Evergreen State College, The
ER-3: Sustainability in New Student Orientation

The Evergreen State College prominently features sustainability both explicitly and implicitly during new student orientation. Included in the agenda for the 2010 new student orientation was a 2 hour workshop regarding the history of the college's climate action plan and current proposal to install a biomass gasification plant to reduce the school's dependence upon natural gas and fossil fuels for campus heating. The workshop discussed the particulars of biomass gasification technology and the schools' feasibility study, as well as providing students with opportunities to become involved in the project. The 2010 orientation agenda also featured a 1.5 hour tour of the campus' organic farm. This tour included introductions to the schools composting and recycling programs as well as details of the farms operations and how students can become involved in organic agriculture and horticulture on campus. The new student orientation also substantially focuses on sustainability via the Residential and Dining Services activities in student housing. In 2010 all incoming and outgoing students were provided with a "Sustainable Check-In/Out" sheet that detailed ways in which to make living and moving in/out of the dormitories more sustainable. Students were also given information about and access to the Greener Living Guide, which describes in detail different ways Evergreen students can make their lives more sustainable in the realms of transportation, energy use, waste reduction, food, and housing. Students are made aware of sustainability-related programs they have access to as Evergreen students, including the bike share program, Sustainability House, the housing community gardens, and other campus services.

Additional links: http://www.evergreen.edu/rad/sustainability/checkinout.htm http://www.evergreen.edu/rad/sustainability/home.htm