Sustainability: Long-Term Goals

In September 2014, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) awarded Baylor University a Silver STARS designation. STARS is the most comprehensive and widely recognized sustainability assessment tool geared toward institutions of higher learning. The University improved its rating from the Bronze designation it received in 2013.
Baylor Vice President for Information Technology and Dean of University Libraries Pattie Orr called the honor a great achievement for Baylor University.
“Since 2007, our sustainability efforts have been consistently growing, and this accomplishment is another important step forward for our program,” Orr said. “These assessments help us compare Baylor to other institutions and also set the horizon for our next level of achievement. The Sustainable 2020 goals recently established by our University Sustainability Committee will enable Baylor to continue to make our community more sustainable.”
In recent years, Baylor has refocused and revitalized its sustainability efforts. The 2014 Silver STARS rating is a far cry from the D-minus Baylor received eight years ago. Baylor Assistant Director of Sustainability & Special Projects Smith Getterman credits the willingness of Baylor’s faculty, staff, students and administration to embrace the idea of judicious stewardship with the improvements the University has made in sustainability. Baylor now leads sustainability program among Christian institutions.
“The review process helps us see where we are succeeding, but most importantly, it assists us in identifying areas that can be improved or modified to be more effective,” Getterman said. “Overall, it’s a great opportunity for us to set short- and long-term goals for our university while at the same time it gives us a chance to show other universities around the world what Baylor is doing and how seriously we take these issues.”
Initiatives such as the university garden, the residence hall energy reduction competition, increased organics and locally grown food in dining halls, LEED certified buildings and continued improvement in the campus irrigation system have been well received and very successful. Sustainability also has been incorporated into nearly every academic department on campus, and new departments are incorporating sustainability into their curriculum every year.
“We have completely changed the culture of campus over the course of the last few years, and that change is still happening today,” Getterman said.
Baylor also has seen impressive advances in sustainability research, including Dr. Sasha Usenko and Dr. Stephen Trumble’s research involving whale earwax and ocean contaminants. Dr. Bryan Brooks, recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award, has been recognized for his work on the effect human drugs have in our water, his work designing chemicals that are less harmful to the planet and more. A Baylor senior, Sarah Guberman, received a fellowship from the Environmental Protection Agency in recognition of her work within Baylor’s Department of Environmental Science.
Perhaps one of the University’s greatest achievements, however, is its progress in recycling. In 2006, Baylor recycled 131.75 tons, and – thanks to initiatives like Move In recycling, the Move Out donation drive, increased recycling bins and more employees recycling in their offices – this number increased to 543.83 tons in 2014 (these numbers do not include construction recycling). Last year, Baylor crossed the one million pounds recycled barrier for the first time, a significant accomplishment.
As an institution of higher learning, Baylor has a responsibility to prepare students to be active, successful members of their post-graduation communities. Since higher education institutions are often the first place students begin paying attention to activities such as recycling, energy conservation and water conservation, universities and colleges are given a unique opportunity to influence how students view these sustainability efforts.