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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: Andrea Triplitt
Position (in student organization): Co-President
Date survey submitted: August 13, 2009
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Environmental Action Group – a student-led, non-partisan group committed to environmental advocacy and education.
Number of active members: 15-20
Website: furmaneag.blogspot.com
Date of last meeting: April 21st
Frequency of meetings: weekly
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008:
A. Reducing Bottled Water Use on Campus
1. The Swan – The water bottle swan was built as part of an awareness campaign designed to reduce the use of bottled water on campus. We collected water bottles from recycling bins on campus over a period of a month and placed the finished swan in the middle of the lake where it was visible from the Dining Hall. An informational poster was placed near the lake and messages were posted on the Furman website and email forums.
2. “Both Sides of Water Privatization: Who Owns Water?” – co-sponsored with the Cicero Society (Mar. 24, 2009) - A campus showing and discussion of the film “FLOW” which confronts the disturbing reality that our crucial resource water is dwindling and greed just may be the cause. The film was followed by a rebuttal by Brendan O’ Rourke from Nestle Waters.
B. Improving Campus Recycling Efforts
1. Get Trashed (Nov 17th, 2008) – EAG conducted a campus waste audit on the front steps of the library to identify what percentage of our current waste could actually be recycled.
C. Energy Use on Campus / Climate Change
1. North Village Energy Competition – Kill-A-Watt challenge allows different buildings in the North Village complex to compete to reduce energy consumption. This is held during month long competitions with a winner for each period.
2. Coal Dump – as part of Sustainability Day – The amount of coal burned for one person for a year is place next to a large poster describing the effects of energy produced from coal. This raises awareness, as most students on campus are unaware of the source of the majority of electricity on our campus.
3. Tire Pressure Check (Nov. 25, 2008) - EAG conducted their annual tire pressure check that checks students, faculty, and staff tire pressures to ensure drivers are maximizing the MPG and in the process reducing emissions.
4. Hosted the “Mountaintop Removal Roadshow” (Feb 12, 2009) - Dave Cooper, from Mountain Justice, provided a stunning 20 minute slide show about the impacts of mountain top removal on coalfield residents, communities and the environment followed by a question and answer period.
5. Focus the Nation (Apr. 16, 2009) - A town hall forum on national climate change policy with SC Representative Bob Inglis. Rep. Inglis came to campus and discussed climate change policy at state and federal levels as part of this national event.
6. Campus Viewing and Discussion of “11th Hour” (Sept. 9, 2008) - A film that provides a look at the state of the global environment including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet's ecosystems.
7. Wall-E (Feb. 24, 2009)– Showed the movie to increase awareness about the waste we produce and reach out to a different audience on campus.
8. Powershift (Feb. 27 – Mar. 2, 2009) - Eight EAG members participated in the national Powershift conference in Washington DC, focused on holding elected officials accountable for rebuilding our economy and reclaiming our future through bold climate and clean energy policy.
D. Campus Sustainability
1. Furman University Sustainability Fair (Oct 15, 2008) – Information table featuring our various programs and coal representation at this campus-wide event to promote sustainability on campus and distribute drying racks to students living in the North Village apartments.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008: The Environmental Action Group has helped to change the perceptions about sustainability on campus through our many speakers and events. The campus community is evolving to see that climate change is an important issue, and our work has directly affected these changes. Recycling efforts continue to improve and energy conservation is increasing as well.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition: Kill-a-Watt Challenge – an energy saving competition among upper class dorms in North Village.
Year initiated: 2006
Frequency of competition: 3 months per year (Nov, Feb, Mar)
Incentives: Monthly prizes and party for dorm that reduces its energy use (by %) compared to its baseline collected from 2001 – 2005.
Goal of competition: Reduce energy consumption.
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced: 22% reduction from baseline 2006 – 2007; 8% reduction from baseline 2007 – 2008
Lasting effects of competition: increased student awareness of apartment energy consumption.
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ X] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school: See list in Question 1.
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible: Conserve Furman, Kappa Delta, International Justice Mission, Africa Rising, FU Outdoor Club, FU Global Justice, Furman in the Garden, Environmental Community of Students, Bartram Society
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition):
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Name: Grant Allard
Position (in student organization): Coordinator
Date survey submitted:
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Sustainable Connections
Number of active members: 14 Member Organizations—around 110 total people
Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenville-SC/
Sustainable-Connections/45890009308?ref=ts
Date of last meeting: April 21, 2009
Frequency of meetings: Twice a year
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: Sustainable Connections, in January 2009, was founded with the mission of facilitating coordination and promoting collaboration among on-campus environmental and sustainability-related groups, campaigns, efforts and initiatives.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
Sustainable Connections has organized a unified calendar of all involved Member Organizations as well as a digital Web 2.0 Forum for Member Organizations to communicate across. Currently, Sustainable Connections is investigating new governance structures.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
X No
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
X No
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school: Sustainable Connections facilitates coordination and promotes collaboration among on-campus environmental and sustainability-related groups, campaigns, efforts and initiatives. This means we hold twice-a-year meetings to encourage discourse, develop shared consensuses, and promote collaboration.
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible: Conserve Furman, Environmental Action Group (EAG), Kappa Delta, Inc, International Justice Mission, Africa Rising, FU Outdoor Club, FU Global Justice, Furman in the Garden, Environmental Community of Students, Bartram Society, Heller Service Corps
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition):
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