University of Michigan
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

All the items mentioned below work toward fulfilling the University's goals for sustainability which are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 2006 levels, decrease the carbon intensity of passenger trips on U-M transportation options by 30% below 2006 levels, reduce waste tonnage diverted to disposal facilities by 40% below 2006 levels, purchase 20% of U-M food in accordance with U-M Sustainable Food Purchasing Guidelines by 2025, protect Huron River water quality by minimizing runoff from impervious surfaces and reducing the volume of land management chemicals used on campus by 40%, and invest in sustainability culture programs to educate our community, track behavior, and report on progress over time. More details on the activities are provided in the answers below. Positive Outcomes: As of July 2014, The Planet Blue Ambassador Programs has over 900 staff/faculty and 500 student certified Planet Blue Ambassadors (PBA) who completed all five training modules and made over 40,000 pledges of action on the campus sustainability goals. As of the end of 2013, the University has had a 22% reduction in carbon intensity per passenger trip on U-M transportation options since 2006. As of 2013, 30 students had declared sustainability as a minor since introduced in the fall of 2012.

Environmental Sustainability Executive Council The committee meets 2-3 times a year to establish overall goals and priorities for environmental sustainability work across campus and monitor progress.

All members are staff. Don Scavia is also faculty. Members: President Mark S. Schlissel, Chair -Stephen Forrest, Vice President for Research -E. Royster Harper, Vice President for Student Affairs -James Holloway,Vice Provost for Global and Engaged Education - Michael M. Johns, Interim Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs - Lisa M. Rudgers,Vice President for Global Communications and Strategic Initiatives - Jerry May,Vice President for Development - Martha Pollock, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs - Don Scavia, Special Counsel to the President for Sustainability, Director and Graham Family Professor, Graham Sustainability Institute - Douglas L. Strong, Interim Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Offices: Office of Campus Sustainability- The OCS mission has four key components: Work with the Sustainability Executive Council to set goals and standards for sustainable operations on our campus and then work with the operational units across campus to ensure those goals and standards are met. Identify, support, and coordinate opportunities to reduce energy consumption and increase sustainable operations on campus that may go beyond what is required to meet campus and regulatory standards. Work together with the Graham Sustainability Institute to provide support to the Sustainability Executive Council and develop the Sustainability Task Force. Provide information exchange and be responsible for communicating to internal and external constituents about efforts underway and challenges we face in mounting sustainable campus operations. Graham Sustainability Institute- The Graham Sustainability Institute is a University of Michigan (U-M) Provost’s unit. We foster sustainability at all scales by leading stakeholder-centric activities that systematically bring together and harness talents across all U-M schools, colleges, and units. Our work focuses on three key areas: Translational Knowledge- We lead vibrant collaborations among academic, practitioner, and other stakeholder communities to advance sustainability scholarship and to influence decisions that protect the environment and enhance quality of life for present and future generations. Transformative Learning- We cultivate sustainability leadership by helping students engage across disciplines, employ systems thinking, experience diverse stakeholder perspectives, and pursue action-based learning opportunities throughout the world. Institutional Leadership- We advance U-M's presidential initiative—Planet Blue—by serving as the University's designated sustainability liaison, and by guiding institutional discussions, planning, and coordination for U-M sustainability activities.

As Director of the Graham Sustainability Institute and Special Counsel to the U-M President for Sustainability, Dr. Scavia is responsible for engaging the full multidisciplinary assets of the University of Michigan to develop and implement education, research, and operational goals in support of sustainable communities, ecosystems, and economies from local to global scales.

http://graham.umich.edu