New School Sustainability

Heather Pusser

Introduction to Journalism

Heather Chaplin

February 12, 2011

Starting this semester, The New School Sustainability Project is working on pursuing a rating in STARS, a new sustainability self-assessment rating system for universities all over the country.

STARS, or the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System, is a self-reporting website for universities to gauge their relative progress towards sustaining the Earth and its’ resources. It provides a basic framework and understanding of sustainability for all campuses of higher education as well as offers a transparent view for universities to facilitate their ideas, and share them with others. “STARS encompasses long-term sustainability goals for already high-achieving institutions as well as entry points of recognition for institutions that are taking first steps toward sustainability,” the STARS website reads, under the “About Us” tab.

Although the New School awaits its’ rating via http://stars.aashe.org, the success of New School’s sustainability is still in question. Gwen Kilvert, the director of the Sustainability Project, wrote in an e-mail that “It is too soon to say,” whether or not the New School has had any success in conservation because, “measurement is a very complex and important component to stability.”

The New School Sustainability project is always welcoming new comers to get involved with the projects. Students who are interested can join ReNew School, an organization dedicated to environmental issues or complete the Sustainability Pledge; a survey on the New School website that asks you to help “reduce its carbon footprint and achieve its sustainability goals” by agreeing to a number of actions.

Taylor Halcomb, a 22-year-old student at Parson’s the New School for design and a member of ReNew school, said “We’ve been promoting the Sustainability Pledge. Our goal is to have 1,000 members to sign it by Earth Day.”

Faculty and Staff can get involved by participating in the Green Office Certification program, which is on its way towards launching. “Participation in surveys plays a very critical part of the objectives of the Office for Sustainability,” Gwen Kilvert comments, “Everyone on campus can live up to the principles laid out in the Sustainability Pledge”

Students and faculty are serving on the Sustainability Advisory Committee to help promote the Office of Sustainability and their projects. Faculty is helping pursue the New School’s rating in STARS as well as trying to incorporate the Climate Action Plan into the curriculum. The New School plans to attend some of these classes and speak about sustainability on campus.

The New School strives towards a higher rating with a number of continuous projects. By expanding the compost collection, both in kitchens and for post-consumer collection, the New School has stunted the amount of waste on campus. In addition to this, the Office for Sustainability has been working on a new recycling program that includes helpful signs for those who need it. Lastly, developing a bicycle parking policy has helped them to install more sidewalks parking for bikes and is now working on a pamphlet for bicycle safety.

To fund all of these projects, the New School has created “the Green Fund.” This fund comes from the Facilities Management’s operating budget and is used to fuel the various projects. “We are fortunate that the university is dedicated to funding it each year,” Ms. Kilvert explains, “and funds do not need to be raised.”