We reviewed our Bronze and Silver checklist to reduce behavior lapse.

Review your Bronze and Silver checklist at a staff meeting. Determine what led to any relapses in sustainable choices and habits, and proactively decide how to get GOing again. This may be a good time to re-sign the Participation Pledge, put up a reminder poster or introduce an office competition.

Bronze Checklist

Silver Checklist

Even if we can’t be perfectly sustainable all the time, we can use these lapses to teach others about why sustainable practices are so important.

We report on our sustainability initiative and progress in our department/unit/section’s annual report.

Contact your dean, director or department head about including a section on your green achievements in your annual report. Use your sustainability committee to create draft text for review by others.

Sustainability plays an important role in attracting and retaining employees and students. 83% of first year students (of over 6,000 surveyed) responded that it is important for UMD as an institution to reduce our environmental impact. In a National Geographic survey, more than 80 % of U.S. workers polled said they believe it is important to work at a place where the environment is a top priority.

We follow all aspects of the University of Maryland’s Environmentally Preferable Procurement Policy: Policy VIII-3.10(C).

“Section V Procedures,” found on page 2, provide a comprehensive list of steps to follow in the University of Maryland’s Environmentally Preferable Procurement Policy.

UMD's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy

According to the EPA, purchasing recycled products finalizes the recycling process and “closes the loop.” Buying sustainable products results in decreased demand for goods made of raw materials and increases demand for recycled products. The University’s Environmentally Preferable Procurement plan's goal is to ensure that all supplies purchased by the University promote sound environmental stewardship and help reduce carbon emissions.

Our office incorporates sustainability into Performance Review & Development (PRDs).

The University of Maryland’s Performance Review & Development (PRD) process should reflect office goals and staff expectations. Managers and employees can include Green Office actions and sustainability efforts and progress on PRD sections related to teamwork, leadership and/or university service.

Performance Review & Development (Sample)

As Peter Drucker famously quoted, “what gets measured, gets managed.” Sustainability performance is no different. In order for employees to be held accountable for their sustainable actions, it must be part of their workplace evaluation.

We each perform a minimum of five Green Office actions (from Bronze, Silver and/or Gold) at home.

Review the Bronze, Silver, and Gold checklists to see which actions you are already doing at home. If there are interesting actions you haven't done in your office, try them out at home. If you can do it successfully at home, this can also help show your colleagues it's possible to implement the action in the office too. Some Green Office actions that may be difficult in an office could even be easier to complete at home, such as purchasing green appliances, replacing standard light bulbs with CFLs, and preparing waste-free meals.

Studies in the United States and in the UK have shown that people were more likely to participate in green actions and behaviors at home than at their workplace (www.pec.org, 2011).

We use vegetable-based inks and 100 % PCC for all printed materials and publications.

Next time your office needs printed materials, request vegetable-based inks and 100% post-consumer paper from your print contractor. Many printers, including UMD Printing Services, can ensure your publications meet these UMD EPP policy standards.

UMD's Environmentally Preferrable Purchasing Policy

An EPA study found that vegetable-based inks contained significantly lower content of volatile components. And since they are made from plant materials, vegetable-based inks are more biodegradable than petroleum-based inks. In 1994, Congress passed the Vegetable Ink Printing Act mandating that the federal government use “ink made from vegetable oil and materials derived from other renewable resources” in their printing.

When we replace or update appliances and equipment, we purchase those that are ENERGY STAR, EPEAT or CEE qualified.

Visit the ENERGY STAR website for a list of ENERGY STAR appliances, electronics and computers. The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) website was specifically designed to help with the purchase of greener computers, monitors, laptops and TVs. The Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) can recommend energy-efficient appliances and lighting.

Energy Star Products & Green Electronics

A 10% improvement in the energy efficiency of our appliances and equipment would reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of 30 million vehicles (ENERGY STAR, 2007). ENERGY STAR appliances use 10-50% less energy, and are high quality and durability so they will need fewer repairs.

We provide kitchen or kitchenette facilities so that our employees can more easily eat at work.

You may need to consider the installation or purchase of a fridge, microwave, toaster oven, water pitcher, or even a sink or stove. If considering installing a sink or dishwasher (a device that requires a water), or a large appliance like a fridge, consult Facilities Management about costs, electrical and water lines, and whether installation is possible with minimal renovations.

By bringing lunch to work, employees can save money and reduce waste and save time/emissions on traveling to buy lunch. Saving $6 every day you bring your lunch to work, amounts to over $1300 each year.

The coffee and tea provided by our office is fair trade and/or organic.

Guy Brown and Rudolph’s catalogues contain fair trade and organic coffee options. Enter your current beverage choices into the Good Guide database to see how well they score based on sustainability criteria. Buy all coffee, tea, cream and sugar in bulk instead of individually packaged.

According to research done by the Rodale Institute, an acre of organic farmland can remove up to 7,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. Purchasing organic foods promotes a less toxic environment (2008).

We have eliminated the use of disposable K-Cups and individually wrapped coffee pods

There are many alternative options to K-Cups or individually packaged pods. Aside from the drip machines, here are some alternative options if your office has a Keurig in order to make the most of your system without hurting the planet. Purchase reusable K-Cup pods. These pods allow for you to use any brand of coffee you’d like without creating any waste! Just compost the used coffee when you're done, clean, and reuse. Compostable and biodegradable pods also exist for purchase.

K-Cup Guide

The billions of K-cups that are discarded yearly are not recyclable, and do not biodegrade. According to The Atlantic, the number of K-Cups sold in 2014 alone would be enough to circle the globe 12 times!

We buy environmentally-friendly gifts for retirements, celebrations and guest speakers.

Give the gift of an experience (restaurant or spa gift card): clutter free and waste free. When purchasing a gift, ask: Is it practical, durable, well-made and of good quality? Is it made from renewable or recycled materials? Is there information about the manufacturing process? How will this product be disposed of? Is there minimal, recyclable packaging? How far will the product be shipped to reach you? You can make a gift greener by choosing a reusable bag or wrapping it in colorful magazines pages or the Sunday comics.

Purchasing environmentally friendly gifts promotes the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, energy use and solid waste (Stopwaste.org, 2010).

We select sustainable (local, organic, fair trade, humane) food options for all meetings and events.

Incorporate more plant-based (fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains) options and ingredients- they are delicious and often cheaper than meat-based options. Contact Dining Services Catering and ask about sustainable options. Pick up local produce from The UMD Farmers Market! Ask food providers about their procurement and sourcing policies: What local farms are used? Is produce organic or pesticide-free? Are animals raised humanely? Select reusable, or at least compostable, serving dishes, napkins, plates, cups and cutlery.

The Leopold Center states that on average, food travels 1500 miles to go from farm to fork, 27 times further than it takes for local products. The typical American meal includes food from at least 5 different countries which means increased oil consumption for transportation. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that livestock are responsible for 18 % of greenhouse gas emissions.

Our office events are zero-waste.

Serve food with reusable or compostable dishware, utensils, plates and cups. Serve drinks in bulk (pitcher or cooler) instead of individual bottles or cans. Minimize printed materials and handouts. See Bronze #2. Label and place recycling and compost bins clearly for attendees. Order recycling, trash, and compost bins and waste pick up service for your event from Facilities Management. Send electronic invites. Notify guests ahead of time about your zero-waste goal to ensure attendees are prepared and know what to expect. Inform attendees about alternate forms of transportation to the event. If your event is large, consider arranging a UMD charter shuttle to transport guests to and from campus and the Metro.

Not only does going zero-waste divert materials from landfill, it also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The decomposition of waste in a landfill results in the emission of methane — a greenhouse gas much more potent than carbon dioxide.

We compost our food waste.

Compost collection is currently available in select buildings on campus. Check maps.umd.edu, sustainability layer, to find the closest bin. All compostables must be collected in approved bags. The Facilities Management Recycling Unit can provide compost collection to campus events for a $20.00 fee through Customer Response Center work requests. FM staff deliver up to four compost bins, signage, and compostable bags prior to your event, as well as pick up and disposal of the compostable waste. There is no compost fee for events in the Stamp Student Union- requests can be made through your Stamp Events Coordinator.

Map of Compost Collection Sites at UMD

Compostable Plastic Bags

In 2012, 75 % of waste generated on campus was diverted from landfill through reuse, recycling and composting. Included in that diversion rate was almost 3,000,000 pounds of compost that was collected from the dining halls, Stamp Student Union, the Campus Barn, and landscaping.

We collect e-waste for our office or department, through drives or permanent bins.

All electronic equipment at the University is considered surplus equipment and is collected by Terrapin Trader. Functional equipment may be sold and that which cannot be sold or does not work is sent to a qualified vendor where it is deconstructed into individual components which are recycled. Each semester, Facilities Management schedules e-waste drives. Anything that has an electrical cord can be collected. Check the Office of Sustainability website for dates and locations.

According to the EPA, incorrectly disposed electronics accounted for 2.37 million tons of waste in 2009. A University of Arkansas study found that 25 % of the United States’ electronic waste is sent to developing countries, exposing other people — including children — to potentially hazardous waste.

Our office has reduced our commuter emissions 20% from emissions identified in Bronze.

When commuting to work, you can carpool, take the metro, Shuttle UM, bus or MARC train. If you live near campus, you can bike or walk. The Department of Transportation Services (DOTS) provides resources and incentives for green commuting. Visit the UMD Smart Commute site for a trip planner, to update your commuting emissions calculations, and more resources. Use the second tab in the spreadsheet to calculate the total average emissions.

25 lbs of pollutants are emitted for every gallon of gas. A commuter who carpools in a full van everyday for 1 year will reduce air pollution emissions by 1,240 lbs. If American commuter cars carried one additional passenger, it would save 33 million gallons of gas daily (rideshare.com).

We do not idle vehicles and have designated our loading/drop-off zones as idle-free.

At a staff meeting and/or in a staff email, ask people to pledge not to idle. Remind your team of the idling factsheet from MDE: idling is not necessary for warming up vehicles and Maryland state laws prohibit idling more than 5 minutes. Install “idle-free zone” signs in loading/drop-off zones. Remind any suppliers to turn off their engines before they arrive at your loading zone.

Idle Free Maryland Resources

Ten seconds of idling your car uses more fuel than shutting off the engine and restarting it. For every two minutes a car is idling, it is equivalent to the amount of fuel it takes to drive one mile. Excessive idling can also cause damage to a car engine’s components (California Energy Commission, 2012).

Our office provides employees with bikes or other non-fossil fuel-powered transportation for campus use.

Bikes are a healthy, sustainable way to get around campus. Visit BikeUMD to learn more about discounted safety equipment, bike storage facilities, covered bike parking, bike repair stations and more. Veoride is the bikeshare on campus that includes dockless e-bikes and e-scooters.

VeoRide Bike Share & BikeUMD

Biking one mile to a meeting three times a week, rather than driving, can reduce carbon emissions by 5.8 to 7.3 pounds of carbon dioxide each week, up to 340 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, according to the You Can Bike There Commute Calculator. Biking instead of driving, even a short distance, is also good for your health: biking at a moderate speed can burn 472 calories per hour.

When travel is required for work, we do not fly to destinations that are within 500 miles of our office. We choose to carpool, take a train or drive a green or highly-efficient vehicle when possible.

Rail or bus options for short trips may actually be faster than traveling though airport, security and delays. Rail and bus options allow you to work, read or watch movies uninterrupted during the entire length of your trip. Consider which air-travel alternatives are the most cost and energy efficient for your trip. Check the UMD Business Services page to take advantage of UMD discounts for rail or car rentals. Additional public transportation options for travel to and from the University of Maryland can be found through the Stamp Student Union.

UMD Travel Resources

The Union of Concerned Scientists found that for a solo traveler or a pair, the least carbon-intensive forms of travel (for a journey of up to 500 miles) are motor coach or bus and train. They describe motor coaches and trains as a “carbon bargain.”

When hotels are required for travel, we select environmentally-friendly hotels.

Green Seal certified hotels and lodgings offer you the healthiest overnights during your travels. Check out participating hotels, or look into certifying your own lodging business.

Green Seal Hotels

Green Seal develops standards that clearly define sustainability leadership for products, cleaning services, hotels, and restaurants. The standard development process is based on the international standard for environmental labeling programs and are developed following a science-based approach and an open, transparent stakeholder consensus-based process.