar from donated bikes and bike parts. These bikes go quickly and are often all reserved before the start of the semester, so make sure to reserve yours as soon as possible!
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Recreational Shuttle: The recreational shuttle takes students from campus to Harrisburg on Friday and Sunday evening. The shuttle goes to Capital City Mall, Barnes and Noble, train station, bus station, Whitaker Center, and restaurant district. The first shuttle leaves from the ATS parking lot at 3pm and the second leaves at 5pm. You will return to campus by 10pm, with the latest pick-up at 9pm at the train station. The pass for this shuttle is $10 per semester or $18 for the full year. You can obtain a pass by visiting the SLCE Office in the bottom of the HUB. Red Bikes: The Red Bikes program allows you to take out a bike for free from DPS during daylight hours. You simply leave your Dickinson ID or Driver’s License with DPS and they will give you a bike number, lock and key, and a helmet. You must return the bike the same day before dark. Visitors can also get bikes, so you can go riding when your parents or friends come to town. All users must be 18 years of age.
Ridepost: Ridepost is a website where users can post trips and find rides. The website requires a Dickinson email address to log in, so it is only open to Dickinson students, faculty, and staff. Ridepost allows students to find rides home or to other events with other Dickinsonians. If you’re driving, you can post where you are going so that you can find people to ride with you and split the cost of gas. Zipcar: Zipcar allows students to use a car when needed without having to own a car. When Dickinson students and employees sign up for Zipcar, they can reserve one of the Zipcars located in the Kaufman Hall parking lot or the corner of the Miseno’s parking lot. Dickinsonians can get a discounted registration fee of $25 when they first sign up and then receive $35 in free driving. There is also an annual fee of $50 and rates for reserving a car start as low as $7.50 an hour or $69 per day.
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Contact The Center for Sustainability Education Kaufman Hall 190 Dickinson College Carlisle, PA 17013 sustainability@dickinson.edu www.dickinson.edu/sustainability Neil Leary, Director, CSE learyn@dickinson.edu 717-245-1954 Lindsey Lyons, Assistant Director, CSE lyonsli@dickinson.edu 717-245-1117 Marcus Welker, Projects Coordinator, CSE welkerm@dickinson.edu 717-254-8199 Kathleen Banski, Administrative Assistant, CSE banskik@dickinson.edu 717-245-1781 Ivy Gilbert, Eco-Reps Supervisor, CSE gilberti@dickinson.edu Stephanie Crespo, Area Coordinator Quads, KW, and McKenney crespos@dickinson.edu 717-254-8194 Amanda George, Area Coordinator Houses and Apartments georgea@dickinson.edu 717-254-8195 Brandon Smith, Area Coordinator Morgan Field smithbra@dickinson.edu 717-254-8175 Joanne Hatala, Administrative Assistant, Athletics hatalaj@dickinson.edu 717-245-1320 Josh Eisenberg, Director, SLCE eisenbej@dickinson.edu 717-245-1103
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2015-16 Eco-Reps Contract As an Eco-Rep for the 2015-2016 academic school year, I, ______________________________________, hereby agree to the following: Wherein I have committed to being an available resource for my constituents, answering questions about living sustainably, and encouraging sustainable behavior through peer education. Wherein I have committed to attending Eco-Reps Workshops and meetings with the Eco-Reps Supervisor. Absences from these meetings must be approved by the Eco-Reps Supervisor 24 hours in advance. A make-up meeting will be scheduled within one week. Wherein I have committed to planning and hosting one event or campaign per semester for my community. Wherein I have committed to maintaining a bulletin board, doing bin audits, and maintaining the compost and plastic bag recycling in my assigned space. Wherein I have committed to upholding college policies. I understand that breaking the rules that my supervisors need to uphold could undermine my relationship and future support from them. I also understand that any repeated offenses could result in release from the Eco-Reps position. And thus, I recognize that my affiliation with the Eco-Reps program is dependent upon upholding these commitments and failure to do so could result in release from the Eco-Reps position.
______________________ Name
______________________ Contact Phone Number
______________________ Community
______________________ Type
______________________ Signature
______________________ Date
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