school of government is so green
sogreen student project has become school-wide sustainability initiative
This article was written by MPA graduate Ashley Clarke Perry for inclusion in the Spring 2009 issue of the alumni newsletter, Impact.
The School of Government has joined the “green” movement in a big way! SOGreen began in spring 2008 as a group project in Gordon Whitaker’s Public Management and Leadership course. It has grown into a school-wide environmental initiative. Each year, Whitaker solicits consulting project proposals from organizations. The students review the proposals and, in teams, tackle projects throughout the spring with guidance from the School’s faculty and staff. In 2008, five projects were selected from 15 proposals. Client organizations have included the Fiscal Research Division of the North Carolina General Assembly, Guilford County, and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.
MPA students partner with school of government
The goals of the group projects are twofold. For the students, the projects are an opportunity to learn management and leadership skills while working collaboratively with classmates. For the clients, the projects provide top-notch consulting work for free. It is a win-win for both parties.
MPA students Katie Burdett, Alicia Medina, Sybil Tate, and Mary Tiger took a different approach with their project. Rather than accepting a proposal from an outside organization, they solicited one from the School of Government (SOG). They offered to partner with the School to create a plan to minimize its operational impact on the environment.
Small photo above: Katie Burdett (left), Alicia Medina (center), and Sybil Tate.
Large photo above left: SOGreen team members Katie Burdett (left) and Mary Tiger (right) with School of Government facilities manager Sean Downing "dumpster diving" on Earth Day 2008
The purpose of the project was to help the School not only “green” its own operations, but also lead the state’s governmental organizations to adopt sustainable practices. Local governments are increasingly under pressure to become more environmentally friendly. The School of Government, by improving its own environmental impact, could serve as an example to other governments around the state.
“On an individual level, the project helped the School of Government make its operations more environmentally friendly,” team member Mary Tiger said. “Every little bit helps. But on a more substantial level, we felt that in greening its operations, the School could serve as an example to the local governments it assists.”
building on sustainability
The MPA team developed four recommendations for the School around which they built the SOGreen project. Based on these recommendations, the team evaluated the School’s current facilities to assess sustainability projects already implemented and decided to concentrate their efforts on four projects:
- Increase the building’s recycling rates
- Use more local and organic foods for School courses and programs
- Replace bathroom paper towels with energy-efficient hand dryers
- Develop purchasing policies to increase the use of soy-based inks
These ventures build on sustainability initiatives already undertaken by the School, including installation of low-flow toilets and multi-setting T-8 fluorescent light fixtures. The MPA team also developed a public information campaign to increase awareness of and participation in the building’s sustainability efforts. Although the MPA group projects are slated to end with final presentations in the spring, the SOGreen project will continue. The initiative now includes more than 20 faculty, staff, and students working toward sustainability goals.
And the initiative is having an effect. At the 2009 waste audit during Earth Week, the SOGreen documented that the amount of recyclables in the School's trash had decreased by 56 percent.
Visit www.sog.unc.edu/sogreen for updates on the project.