Information For:

Updates

April, 2013

The committee has published an interim report and will solicit feedback from the general Brown community. 

Upcoming Outreach 

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Brown University Community Council

Sunday, April 14, 2013

emPower General Body Meeting

 

March, 2013

The committee met with stakeholders from the Reimagining Campus and the Community Committee to share ideas and collect feedback.  

 

February, 2013

The committee members met with representatives from a number of operational offices to learn more about the office’s data collection and current sustainability practices.  Offices contacted include: Transportation, Travel, Dining Services, Facilities Management (Utilities, Custodial, PD&C), and Environmental Health and Safety.

 

 January, 2013

The Priority Teams have been met to brainstorm metrics and indicators for each Priority Area. 

 

December, 2012

The committee has chosen 3 Priority Areas in which to focus our planning efforts.  The committee members will apply the Criteria listed below to each of these themes in order to develop concrete recommendations for the Strategic Plan. 

Long Term Planning

Energy & Emissions

Campus Metabolism

Evaluate and develop recommendations for long term planning activities which make Brown more sustainable.

This includes strategic planning of academic, operational, and research decisions as well as investments, and risk management.

This also includes building and space planning to improve upon the existing sustainable building standards.

Evaluate and develop recommendations to improve the direct and indirect impacts of energy use and emissions at Brown.

This includes such areas as on-campus energy use and emissions, transportation to, from, and around the university, and the broader impacts of our energy mix on the community.

Evaluate and develop recommendations to improve Brown’s day-to-day inputs and outputs.

This includes supplies, food, water, and chemicals, as well as the sustainability of Brown’s purchasing, waste and recycling systems.   

Priority Team Members:

Jenny Li

Jessica Fields

Keisha-Khan Perry

Kurt Teichert

Margaret Klawunn

Roger Nozaki

Priority Team Members:

Chris Powell

Cathy Lutz

Matt Breuer

Maya Almaraz

Chris Bull

 

Priority Team Members:

Micah Swann

Derek Stein

Unikora Yang

Rod Beresford

 

 

November, 2012

During a daylong summit and subsequent conversions, the Sustainability Strategic Planning and Advisory Council developed a mission statement and a list of 5 Criteria for Sustainability.  The mission statement represents the committee’s broad goal for Brown, while the criteria represent essential components of an impactful and actionable plan. 

Mission Statement: 

Recognizing the urgency and inherent value in addressing sustainability, Brown will continually evaluate and act upon its responsibility, at all levels of the campus and Providence community, to address its impacts on society and the environment, through integrated and measurable research, education, planning, and operations.

Criteria: 

These criteria will help determine the specific actions necessary to achieve our lofty goal of sustainability.  More specific definition will be added in future updates

Sustainability Literacy, Behaviors
& Culture
  • define sustainability literacy for each priority
  • raise awareness/consciousness of sustainability issues
  • foster behavioral changes on an individual level to contribute sustainability goals

Academic Integration
  • capitalize on and support Brown’s position  as world-class educational institution
  • connect to research and/or classes
  • create new knowledge in focus areas

Metrics
  • establish clear qualitative and quantitative measures of success  for priority areas
  • identify reporting mechanisms
  • make relevant to key audiences

Expanding Boundaries &
Promoting Social Justice
  •  take into account Brown’s impact on and relationship with the Providence community
  •  promote social sustainability
  • explore relationships and partnerships which enhance learning,  sharing of best practices, and improved sustainability

Structure and Communication

  •  identify administrative structures, organizational capacity and funding required
  •  clearly define who is responsible and accountable for actions
  •  evaluate the resiliency of the proposed structure and resources
  • Identify the target audience(s) that should be engaged in communication about plan, goals, and progress.
  • Develop a two-way communication plan which considers how information will be shared, in what form.