Princeton University
EN-9: Community Partnerships

Since 2013, the Office of Sustainability has participated in a supportive sustainability partnership with the Princeton Environmental Film Festival (PEFF), held at the Princeton Public Library. PEFF’s mission is to share exceptional documentary films and engage our community in exploring environmental sustainability from a wide range of angles and perspectives. The Office of Sustainability’s partnership with PEFF advanced this mission further by enhancing student interest on Princeton’s campus and in local schools by co-hosting a student short video contest. In addition to the contest, Jessica Santos, the 2013-2015 Communications and Research Fellow in the Office of Sustainability, sits on the PEFF Planning Committee. Additionally, the Office of Community and Regional Affairs regularly supports many efforts that benefit local nonprofits. A few examples of ongoing annual efforts include: -Clothing drives: Homefront; Mercer County Community College Career Training Institute; UH Family Partners; Rise: A Community Service Partnership; Lions Club Eyeglass Recycling Center -Graduate Student Furniture Drive: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County; Rise: A Community Service Partnership -Garden State on Your Plate: A program to bring fresh produce and products to local public schools

The Office of Sustainability collaborates on a regular basis with Sustainable Princeton, a local nonprofit advocacy group, on initiatives relevant to Town of Princeton and the University. The director of the Office of Sustainability, Shana Weber, Ph.D, was on the original Steering Committee that formed Sustainable Princeton in 2008, and continues to sit on the organization’s board. In her role, Dr. Weber helps to facilitate collaboration on sustainability topics of interest to both the University and Sustainable Princeton. For example, on the topic of energy, in 2014, Princeton University’s Office of Community and Regional Affairs provided a $10,000 grant to Sustainable Princeton to help run the Energy Smart Homes Campaign. The campaign offered discounted home energy audits and information about the benefits of home energy improvements. Additionally, a coordinated communications campaign focused on properly recycling mixed recyclables at the University and in the surrounding Town is an area of focus in 2015.

In 2014, Princeton University launched a strategic planning effort with a thirty year time horizon focused on teaching and research as well as campus life. In alignment with that plan, the University is also undergoing both a campus planning effort, with a focus on how the physical campus can support the university’s overall strategic plan, and a sustainability planning effort, which aims to integrate sustainability into both academic and operational components.