Lehigh’s Sustainable Office Program (SOP) is gaining momentum as the Office of Sustainability looks towards its 2024 goal of involving 70% of full-time faculty and staff in the program. The SOP is a voluntary, self-guided program designed for Lehigh faculty and staff to promote sustainable practices in the workplace by identifying opportunities for innovation and implementing sustainable changes.
The SOP was redesigned to align with Lehigh’s Sustainability Strategic Plan 2030 and “relaunched” in the Spring of 2021. By the summer of 2022, 7 offices had either been certified or recertified. In preparation for the 2022-2023 academic year, the Office of Sustainability hired several students as SOP Assistants to increase the office’s capacity to guide groups through the program. This move proved to be quite effective because, at the beginning of the semester, only 2.18% of the staff and faculty were certified in the program. This percentage was due to the majority of previous certifications expiring over the course of the pandemic since they expire every three years. In the Fall 2022 semester, 11 offices were certified or re-certified bringing up the percentage of all staff and faculty certified in the program to 20.38%. This equates to 207 faculty and staff certified in the program over the course of the semester. The level of engagement in the program “rivals pre-pandemic times” said Audrey McSain, the Director of Sustainability.
Among the offices certified or re-certified during the Fall 22’ semester were; the College of Health Dean’s Suite, Bursar’s Office, University Business Services 3rd & New St. Offices, Athletics Business Services, Modern Languages & Literature, Taylor Gym, Office of Institutional Research & Strategic Analytics; the Pride Center for Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity; the Help Desk, Lending Services, and Computer Repair Services offices. Each office achieved a different level in the SOP and each had a different reason for participating in the program.
The Office of Institutional Research & Strategic Analytics (OIRSA) achieved Gold Status by earning 110 points with their top two strengths in Campus Operations and Health & Wellness. OIRSA committed to every Health & Wellness action and showed a focus on incorporating sustainability into their purchasing habits. Hollie Tran, Office Coordinate for (OIRSA), stated that both the Earth and Lehigh are worth caring for which is why they want to see Lehigh “use data to help inform our decisions to find balance between economic prosperity, environmental stewardship, and social equity.”
The Pride Center for Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity was re-certified and achieved Gold Status with 110 points, particularly excelling in Culture & Engagement as well as Health & Wellness. Scott Burden, the Director of the Pride Center, stated that it is important for their office to practice sustainability “given the disproportionate impact that climate change can have on minoritized communities.” Furthermore, Burden stated:
The Office of Sustainability has a commitment to sustainability through an equity lens and it is critical that we practice environmental justice as we work towards a campus where people of all genders and sexualities can thrive. We loved working with the Office of Sustainability to become a Gold-certified office!
In September of 2022, the Help Desk, Lending Services, and Computer Repair Services offices worked together and received the highest certification level available in the Sustainable Office Program. They earned 147 points, which is 17 over the minimum required for receiving Platinum Certification.
Stacey Kimmel-Smith, Assistant Director of Client Services, said that LTS’ interest in sustainability “started with paper!”. LTS supplies the paper to public printers and Kimmel-Smith remembers that “at one time, prodigious amounts of paper were wasted/left at the printers”. With increased awareness of sustainable practices and an improved print management system, they were able to reduce paper use dramatically. It was that experience that started the “greening efforts” of LTS and inspired an ever-broadening focus on sustainability. Kimmel-Smith states that the sustainable office program is a “natural fit” with its busy student-centered spaces and mission.
LTS’ greatest strengths were in Climate Action and Health & Wellness. Notably, they received several bonus points for sustainable actions they are taking that aren’t even captured by the SOP. Some noteworthy sustainable actions they are taking outside of the SOP, include:
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Providing laptops to first-generation students and students with financial needs through a program with Financial Aid.
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Convening an assistive technology group (every semester) with General Counsel and Disability Services to coordinate services to students with disabilities.
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Managing the accessibility.lehigh.edu web page along with UCPA.
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Offering training each semester (3 courses) on digital accessibility.
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Their hardware repair shop reuses parts from defunct computers for use on student computers, which results in student cost savings and waste reduction.
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Lending and Help Desk Services working with the Ecorealm group (a CSIF project) piloting greenspaces in FML.
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Creating the Trees of Lehigh digital exhibit.
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Having two team members on the advisory board for TreeCampus USA.
Is your office a Sustainable Office? Learn how your office can become certified, or re-certified, through the self-guided Sustainable Office Program by clicking here!