The Office of Sustainability has recently awarded the Office of Communications and Public Affairs a silver Sustainable Office Program certification! This is the eleventh office to be certified in the program since the program was launched in spring of 2015. There are several other offices in the certification process as well. The Office of Communications and Public Affairs has helped Lehigh get one step closer to becoming a more sustainable campus, is your office interested in making a difference?
The Sustainable Office Program is a voluntary, self-guided program designed for staff to take the lead on promoting environmental practices in the workplace. By taking action in a variety of topic areas, offices like Communications and Public Affairs can reduce their environmental footprint, be responsible representatives of university’s resources, and contribute to Lehigh’s sustainability goals and commitments.
A silver certification indicates that the office has completed over 60 of the sustainable office actions. These actions are categorized by ‘Participation & Engagement,’ ‘Climate & Energy,’ ‘Food & Dining,’ ‘Purchasing,’ ‘Community Building & Social Equity,’ ‘Transportation,’ ‘Waste,’ ‘Water,’ and ‘Events & Meetings.’ In order for a department or office to be certified, they must complete actions in each of these categories.
Each certified office appoints a Sustainable Office Representative. Lauren Stralo, the representative for the Office of Communications and Public Affairs, enthusiastically registered her office for the program. When asked why her office decided to join the program Lauren said, “Lehigh's Office of Communications and Public Affairs recently moved to a new location and one of our top goals during the move was choosing a space that promotes sustainability. Our team of around 30 people expressed great interest in learning more about how we can make daily changes and learn more about the ways we can be sustainable that aren't so obvious. The Sustainable Office Program - especially the checklist - has given us the opportunity to really look at our practices so that we can implement change immediately. We’re looking forward to a gold rating soon!"
There is visible environmental consciousness on the Lehigh campus, as exhibited here by the success of this program. We encourage the Office of Communications and Public Affairs to celebrate the good news by sharing their accomplishments online and with coworkers! We look forward to seeing more offices and departments join the program.
Let us know your office is interested in the program by filling out the registration form. A Sustainable Office team member will further discuss the program with your office before beginning.