Iowa State University
EN-10: Community Partnerships

Iowa State University has several community partnerships, including a shared Director of Sustainability position with the City of Ames. This includes collaboration between university and City staff, including partial funding from the City for the position.

Iowa State and the City of Ames collaborate on an initiative to reduce the amount of waste generated as students move to/from Ames to begin leases for rental properties. The city provides use of the intermodal facility parking garage adjacent to campus and the Campustown commercial/residential area to operate as a pop-up flea/salvage market for items abandoned during the moving process. Several city and university staff members volunteer time to help collect, sort, and sell myriad items that would have otherwise been landfilled. Collected/donated items are then re-sold to students at a considerable discount, while proceeds are donated to nonprofit organizations volunteering at the event. 2019 saw the diversion of over 58 tons of items, and raised over $33,000 for local organizations.

The Center on Sustainable Communities and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach's Community and Economic Development unit have developed a Sustainability Collaborative partnership to provide trusted resources for green-building, healthy-living programming and all things sustainable to communities across Iowa and all Iowans. This collaboration brings together students, faculty and staff of Iowa State (both on-campus and field specialists) with communities throughout Iowa toward ensuring assistance in best practices related to healthy, safe, energy-efficient and sustainable buildings and communities. Plans underway include four solar workshops with Pathfinders RC&D as well as two bilingual building science and weatherization workshops in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity.

Earth Month An annual event which includes events both on campus and within the Ames community is Earth Week. All are welcome to participate, and past events include community volunteer projects, public lectures, documentary screenings, book swaps and drives and hands-on opportunities (gardening, bee hotels, seed bombs). https://www.livegreen.iastate.edu/take-action/live-green-calendar/2018-earth-month-calendar Stash the Trash ISU Stash the Trash is an annual event bringing together Iowa State students, employees, and Ames community members to work with area volunteer organizations on a variety of community-wide beautification projects, including litter removal from public parks and sidewalks. https://www.cityofames.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/7802/ College Creek Clean-Up The Office of Sustainability hosts an annual litter removal effort from a local creek that cuts through the southern edge of campus, the campustown residential and commercial area, and the Iowa State Arboretum. ISU students, employees, Ames community members, and outside organizations all spend the way removing litter from approximately 3 miles of waterway, while local business provide support in the form of catering and door prizes. https://www.livegreen.iastate.edu/take-action/green-events/college-creek-cleanup Staff Involvement In addition ISU Staff and Faculty have been involved with and/or appointed to the boards of several Ames community organizations working to improve and enhance sustainability through projects and initiatives including: food and housing insecurity, local arts and culture, diversity and inclusivity, conservation and stewardship, education and literacy, and wellness and well-being.