APCU Sustainability Initiative

Thanks to a generous grant from the Council of Independent Colleges, the APCU has 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

It’s worth noting that our Sustainability Initiative has received endorsements from the two most established and successful higher-ed organizations focused on environmental issues: Second Nature and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Both have pointed out that our “story telling” approach will complement and advance the work they are doing by sharing effective practices (rather than just benchmarking data) to help advance sustainability activity in an exponential manner. We have also received permission from AASHE to incorporate STARS data into our resource library.

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.

Examples of the kinds of information we want to capture to share your story include:

• Project Name
• Project Description
• Project Sponsor(s)
• Project goals (and how they were measured)
• Project Timeline
• Project Resources (dollars & staff time)
• Project Funding Sources
• Project Outcome(s)

To join the APCU Sustainability Initiative, you simply have to identify a point person who can share your story. This individual will work with APCU and Nuventive staff to get your information into the Nuventive Improvement Platform and update that information as new projects emerge on your campus.

Just complete the short form below to get started. And thank you for your sustainability efforts!