Presentation to PEOC:Sustainability Coordinator Position

April 26, 2005

PEOC’s Accomplishments

• 100% PWC Paper Policy

• Dining: – Fair trade coffee– Sustainable seafood– Local, organic food

• EcoRep Program

• Voluntary green building practices

• GEM Cars

• No-flush urinals

Goals attempted, considered, or in

progress

• Reduce campus energy and water use.

• Purchase solar and/or wind energy

• Improve recycling

• Reduce end-of-year moveout waste

• Establish an organic farm

• Mass Transit: Reduce the environmental impact of faculty/staff commutes.

Factors Hindering Progress

1. STAFF TIME AND MANPOWER

2. Noncompliance with stated mandates

3. Lack of Faculty, Student & Community Awareness

4. Funding for initiatives

How a sustainability coordinator can help us:

1. STAFF TIME AND MANPOWER

2. Noncompliance with stated mandates

3. Lack of Faculty, Student & Community Awareness

4. Funding for initiatives

• Take on responsibilities that have been added to our duties

• Work with departments to solve problems

• Perform outreach and education campaigns

• Pursue external funding opportunities• These positions can pay for themselves.

Sample Job Description• Full-time position in the Facilities Department• Goal: Increase the sustainability of practices such as recycling,

energy and water use, transportation, food services, construction, building design and purchasing

• Create a unified strategy– Propose and prioritize environmental projects – Assess cost effectiveness, technical feasibility and likelihood of

acceptance – Seek external ‘seed’ funding when necessary– Work with the university departments to implement such projects

• No authority over any existing departments, but a resource for all departments – Coordinate efforts across departments, campus-wide– Propose initiatives, do research on proposals by other departments

• Publicize Princeton’s environmental initiatives to alumni, other universities, and the general public

• Perform outreach and education on campus, either academic or special programs

Positions at other Schools• Harvard -- Green Campus Initiative Director

• Yale – Recycling Coordinator, 2 Sustainable Food Directors

• Brown -- Environmental Coordinator/Resource Efficiency Manager

• Rutgers -- Campus Sustainability Coordinator

• Middlebury -- Environmental Coordinator

• University of Colorado at Boulder -- Director of the Environmental Center

• Seattle University -- Environmental Coordinator & Environmental Safety Mngr

• Tulane -- Environmental Coordinator

• University of Wisconsin at Madison -- Environmental Management Coordinator

• Michigan State University -- Director of Campus Sustainability

• University of Oregon -- Environmental Resource Manager

• University of British Columbia

• Dartmouth and Portland State – currently hiring

Examples of Funding Sources

• Dartmouth– Pilot program funded for 3 years from a grant from the

provost's office

• University of British Columbia– Funded entirely on the savings produced by our programs

• Yale (Sustainable Food Director)– Initially three years of funding with an interest in

institutionalizing the position

• Harvard (Green Campus Initiative)– Significant seed money (from grants and the University),

but the HCGI has generated annual savings that far exceed the cost of the programs

Path Forward

• Continued --heightened-- appeals to the Administration and CPUC for seed money• Greening Princeton’s requests would be

greatly enhanced by support from PEOC member departments.

• Exploration of possible grant sources• Work with Development Office to seek

alumni support

Thank you!