Background: Motivation for the Website

• As a member of the Sustainability Team for the Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU), I got involved in and interested in sustainability.  As we worked on various initiatives throughout the year, we ran into many obstacles, a primary problem being the lack of knowledge on sustainability. 
• For example, one ASSU project was the creation of the Green Store – an online store that sells and delivers recyclable cups.  Many students think that the standard red party cups are recyclable and therefore do not feel the urge to buy recyclable cups from the Green Store. 
• It is hard to encourage people to take action and to be sustainable when they do not know why or how they can play a role in sustainability.  In order to move forward and to get more people interested and involved in sustainability, education is necessary. 

Objectives

• Teach and educate people about sustainability – what it is, the different areas it encompasses, the consequences of not being sustainable
• By informing people, they can be moved to action
• List and give examples of what people can do to play a part in promoting sustainability, offer specific responsibilities they can take on
  
• Make resources, such as other educational sources and businesses that promote sustainability in their products, more accessible

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Website Layout and Visual Attributes

• The website will be organized into the following sections: Home, Introduction, Food, Water, Energy, Waste, Recycling, Composting (Recycling and Composting are subpages under Waste), Get Involved, Resources, Works Cited, Contact
• The sections are laid out in the Navigation sidebar on the left side of the web page
• Links to other sites open in new window

Visuals:

• Picture of Kermit the Frog will be on every page to emphasize the theme “it’s easy being green”
• Include the color green throughout the website
• Include other pictures on each page 

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Proposed Content and Information

(will be researching extensively and relying on previous knowledge)

Introduction

• Define sustainability
• List problems with our current way of thinking and of trying to solve sustainability issues

Food

• Organic, fair trade, seasonal, and local food
• Impact of these types of food on sustainability 
• List of what the reader can do
  

Water

• Increase in water consumption and its impact on society
• Difference between tap water and bottled water
  
• List of ways the reader can conserve water
  

Energy

• Importance of conserving energy
• How energy plays a role in recycling procedures and how it affects what can be recycled
• List of ways the reader can conserve energy
  

Waste

• Importance of waste management 
• Reduce, reuse, recycle
  
• Recycling
  
• Different types of plastic
• What can be recycled
• Composting
• What can be composted
  
• The process of composting
  
• List of ways the reader can reduce, reuse, recycle
  

Get Involved

• How people can take steps in their personal lives to be sustainable
  
• How to get other people involved, especially on a college campus
• Include attachments of documents, like newsletters, for reference
  

Resources

• Different websites and contacts that/who offer more information on specific areas of sustainability or that/who sell sustainable products
• Links to institutions, student groups, blogs, publications, etc. that are related to, promote, or provide information about sustainability
  

Works Cited

• Sources I used throughout my website that the reader can look up if he is interested and wants to learn more 

Contact

• Give my contact information
• Contact information of the 2008-09 ASSU Sustainability Squad 

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Target Audience

• People interested in sustainability, but also college students and Stanford students specifically
  
• College students are more able to relate and are more capable of bringing about change since college campuses are typically an open and liberal environment
• My examples are more relevant to college students, such as my Get Involved page and the "What can I do" sections at the bottom of each page
  
• Need to be clear and simple to maximize efficiency and clarity of website, especially since college students are always on a time crunch and skim sites for information they value and want
• Offer information but do not make the website overwhelming
• Do not be dense, but be knowledgeable and provide sources

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Obstacles and Risks

• Being repetitive and boring and giving information the reader already knows
• Scaring the reader away because of the amount of information – cluttering the website
• Free rider problem: people do not think that they, as one individual of millions, can make an impact and therefore choose to leave the duty of being sustainable to others
• Time: people are not willing to read through the website
• Intellectual property issues with using Kermit the Frog

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Advertising

• Publicize my website through other websites, like the Green Store, Facebook, and Stanford
• Advertise on Stanford campus 

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