APCU Sustainability Initiative

Thanks to a generous grant from the Council of Independent Colleges, the APCU has been able to developed a methodology to foster collaboration and innovation in addressing environmental sustainability challenges across our member campuses. The methodology builds on the capabilities of the Nuventive Improvement Platform and leverages the collective knowledge and experience of APCU members. Our goal is to collect and share stories about sustainability successes (and failures) that will allow us more effectively address the six principles of environmental sustainability: rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle.

From energy management to food waste recycling, the Sustainability Initiative will allow us to identify and share effective practices across our association. For example, you’ll learn how the University of Pikeville is creating a significant source of alternative revenue through the use of biodigesters. You’ll discover how Eckerd College has created a “living shoreline” by converting a seawall with mangroves and march grasses. And, you can explore Warren Wilson’s efforts to develop a solar-powered off-grid microgrid system that serves as a hands-on learning platform for students and regional landowners.

We’ll be collecting information about project timelines, funding sources, staff/faculty/student involvement, and–most importantly–outcomes. Information can be searched and sorted by parameters such as project type, institution size, project cost, staff resource commitment, and project length. All that’s needed to participate in the APCU Sustainability Initiative is a willingness to share information about your environmental sustainability efforts and a key point of contact who can facilitate this sharing.

Getting Started

Environmental sustainability is being addressed in a variety of ways across our APCU campuses. Some of our proactive campuses have dedicated staff resources responsible for all environmental activity. Others have incorporated sustainability activity into an existing staff position. At a number of our schools, sustainability is being handled by–you guessed it–a committee! Still others are working at more of a grass-roots level through an environmental club.

Regardless of how you are approaching sustainability, all you need to be part of the Sustainability Initiative is someone who is willing to share your story through the Nuventive Sustainability platform. It’s easy to do and you’ll have lots of help from the Nuventive support team. Potential points of contact include:

• A Sustainability Officer: If your organization has one, they would be the logical person to coordinate contributions, both from their office and from other initiatives on campus that may contribute to the organization’s overall sustainability goals.
  
• A Sustainability ‘Coordinator’: If there is no dedicated officer, someone involved in sustainability efforts (e.g. your facilities director, a faculty member in environmental science, an environmental club advisor, etc.) can manage the collecting and sharing of initiatives from across the campus.
  
• Sustainability Committee/Club Members: If no single person is suitable, multiple individuals can jointly manage contributions. All of these team members can have access to your institution’s workspace to add, edit, and update initiatives.

Regardless of who is managing your sustainability story, that person will have the option of assigning various project updates to other folks on campus. This keeps your content fresh without placing an extra burden on your point of contact.