Sustainability at Georgia
State University
Who We Are
What is Sustainability?
“Meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs.”
– Washington State
Department of Ecology
MISSION

FOSTER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL
AWARENESS AND CONSERVATION THROUGH EDUCATION
WHILE PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO
CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE GSU IN WHICH TO LIVE,
LEARN, AND WORK.
OBJECTIVES

ENHANCE INNOVATIVE CO-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO
SUSTAINABILITY

CREATE A CAMPUS-WIDE CULTURE OF CONSERVATION

IMPROVE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF BUILDINGS, OPERATIONS, AND
INFORMATION TECNOLOGIES

INCREASE SAFE BICYCLE AND WALKING PATHS

INVEST IN REALISTIC RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS

ENHANCE SUSTAINABILITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
University Housing Initiatives 2011-2012

Residential Student Involvement

RHA Go Green Week

Campus Conservation Nationals 2012 (CCN)

Go Green Survey
Survey Results
 Students
do not perceive GSU as a green
campus (68% 138/209)
 Students
do not perceive GSU Housing to be
“green” (78% 164/209)
University Dining Initiatives
Pre-Consumer Waste Management
Napkins and Napkin Dispensers

We use EasyNap napkins by Georgia Pacific

These napkins are 30% post-consumer fiber and
and a minimum of 95% recycled fiber content

Compostable material napkin

A one-at-a-time dispensing unit reduces paper usage and waste.
Fun Fact! GSU Dining has gone through 2,238,000 napkins during the 2012-2013
school year!
Pre-Consumer Waste Management

Bulk Condiments
•
Switched from smaller plastic bottled condiments to bulk condiment
dispensers.
•
Environmental Impact - minimizes plastic bottle usage and waste.
•
Economic Impact – saves GSU dining $9,084.29 per year.
•
Economic and Social Impact - decreases labor required to marry partial
bottles together while eliminating a tedious employee task.
Pre-Consumer Waste Management

We use LeanPath Waste Management System to help control pre-consumer
food waste. LeanPath weighs all pre-consumer food waste, generates reports
on results and guides managers and employees on suggested ways to waste
less. (Example-expired vegetables)

Food prices have increased dramatically in the last 5 years and LeanPath has
helped to thwart those additional costs.

Decreased our food cost, reduced our waste disposal costs and has increased
employee engagement, creating more employee efficiency.
Pre-Consumer Waste Management

Less pressure on the overall food systems, specifically farmers,
smaller carbon footprint, a decrease in fertilizers, herbicides,
pesticides, fuel and animal feed

Reduces waste to landfills which reduces methane and other harmful
emissions.

Social benefits include creating a sense of community and shared
support towards a common good among employees and customers

Compared to November 2009 baseline, to date, our waste avoidance=
73,465 Ibs of food for Patton Hall and 33,500 Ibs for Piedmont North
Information Services and Technology

Georgia State’s Technology Operations Center is a battery-free zone. The
center runs on revolutionary compressed-air technology that uses less power,
produces fewer emissions and helps machines run more efficiently. The data
center is located on the ground floor of Library South,103 Decatur St., room
G-8.
GSU Sustainability Leaders
Sustainable Energy Tribe

The Sustainable Energy Tribe (S.E.T.) is a grass roots organization working with the
GSU Campus. S.E.T. has become an integral part of the GSU culture through
organizational affiliations and student relations. Introducing educational programs and
hosting engaging events are avenues that S.E.T use to influence students to be more
sustainability, or open to sustainable practice.
Environmental Law
Society

The Environmental Law Society is a group of law students interested in
environmental law, real estate and property-related law, city planning and
land-use law, and energy and natural resource law. ELS often hosts
Sustaianbility Forums with local Atlanta professionals. There are also
opportunities to attend national conferences, conduct community service,
and compete in the National Environmental Moot Court Conference in New
York.
GSU Bikes

GSU Bikes provides information and other services for bicycling and improving
the environment in support of bicycling to, from, and on campus. Funding
from the EPA’s P3 (People, Prosperity and the Planet) grant was used to
identify factors that affect bicycling to and from the GSU campus, and to put
in place features, services, and policies to promote bicycling.
Truly Living Well
Organic Garden

Walking Distance from GSU

Offering volunteer opportunities for GSU students
Building Services
Water Collection

Building Services has put in place eight 250-gallon water
collection tanks that capture rainwater runoff which is
used for pressure washing projects and irrigation.
University Sustainability Senate

The purpose of the committee is to advise and make
recommendations to the University Senate and
appropriate administrators regarding issues of
sustainability.
EPAC

Develops and approves policies and procedures
that will guide the University in managing
regulatory compliance and improve programs to
protect human health and the environment.
Silver Status for GSU

Silver Level status was awarded for policies put in place
and records kept of environmental sustainability
statistics, including trash generation, energy usage, water
usage, and recycling.

GSU is one of only two institutions in the University
System of Georgia that have attained this status.
Battery and Fluorescent Bulb/Ballast
Recycling

Environmental Programs recycles
university batteries, light bulbs,
used oil, ballasts, and paint.
Green Globes for
Student Rec Center

Georgia State University’s Student Recreation Center (SRC) has received three
Green Globes for its efforts to use less energy, conserve natural resources and
emit fewer pollutants into the air.

Green Globes, operated by the Green Building Initiative, is a green building
assessment program that offers ways to advance the overall environmental
performance and sustainability of commercial buildings
Georgia State Recycling Day

November 14th 2013

Bins for students to bring their recyclables

Painting of recycling bins

Catering from restaurants

Attendance of sustainability groups from the University & Atlanta area
GSU Recycles Day

Over 300 individuals recycled at event

Over 500 students and faculty attended
Survey Results After Recycling Campaign

50.4% feel recycling on campus is easy
(up 4.2%)

41.8% think that there are an adequate number of recycling bins on
campus
(up 6.8%)

12.4% are aware of discount programs in dining halls
(up 3.1%)
“Awakening Atlanta's Sleeping Giant”
THE ASSOCIATION OF THE ADVANCEMENT
OF SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Deliver services that increase its value to a growing and diverse membership
and will increase its impact on sustainability in higher education;

Convene experts and collect, evaluate, and disseminate information and tools
to increase the understanding of sustainability and its relevance to higher
education stakeholders;

Support and enable higher education to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to
adapt to the impacts of global climate disruption;

Lead the transformation of educational practices (including the curriculum) to
ensure that all students acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to meet
sustainability challenges;

Lead the assessment and reporting of metrics of sustainably in higher education
for the purpose of driving improvements in sustainable practices and education
through its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).
SUSTAINABILITY TRACKING, RATING, AND
ASSESMENT SYSTEM

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS) is a
transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to
measure their sustainability performance.
EnergyStar
Connect With Us!
Visit us at 10 Park Place by the Roly Poly!
Keep up with what’s happening by visiting
our website: www.gogreengsu.edu!
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