Engaging Students in Res Hall Greening
Green Room Program at American University
Joshua Kaplan
Sustainability Coordinator
American University
Presented at SEED
November 22, 2014
Agenda
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About American University
The Green Room Program
Goals
Process
Tools
Partners
Discussion
American University
• Northwest Washington, DC
• Founded 1893
• Students from all 50 states,
DC, and 140 countries
• 12,000 students (6,500
undergraduate)
• 3,500 residential students
in 10 residence halls
• Residence hall sizes range
from 50 to 600 residents
• Residential students
primarily in 1st and 2nd years
Culture of Sustainability
Goals
Students as Sustainability Partners
• Why residential students?
– Spend more time on campus than anyone
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Engage and educate
Influence long-term behavior change
Change passive bystanders into active participants
Foster individual and group identities of sustainability leadership
Behavior Change Framework
Community Based Social Marketing
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Framework for influencing behavior
change
“Initiatives to promote behavior change
are often most effective when they are
carried out at the community level and
involve direct contact with people.”
Strategies:
– Commitment
– Norms
– Diffusion
– Prompts
– Communications
– Incentive
Entire text free online at cbsm.com
Existing Programs and Partnerships
• Sustainability Pillar in Residential Education
• Competitions: Do it in the Dark with
Residence Hall Association
• Living Learning Communities
• Model Green Room
• EcoReps
Model Green Room
• How can a residence hall room be “green”?
• What would you bring?
• What should you not bring?
Green Eagles
Sustainability Peer Educators
Green Room Program
What is Green Room?
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Benefits:
Checklist or “menu” of actions
• improved material, energy, and water
Assessment by resident EcoRep
efficiency;
Friendly competition between
• reduced waste;
individuals/LLCs/Halls
• enhanced residence life spirit, cohesion,
“Certification” that a student is utilizing
and culture;
green living practices
• recognition as a campus sustainability
Monthly themes coincide with existing
leader;
programming
• contribute toward our program of earning
• September: Transportation; October –
LEED certification for campus buildings;
Purchasing; November/December – Energy;
• fulfillment of our strategic plan
January/February – Zero Waste; March –
commitment to “an active pursuit of
Food and Water; April – Earth Month
sustainability.”
Process
1. Student completes short online form to
register
2. Student is directed to AsustainableU website
3. Student must complete at least 40 of 120
possible actions by end of semester
4. Student contacts their EcoRep to confirm that
they have completed 40 actions
5. EcoRep delivers a Green Room door sign that
highlights the student’s environmental and
personal wellness impacts
6. Prizes are awarded
Key Partners
• Housing and Dining Programs
• Operational staff and residence life
• Facilities Management
• Residence Hall Association
• Future partners: student wellness center, community
service center
Assessment
How will we measure our success?
• Active users in AsustainableU platform
• Attendance at events/programming
• Evaluation from campus partners
• Responses to annual sustainability literacy survey
• Data on residence hall energy use, waste diversion rates,
etc.
Discussion
What are the most
How can
important components of
sustainability be a green room? The physical
integrated into space or the behavior of its
occupants?
residence life?
Who are the most
important partners
on campus for
greening residence
life?
What programs
exist on your
campus?
Questions?
Thank You!
Joshua Kaplan
Sustainability Coordinator
American University
(202) 885-6262
jfkaplan@american.edu
american.edu/sustainability
facebook.com/GreenAU
twitter.com/GreenAU
youtube.com/TheGreenAU
american.edu/asustainableu