What Are We Doing on Campus?Book Club
SAC is piloting a sustainability book club for the campus community. Our first pilot ran April-May of 2007, offering participants a chance to read and discuss Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods, and a chance to hear the author speak in Seattle in late May. During the Fall 2007 term participants will read Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Bookstore
The Bookstore has a variety of sustainable products for sale, including recycled papers and notebooks, the sustainability bumper stickers (described below), backpacks made from recycled pop bottles, a variety of Fair Trade products, reusable water bottles, an assortment of books on sustainability topics, and much more. Make your shopping dollars count! Bulletin Board
To help keep campus apprised of sustainability efforts on campus, and to increase awareness of the Sustainability Advisory Committee (SAC), during the 2006-07 academic year, we have started maintaining a bulletin board in the basement of the Wheelock Student Center, in the hallway to KUPS, the Cellar, and the mailroom. Look for upcoming events, news, and the latest Recycled Rag to be posted on the Sustainability at Puget Sound bulletin board. Bumper Stickers
Seen the "This Logger loves trees" bumper stickers in the parking lot? SAC resurrected the catch phrase and reprinted new Logger bumper stickers for sale in the Bookstore for only $1 each. Twenty percent of sales come back to SAC for use in supporting sustainability efforts. Buy one today and show your support of Logger sustainability efforts! Classroom Sustainability
As part of efforts to incorporate sustainabilty into our curriculum, the Luce Foundation Environmental Policy & Decision-Making Initiative offered a workshop for faculty members in the summer of 2006 (planned to repeat for 2007) to consider ways sustainability can be worked into virtually any class.
Read more >> Dish Return Campaign
This is a campaign designed to remind people to bring back the plates, cups, bowls, and silverware that have accumulated in their room, apartment, or house. Since UPS spends $20,000 every year replacing lost or stolen dishware, acting responsibly can really help! EcoFest
During February 2007, the student group Students for a Sustainable Campus hosted a week-long event called EcoFest, co-sponsored by SAC; the GreenHouse theme house; the Environmental Studies program; the Office of Spirituality, Services, and Social Justice; and Puget Sound Outdoors.
Read more >> Energy Task Force
In 2006-07, SAC initiated the development of a new task force focused on energy usage and green energy issues on campus and in the local community.
Read more >> EnviroHouse Tour
In November 2006, some members of SAC took a tour of the local EnviroHouse demonstration building developed by the City of Tacoma to feature various forms of environmentally friendly household features people can incorporate into their own homes. SAC considered which of these techniques, such as worm composting, known as vermicomposting, would be most effective on campus.
Learn more about the EnviroHouse >> Fair Trade Coffee
Diversions cafe and the Diner use Fair Trade coffee (and teas), which ensures that small family farms get a fair price for their coffee crops. In addition, Fair Trade farmers do not use chemicals, preferring non-toxic means of growing their crops. Read more about Fair Trade Certified products. Don't forget to get your discount for using your own mug when buying our Fair Trade coffee and teas on campus! See the Sustainability Mugs section for details. Puget Sound also hosted the Northwest premiere of a documentary on Fair Trade coffee and Forest Stewardship Council certified wood in January of 2006. Shot partially on our campus and featuring one of our professors (Matt Warning) and several of our students, including Sarah Bodnar '05, this one-hour documentary will be screened on PBS later in 2006.
Read more >> Food Service Changes
Dining Services continues to consider ways to cost-effectively make strides towards increased sustainability in our food services. A student research project during the summer of 2005 presented many questions and ideas for Dining Services to consider. Changes are on the way! Based on research on napkin usage, DCS has changed their napkin dispensing strategy. You may have noticed that napkins are now available at most tables in small baskets. Research shows that fewer napkins are wasted when customers can take just what they need from a conveniently located source rather than taking a stack when they pick up their silverware, just in case... See information below about the university's new vermicomposting project. Graduation Pledge
As part of 2007 commencement activities, seniors are invited to commit to this pledge of considering social and environmental consequences of their future jobs. Grants for Sustainability Projects
In Spring 2007, SAC invited and awarded several grants for sustainability-oriented projects from the campus community. We hope to continue to offer such grants in the future.
Read more >> Green Gift Giving
Each fall, the Sustainability Advisory Committee shares information about Green Gift Giving through various activities on campus and information posted on this Web site. Keep the holidays green!  Move Out
During Move Out 2005, SAC coordinated with the City of Tacoma to place mixed material recycling dumpsters on campus. The committee placed tents near each set of dumpsters to provide space for people to bring donated items rather than throwing them away. According to Associate VP for Business Services (and SAC co-chair) John Hickey, these efforts during Move Out 2005 reduced end-of-the-year solid waste by 32 tons, saving approximately $5800 in disposal costs when compared to 2004 figures. Dedicated committee members even did a bit of dumpster diving, salvaging considerable amounts of recyclable materials from trash dumpsters! Sustainable move out efforts happen each May on campus.
Northwest Environmental Issues Course--South Sound
Since 2005, on Wednesday nights in October and November, Puget Sound has partnered with the Mountaineers to offer a lecture series on environmental topics, including climate change, activism, green building, and low-impact development.  Orientation
Over the past few years, LogJam activities have been planned to minimize waste and increase use of recyclable and recycled products. Freshmen are presented with a re-usable mug during orientation (see more information on sustainability mugs below). Sustainability efforts carry over to the already environmentally-friendly Passages portion of orientation. Excess and surplus food from the Passages experience is collected and distributed to feed the hungry.
Read more >>
Poster Sessions
In an effort to share some of the sustainability research and work that students in the Environmental Studies minor have done, a poster session is held at the end of each term. Presidents Climate Commitment
During the spring of 2007, President Thomas signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. Following this exciting action, the university started developing a two-year plan to become climate neutral.
Read President Thomas's May 1 address >> Recycled Rag Newsletter
During 2006-07, SAC started producing a monthly newsletter printed on recycled paper posted in restrooms around campus. Using the idea of a captive audience, the newsletter is intended to build awareness of the existence of SAC and sustainability efforts on campus.
Read more >> Recyling on Campus
There are many places on campus to turn in a variety of products for recycling, including batteries, paper products, cardboard, plastics, and glass. In addition, Facilities Services recycles some metal products and green waste, and chips up tree limbs and other woody material for use on campus as mulch. See the Campus Guide section of the Sustainability Guide for more information. Recycling rates rising on campus
From August to October of 2006, recycling efforts increased 40%! At the start of term, we were using 80 of the 90-gallon blue recycling toters that you see in the residential areas of campus. At the end of September, we had increased that to 114 toters to deal with the increased recycling efforts! In addition, during sustainable move in efforts, we recycled approximately 270 cubic yards of cardboard--we had to have our three cardboard recycling bins emptied three times! Since move in, we've collectively recycled 23,140 pounds of waste that would normally have gone into the landfill. Good job, Loggers!
Russell Family Foundation Sustainability Grant
Project goal: We aim to directly address the need for waste source reduction by creating a campus-community sustainability partnership that will collaborate to identify best practices for waste reduction, social and behavioral factors that encourage these practices, and sustainability indicators that will track waste management progress on campus and in our surrounding community.
Note: The Russell Family Foundation Sustainability Grant was received in 2006 and continued for additional work in 2007.
Read more >> Science Center Silver LEED Standards
The new Science Center, Harned Hall, is being built to silver LEED standards for green building, including using sustainable materials and thermal mass and ventilation strategies in place of air conditioning.
Read more about LEED Standards >> Signage on Campus
If you live in the dorms or visit adminsitrative buildings, you may have noticed some additional signage encouraging sustainable practices like turning out the lights and recycling. Sustainability All Stars
In April 2007, SAC presented a month-long display in the Wheelock Student Center featuring a different "sustainability all star" each day. Selected "stars" included people from the local and campus community, regional, national, and even international fame. For instance, the display included historic environmentalists like Rachel Carson and Aldo Leopold, regional and national politicians interested in sustainability like Governor Christine Gregoire and former Vice President Al Gore, and some international "stars," like Vandana Shiva and Simon Jackson. SAC hopes to offer a similar display every year, increasing awareness of sustainability topics and the people who spend their life working towards a more sustainable world. Sustainability Connection: A Summit on Environmental Protection, Health, and Family Planning
This one-day event hosted 100 people from the campus and local community to discuss a variety of issues  Sustainability Mugs
In 2005-06, SAC expanded the annual purchase of reusable mugs for incoming freshmen to include all campus members in an effort to provide the entire community with a way to support sustainability. These re-usable plastic mugs can help reduce the amount of waste campus members produce through disposable beverage cups. In addition, Diversions Cafe and the Diner offer a discount to customers who bring their own mug (Sustainability mug or not).
Read more >>
Sustainability Speaker Series
In 2006-07, SAC initiated the Sustainability Speaker Series, featuring speakers on various topics relating to sustainabiltiy. We welcome students, faculty or staff with knowledge on a sustainability-related topic to contact us about giving a presentation. To date we have hosted student presentations on sustainable economic alternatives in Ecuador, killer whales in the Puget Sound region, independent media, salmon recovery and water quality, and climate change. Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events section on the main page of the Sustainability Web site for details. Tacoma Open Spaces Web Site
Puget Sound strives to incorporate sustainability lessons in the curriculum, including our Environmental Studies minor. Assistant Professor Dan Sherman required group projects in one of his Environmental Studies classes. For one group, this meant working on a community partnership with local independent groups who support green spaces in the city that are no longer supported by Metro Parks. One of the outcomes of this project was the development of a Tacoma Open Spaces Web site that these groups can use to connect, share resources, and make their efforts more efficient. Talloires Declaration
One of the biggest symbols of the university's commitment to sustainability was President Thomas' signing of the Talloires Declaration on February 10, 2005, and the subsequent creation of the Sustainability Advisory Committee. Transportation Task Force
In 2006-07, SAC initiated the development of a new task force focused on sustainable transportation issues on campus and in the local community.
Read more >> Vermicomposting
A sustainability grant was awarded in March 2007 to Students for a Sustainable Campus to partner with Dining and Conference Services and Facilities Services to address the many tons of pre-consumer food waste that comes out of our campus each year by using vermicomposting--composting food wastes using red worms. Since April ´07 we have been diverting our organic waste produced from the servery and feeding some mighty powerful and hungry redworms. The SAC, facilities and dinning and conference services have teamed up to purchase 100 lbs of worms, and a dedicated group of volunteers, consisting of students, staff and faculty, are ensuring the success of the program. The end result of the vermiculture process, (worm castings), produces an extremely rich, black, sweet-smelling organic material that is considered some of the best planting soil. We will be ready to harvest the casting in early fall and the casting will be utilized for landscaping on campus. We have already recycled 400 pounds of waste, and the volume of recycled waste is increasing exponentially. Want to meet the worms? Like getting your hands a little dirty? Gain some experience and knowledge of the decomposition process? Become a volunteer! Contact: Samantha Gray or Marcos Goldstein. Waste Audit
Puget Sound strives to incorporate sustainability lessons in the curriculum, including our Environmental Studies minor. Associate Professor Karin Sable used a waste audit as a class lesson, taking her class "dumpster diving" to analyze what types of trash we're throwing away, and how much could be recycled or composted. 
Zero Waste Picnic
Each fall this picnic for freshmen serves approximately 1700 people and produces only a tiny amount of trash. Committee members plan a meal that reduced waste production, including using recyleable paper or plastic products.
Read more >> | 
