Hi SEA!

A few of the sustainability initiatives in the works have a direct impact on students. We are looking for student input and feedback to shape what our marketing, outreach and engagement efforts for UMBC students will look like in the coming year(s). Student interns have helped to choose, plan, and shape these efforts in the past year and we are excited to continue partnering with students to successfully execute our priorities over time.

1. Energy Conservation Marketing

This fall we will launch an energy conservation marketing campaign targeted to the student audience. Commonvision student staff will assist us in designing and producing framed posters, iNets, giveaways, and online landing webpages.

The message: Our individual actions have add up to having a significant impact. The three ways we can save energy here & now:

1. turn it off: turn off lights and electronics in all spaces across campus- including common areas
   
2. let it rest: use hibernate settings, rather than sleep or screensavers on computers and other electronics
   
3. dial it down: heating and cooling is one of the biggest energy hogs on campus, so reduce losses and follow set point guidelines.
   

People are choosing to have a positive impact through choices that conserve energy. Not only that, UMBC is also taking actions to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions due to our climate neutrality commitment.

The content: A series of three messages, each showing an image of individuals on campus choosing to conserve energy, and expressing their reason for supporting our energy and climate goals. The online landing pages links will be displayed on the visual installations. The webpages will feature infographics demonstrating the supporting data and evidence explaining how UMBC is going green, and how much of an impact these actions have, and why energy, climate, and the environment is so important.

Link for more information.

2. New Student Education Efforts

1. Orientation and welcome week: Embedding sustainability content in programs such as move in and social activities. Hosting waste stations to educate and facilitate compost, recycling, and reuse at the large events. With sustainability peer educators providing games and giveaways to draw attention and engage.

2. First Year programs: Embedding sustainability content in courses such as Introduction to an Honors University and First Year Seminars by providing short lessons and peer educators. Providing sustainability content for groups and programs for incoming residential and commuter students.

Link for more information

3. Peer Outreach Training Program

Who are the peer educators? Over the summer we will be finalizing the details of this program, but students will be recruited and trained to join a team, whose purpose is to provide student outreach and peer education at University programs, functions and events across campus.  Mentoring, trainings, workshops, discussions, team building and more will be provided with the support of a paid student leader who will manage the group. The time commitment will be limited (likely 4 hours per month/ 1 hour per week) but a certain level of commitment required to join and remain on the team. Team members will also have matching t-shirts and gear to wear and will focus on outreach and education to the student body through campus events and programs for commuter and residential students during orientation, welcome week and beyond. If you are interested in becoming a founding member of this student-staff partnership to raise awareness in our student body, contact me at tanvig1@umbc.edu. 

So, as a student, what do you think of the plans we have set forth? What content do you think is *most* important for new students? What's the best way to engage students in this topic?