george town sustainability

8/2/2019 George Town Sustainability

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THE

VISIONS FOR A

SUSTAINABLE

GEORGETOWNINITIATIVE

study with

recommendations

for a campus

climate action plan

prepared for the

Hoyas Roundtable on

Sustainability

MARCH 15, 2012

GEORGETOWN

ECO-ACTION

GEORGETOWN

SUSTAINABILITY


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Georgetown University is taking ma jor steps toward a sustainable future.

Georgetowns President John J. DeGioia has set a progressive and

ambitious goal for greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets:

a fifty percent reduction from 2005 levels by the year 2020.

The University is on its way to reaching this goal: by the end of the 2010-2011

school year, the University had reduced emissions by over 17%.

However, there is room for improvement in Georgetowns approach.

Upper-level administrators at other competitive institutions like Stanford

University, The Johns Hopkins University, and our neighbors at American

University and The George Washington University have adopted strategicClimate Action Plans that lay out concrete steps for reducing their emissions,

and have outlined sustainability strategies to advance green efforts campus-

wide. While there are creative solutions being developed at Georgetown, our

campuses need a similar plan in order to reach our emissions reduction

target. This will require and also facilitate improved communication among

facilities and operations managers, academic departments, and students.

The Visions for a Sustainable Georgetown Initiative was developed by

undergraduate students interested in making Georgetowns environmental

record even more competitive and attractive. The initiative, started as a

student dialogue in summer of 2011, was formally launched with a public

workshop in November 2011. This workshop provided a forum for students tobrainstorm with University employees who are experienced in campus

sustainability efforts. The ideas that were generated at the workshop are

outlined in this study. They are presented as a series of recommendations

meant to inform a new concrete, measurable sustainability strategy for

Georgetown. If Georgetown is to continue to commit its students, faculty, and

staff to be women and men for others, it is necessary that sustainability frame

the universitys service on campus and beyond.

This study has been prepared for a special Hoya Roundtable on

Sustainability. This event will bring even more people into the conversation on

making University operations and student life more sustainable, as well as

expand environment-focused course options and other forms of education.

The Roundtable will also be an opportunity to reflect on sustainability as a

Jesuit value and an opportunity for collaboration with other institutions of

higher education. We expect that as a result of this Roundtable Georgetown

University leaders will commit to developing and funding a Climate Action

Plan by the end of the year or as soon as possible. Our hope is that it will be

written by a team of administrators and sustainability experts, and

incorporate the student perspective expressed at the Visions for a

Sustainable Georgetown Workshop.

EXECUTIVESUMMARY

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VISIONS CO-CHAIRS:

Claire Austin (SFS 12), Jessie Robbins (SFS 12)

WORKSHOP STEERING COMMITTEE:

Erica Pincus (SFS 13), Emily Harris (SFS 14), Collin Segura (SFS 15)

STUDY WRITING TEAM:

Scotie Conner (MSB 15), Erin Auel (COL 14), Gabriel Pincus (SFS 14)

STUDENT DISCUSSION LEADERS:

Purchasing and Procurement

Madeline Collins (COL 13)

Environmental Education

Coral Keegan (SFS 13)

Waste Management &

Minimization

Emily Harris (SFS 14)

Collin Segura (SFS 15)

Student Outreach

Zoe Petroupolis (SFS 14)

Patricia Cipolitti (SFS 15)

Energy Efficiency & Savings

Erica Pincus (SFS 13)

Transportation

Sara Eshleman (COL 12)

Food Sourcing

Eli August (COL 12)

Bre Donald (NHS 12)

Renewable Energy Development

Brad Crist (SFS 12)

The Mission of the Visions for a Sustainable Georgetown Initiative is to

demonstrate student interest in creating a sustainable plan for the university

through a workshop and a formal study with recommendations that come

from documenting the ideas generated by students at the workshop. Our goal

for project recommendations is to act as a launch pad for student-led

initiatives, while our structural recommendations are meant to be included in

a larger strategy generated collaboratively by Georgetowns executive

leadership and sustainability operations experts with input from the

administrators, faculty, and students who are currently working on university

operations and creative sustainability projects.

VISIONS FOR A

SUSTAINABLE GEORGETOWNTEAM AND MISSION

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The students listed on the previous page would like to extend their gratitude

to the following students, faculty, and administrators and who contributed

their time and hard work to Visions for a Sustainable Georgetown. Without

them the project would not have been a success:

For their presentation and/or attendance at the Workshop:

Father Kevin F. OBrien, S.J., Campus Ministry

Erika Cohen-Derr, Center for Student Programs

Audrey Stewart, Sustainability Coordinator

Ed Barrows, G.U. Center for the Environment

Lennie Carter, Aliz Agoston, and Andrew Henley, Purchasing and

Procurement Office

Russ Watts, Outdoor Education

Kathryn Ticknor, Georgetown University Law Center

For their financial and programming support:

The Georgetown University Students Association Senate and the GUSA Fund

Georgetown University Center for the EnvironmentThe Student Activities Commission

For their advising, editing and production help:

Audrey Stewart, Sustainability Coordinator, Office of the Vice President for

University Facilities and Student Housing

Karen Frank, Vice President for University Facilities and Student Housing

Dr. Laura Anderko, Associate Professor, NHS

Sara Hoverter, Staff Attorney & Adjunct Professor, G.U. Law Center

Joanna Lewis, Fellow, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Swedian Lie, Graphic Designer (COL 13)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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VISIONS FOR A

SUSTAINABLE GEORGETOWNTHE WORKSHOP

On November 7th, 2011, over 50 Georgetown students and administrators

gathered to brainstorm ideas for making different areas of university life more

sustainable. The workshop began with a presentation from Rev. Kevin OBrien,

S.J., Erika Cohen-Derr, and Audrey Stewart. Fr. OBrien spoke about the

importance of sustainability to Georgetowns Jesuit heritage. Ms. Cohen-Derr

discussed ways to integrate sustainability into student life. Ms. Stewart gave

an overview of successful sustainability projects at Georgetown, as well as the

Universitys commitment to cutting carbon emissions.

After the presentations, the attendeesboth students and university

employeessplit up into groups in different corners of the room with

designated discussion leaders according to the topic with which they were

most concerned. For about forty minutes the groups brainstormed ideas for

putting sustainability at the forefront of Georgetowns growth, while the

leaders provided some insight into the topic and took notes. The topics

ranged from Energy Efficiency and Food Sourcing to Student Outreach and

Environmental Education.

As a concluding activity, each group nominated a member to present the

groups ideas back out to all workshop participants, to generate enthusiasm

and ongoing dialogue around possible opportunities to increase

sustainability on campus.

Many ideas were repeated throughout the study: students in several groups

expressed interest in small-scale renewable installations as well as a

sustainability consultant for student activities and University operations.

They also wanted increased organic and local food options, and a uniform

recycling system. One of the most successful examples of administrator-

student collaboration was in the Purchasing and Procurement group; three

administrators from this group worked with Madeline Collins and other

students to figure out the best way to include sustainable services in the

Universitys preferred vendors, and agreed to explore opportunities to

integrate sustainability standards in the criteria for sourcing paper, food,

and janitorial and sanitation supplies.

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The reports authors would like to take this opportunity to commend and

acknowledge the steps Georgetown has already taken to improve itsenvironmental stewardship.

President DeGoia launched our current journey toward becoming a more

sustainable university by committing several years ago to reduce our greenhouse

gas emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2020. Currently, the university has reduced

its emissions by about 17.5%. In keeping with that commitment, Georgetown has

begun several related projects aimed at improving our energy sustainability. For

example, the University has set a standard that all new buildings and ma jor

renovations be certified LEED Silver or higher. With the construction and opening

of the Rafik Hariri Business School Building and several other buildings now seeking

certification, including the new science building, Georgetown has held true

to that standard.

In transportation, GUTS buses now run on a biodiesel fuel blend, decreasing our

use of fossil fuels. Georgetown has also been a participant in a research project with

Toyota to demonstrate and gather data on how prototype plugin hybrid electric

Priuses work in the real world.

Georgetowns Main Campus has green cleaning standards for use by University

Facilities employees. In 2009, Georgetown installed solar powered recycling

stations, called Big Belly Trios, in key areas around campus, which has led to

increased convenience for students who want to be responsible citizens. In fiscal

year 2011, we achieved a 49% recycling rate, a more than three-fold increase from

just three years earlier, and our goal for the current year is 55%.

Georgetown was the first in the DC marketplace to compost food waste, with about

90% of Leos waste being composted. All excess cooking oil in Leos is collected for

re-processing and re-use. Georgetowns great record in waste diversion

demonstrates how focused efforts by all stakeholders, including the dedication of

staff and resources, can produce tangible results.

Students, especially undergraduates who live and study at Georgetowns main

campus, also play key leadership roles. The student body recently passed the SAFE

Reform, which will provide funding for solar panel installations on university owned

townhouses and will establish a Green Revolving Loan Fund to provide ongoing

funding for sustainable projects on campus. Campus organizations like the Corp

have undertaken energy use audits, while offices like the Center for Student

Programs and Office of Purchasing and Procurement are taking steps to green

their operations. The Office of University Facilities and Student Housing and the

G.U. Student Association are working with student business Georgetown Energy to

install solar PV on a neighborhood block of campus townhouses. Students and

administrators have recently worked together to set up composting among

townhouses, expand double sided printing, and bring a weekly

farmers market to campus.

The accomplishments above lay a strong foundation upon which to build as we move

forward to create a comprehensive sustainable ethic for the Georgetown community.

GEORGETOWNSHISTORY OF SUSTAINABILITY

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The purpose of the Visions for a Sustainable Georgetown Initiative is not only

to open a conversation on sustainability, but also to bring students, faculty,

and administrators together to formulate a plan for concrete actions that will

bring us closer to our goal of reducing our annual carbon emission tonnage.

We welcome new ideas and we hope that students and administrators will

bring innovative and challenging ideas for sustainability to the table.

These recommendations are the culmination of the review and refinement

process by the V4SG Steering Committee to synthesize and condense ideas

from the workshop. They are classified below by our estimation of a

reasonable time frame for completion: Immediate, less than one year; Short

Term, one to three years; Medium Term, three to five years; and Long Term,

five or more years. We recognize that these recommendations may be

expensive to implement, but their payback in terms of quality of lifeimprovements, gains in the natural environment, and even financial returns

can be quite great. Energy efficiency measures and retrofitting are a prime

example of actions that fit into this category.

Some of the recommendations are already underway, and are included to

ensure their success. Part of our effort is to avoid compartmentalizing

projects that should be spearheaded by students, because we want to

highlight collaboration. Recommendations for students to get engaged in

campus initiatives and to adopt more sustainable behaviors in their

daily routines are integrated into recommendations that require

institutional changes.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Develop and Commit to a Campus Climate Action Plan

As we have explained throughout this study, a concrete, measurable Climate

Action Plan is necessary for the University to meet its emissions targets.

Small steps and individual projects are important, but a comprehensive plan

would be a rubric against which University Facilities and administrators

could track progress.

Establish Georgetown Universitys Office of Sustainability

In order for sustainability to be an integral part of decision-makingamong high-level administrators, we propose that Georgetown establish an

independent Office of Sustainability. This office would be similar to those

of peer institutions, and provide advice and support to students and

administrators on sustainability projects while keeping the University on

track regarding the Climate Action Plan. The office would also work with

student groups to supervise working groups on sustainability issues and set

up a sustainability review board for university operations projects as well as

campus-wide events and initiatives.

CORE RECOMMENDATIONS

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Standardize recycling in residences and academic buildings

Always have trash cans by recycling bins, and vice-versa. Many wastereceptacles are isolated, which defeats recycling purposes because people

use a single container for both trash and recyclables. We need trash bins

next to other recycling bins.

Ensure uniform labeling for proper co-mingling and less confusion.

Coordinate green policies at faculty meetings

Faculty members are an important part of campus and should be included in

green initiatives. They can work together to encourage students to use less

paper or take on other personal sustainability targets.

Meetings can also set departmental sustainability practices.

Reduce Flyering on Campus

Customize the Week at Georgetown listserv for student interests.

The Week at Georgetown consolidates many flyers into one email, but it

could do more. Two improvements can be made: 1) all events must submit

event information to TWAG; 2) students can customize the types of events

they wish to know about a student wishing to receive notifications about

upcoming events can filter the events to his/her preferences. TWAG can also

be formatted for Facebook and Twitter.

Use LCD screens at Corp locations and around campus to advertise events.

Install more screens at major flyering points, and have student groups go

through SAC or a GUSA office to upload flyers.

Broadcast and in-site reminders of how many sheets of paper make up a tree.

Have representatives in dorms and apartments encourage students to donate or

recycle their unwanted belongings during move-in and move-out, as well as

mid-semester move-out

Coordinate with New Student Orientation and Project Hilltop.

If students could more easily store furniture and other items between

semesters, they would be less inclined to dispose of items they would

otherwise keep.

Set up a Georgetown Freecycle or Craigslist

Students can exchange goods to reduce waste or offer carpooling to

reduce emissions.

Improve education on sustainability

Attract well-known environmental speakers to campus. In addition to

expanding our knowledge, these speakers would make students aware of the

possibilities of environmental careers and research.

Increase availability and prominence of information regarding sustainable

methods, such as proper recycling, by making people on campus aware of

what happens to waste.

Ramp up publicity for the Switch it Off Campaign, Recyclemania and

other projects.

IMMEDIATE

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Have a student sustainability consultant system for student groups

Students would undergo some training on sustainability and be made to

campus group directors. This can be a student project but will requiresupport from the Office of Sustainability. Consultants could address group

needs, such as event-planning and publicity, and advise group directors on

practicing sustainable methods.

Plan large events sustainably

For large, campus wide events like Homecoming, Relay for Life, and

Georgetown Day, work with the Office of Sustainability and student

sustainability advisors.

Major events should coordinate with staff in the Office of Sustainability or

student sustainability consultants depending on the size of the ma jor event.

Require student events larger than 200 people to consult with the Office

of Sustainability.

Shift to web-based information to reduce paper consumption

Have NSO and freshmen mailings over the summer be online.

Limit University printing jobs sent to Kinkos, Fedex, and other services in

favor of green printing labs. Consider the amount that needs to be printed.

Improve sustainability at the dining hall

Decrease the amount of Grab n Go packaging.

Provide more organic and/or local food options on campus.

- This could be done by starting with special days, such as Leos Goes Local

This would require greater expansion of the Farmers Market and dedicated

support for the Community Garden so that both are productive enough tosignificantly support Georgetowns needs.

Establish more widespread composting programs

In particular, allow for Corp composting for waste, coffee and food products.

This could later be expanded to composting for townhouses and

off-campus residences.

Improve student access to and cost of using Metro

Sell SmartTrip cards at Corp locations and/or University Bookstore.

Additionally, Georgetown should look into offering student discounts on fare

cards and Smartrip passes.

Reduce Car Use

Conduct a survey driving habits to determine emissions and to set a target

to reduce these emissions.

Encourage greater carpooling and use of public transportation.

Commit to buying 25% renewable energy power from PEPCO

The University currently buys renewable energy from HESS. A Georgetown

Renewable Energy Standard would improve our environmental commitments

and invest in more renewable energy in the DC area.

SHORT TERM

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Create one universal paper purchasing policy

Set a rolling benchmark for computer paper like having 70% post consumer use

and moving up to 80%, etc every year or so. Buy paper from sustainable sourcesand sellers.

Use high post consumer use paper towels and toilet paper.

Mandate that all new light bulbs on campus be the best technology available

Replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs, and look into LED lighting in the future.

Rethink Georgetown Biking

Improve access and convenience of bicyclists on and around campus.

Bring WABA Bike Safety classes to campus. Provide or subsidize helmets for students.

Install more bike racks around campus. Remove abandoned bikes to decrease clutter

and increase active usage.

Create an online bike craigslist system where groups of students can buy, sell, and

share bikes to use them when they need them. Create faculty and employee biking groups

Have reusable cups for Basketball games

The university can create a newly designed cup every season that they will distribute

at Basketball games, decreasing the amount of waste that students produce.

Incentive to reuse cups by working with vendors at the Verizon Center to decrease

their drink costs if people bring back their reusable cups.

Install water bottle fill stations

The GU Law Campus has already been replacing its old water fountains with new

water fountains that are specifically designed to allow easy water bottle refilling;

the fountains even count how many plastic bottles have not been used because

of re-filling.

Create a pilot program for introducing a couple of these new filling station water

fountains in high-traffic areas.

Install water-free urinals and double flush toilets

All toilets that need to be replaced must be double flush and all urinals must be

water free. There is already a precedent on campus for both as bathrooms in

Maguire have water free urinals and the toilets in Hariri are double flush.

Have the Dining Hall publish food sourcing information

Can include metrics (ie, cage free or organic eggs).

Foods are already labeled for basic nutritional information, so Aramark could add

the sourcing of the ingredients to that information card.

Replace ICC solar panels Set up a working group that would identify various methods of funding including

alumni donations, government grants and loans, private financing from green funds

and administrative support.

MEDIUM TERM

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Improve Residence Hall Energy Use

Provide shower timers and lights on motion sensors for residence

hall bathrooms. Have timed or motion-detecting lights in all residence halls and

common rooms.

Retrofit townhouses and apartments to be more energy efficient, including

smart meter installation.

Install programmable thermostats in dorm rooms.

Provide incentives for saving energy, such as having students pay for their

heat and energy use by apartment unit or room.

Use Outdoor Spaces Efficiently

Make outdoor lighting solar-powered or powered by LEDs. Improve the

design of lamps and other lighting to improve the direction of lighting.

Create rooftop gardens on academic buildings. Create a green space on Harbin Patio.

Provide more outdoor eating spaces in general; consider creating a patio

eating area for the dining hall.

Paint the roofs of flat-roofed buildings white or install solar PV installations.

Install small-scale renewable energy sources on campus:

- Can power individual buildings

- Windspire turbines take up less space and can generate energy locally

Build Sustainability into Planned Renovations

Increase goal for major renovations to LEED Gold and hold all size

renovations to a LEED Sliver standard.

Incorporate university townhouses into sustainable housing plans, and assiststudents living off campus in desired sustainability renovation requests.

At Yates Field House, use stationary bikes and elliptical to generate electricity.

- Can power TVs and lights in the building

Explore co-generation opportunities:

- Expanding composting may provide opportunities for capturing gas

through biomass gasification

Shrink University Transportation Footprint

Make the GUTS buses run on fuel that comes from a greater percentage

of biofuel

Make University go-carts electric powered, and install charging stations for

these electric go-carts and for faculty and staff cars.

Expand the sustainability effort to other campuses

Coordinate Main Campus efforts with those of the Medical Center and

Law Center.

Improve energy and water efficiency in Georgetown villas in Turkey and Italy.

Harness talent in Education City and launch sustainability projects at

SFS-Qatar.

LONG TERM

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G.U. Center for the Environment

Ed Barrows

[email protected]

Leslie [email protected]

Georgetown University Facilities

and Student Housing

Karen Frank

[email protected]

Audrey Stewart,

[email protected]

Xavier Rivera

[email protected]

Margo Gottesman

[email protected]

Campus MinistryKevin F. OBrien, SJ

[email protected]

Debbie A. Reichmann

[email protected]

Center for Student Programs

Erika Cohen-Derr

[email protected]

Off-Campus Student Life

Ray Danieli

[email protected]

Dana Frommer

[email protected] Cain

[email protected]

Recycling and Solid Waste Disposal

Bill DelVecchio

[email protected]

Outdoor Education

Russ Watts

[email protected]

Georgetown Faculty and

Graduate Students

Dr. Laura Anderko

[email protected] Hoverter

[email protected]

Tim Beach

[email protected]

Kathryn Ticknor

[email protected]

Georgetown University

Students Association

Clara Gustafson

[email protected]

Vail Kohnert-Yount

[email protected]

EcoAction

Megan Griffin

[email protected]

Fatima Taskomur

[email protected]

Georgetown Conservation Corps

Erin Auel

[email protected]

Georgetown Energy

Dan Mathis

[email protected]

Harrison [email protected]

Georgetown Farmers Market

Gabriel Pincus

[email protected]

Corp Green Initiative

Cathryn Courtin

[email protected]

The inclusion of the following names and emails does not constitute an

endorsement of all of the goals of the Visions for a Sustainable Georgetown

Initiative as of March 2012. It is meant to be a source of information for

students looking to start sustainability projects and administrators to

connect with one another on University-level initiatives.

SUSTAINABILITY WEB PORTAL: http://sustainability.georgetown.edu

STUDENT RESOURCES

FOR LAUNCHING

SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS

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