What can Manager’s do to progress sustainability at
CSU?
CSU Managers can submit an application or support their staff in submitting an application for
the annual CSU Sustainability Grant program. Staff can use this program to implement
workplace sustainability initiatives through education and behaviour change initiatives.
Examples of previous projects and more information around the selection criteria and funding
criteria for 2013 are available on the CSU Green website.
CSU Managers and their staff can increase their sustainability performance in the workplace
through hosting a CSU student completing the Green Steps @ CSU program, a free training
and internship program for CSU students. Students attend a six day training program where
they develop skills in communication, negotiation, professionalism, presentations, behaviour
change, sustainability and environmental auditing skills (carbon, water, energy and waste).
Students are required to complete a CSU internship on a 15-day sustainability project within a
School or Division.
Some key sustainability initiatives have been started in workplace across the University as a
result of staff hosting a Green Steps @ CSU student. For example, CSU Training hosted a
student at Wagga in 2012 that undertook an environmental audit and provided CSU Training
with recommendations on ways to improve their sustainability in the workplace.
The School of Management and Marketing at the Bathurst campus are hosting a student in
2013 to review the following topics and make recommendations for the School: travel and car
sharing; energy efficiency opportunities; organics and composting; and cost/benefit of
houseplants within the building. http://www.csu.edu.au/csugreen/green-steps-studentinternship-program

Vehicle hire – CSU Managers can actively make change through choosing a CSU fleet
vehicle that is competitive on the Federal Government's Green Vehicle Guide. As an
objective in CSU's Sustainability Enabling Plan 2011-2015, the CSU fleet is aiming to
move all vehicles to a 4.5 star rating or better by 2015. Vehicles with high star ratings
are the most energy efficient vehicles on the market and are rated by the Australian
Federal Government. More information on the program is available at
http://www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au
What can Manager’s do to progress sustainability at
CSU?

Car pooling – CSU Managers can influence staff to car pool to meetings, to campus or
for intercampus travel. Managers can initiate or support staff to car pool to meetings on
other campuses or to work each morning, or certain mornings per week. Carpooling just
one or two days per week will reduce greenhouse gas emissions because every litre of
petrol saved reduces 2.4kg of carbon dioxide emissions from your tailpipe! Add two
people to your car and you save 4.8kg!

Waste management – Good waste management is imperative to the University's
Sustainability Enabling Plan 2011-2014 to decrease the volume of solid waste going to
landfill by 70 % by 2014. Reducing waste to landfill has a large impact on reducing the
emissions released through the anaerobic breakdown of waste and reduces the
contamination of groundwater through leachates. CSU Managers can keep track of good
waste management in their workplaces and bring to the attention any poor practices to
their staff or CSU Green.

Sustainable purchasing – CSU Managers can increase workplace sustainability by
considering sustainable purchasing. Considerations given to the lifecycle costing of a
product is a good way to choose products for procurement or purchasing. Some general
assessments can be made before choosing to purchase a product such as: resource
extraction; manufacturing; transportation; packaging; and disposal. There are a number
of issues surrounding each of these including environmental degradation, working
conditions for employees, carbon emissions and pollution through disposal. CSU is
working towards engaging all staff on sustainable purchasing and procurement practices
through policy changes, which are forthcoming. Purchasing through COSnet can be
beneficial as the company offers a number of more sustainable stationery options and
environmentally friendly cleaning chemicals.

Dressing for weather conditions – heating and cooling in the workplace often in the
largest contributor to an organisation's energy bill and therefore carbon emissions. CSU
Managers can influence staff to dress appropriately for the weather.