Here you will find policy templates to help green your school.
Penn State Green Destiny Council[edit | edit source]
The Green Destiny Council was an association of students, faculty, and staff committed to promoting ecological responsibility at Penn State University. The council believes that institutions of higher education can be leverage points in the transition to a sustainable society in so far as they model sustainable practicies and foster ecological literacy.
The Mueller Report: Moving Beyond Sustainability Indicators to Sustainability Action at Penn State. 2001[edit | edit source]
This study reveals how the "ecological footprint" of Mueller Biology Building could be reduced by half while saving $45,000/year.
The following Policy Papers were derived from The Mueller Report and the Indicators Reports:
Mueller Policy Paper #1: Reduce Standard Margin Settings. 2001[edit | edit source]
This Paper shows how PSU could save 72 acres of forest and over $120,000/year by reducing the default margin settings campus wide.
Mueller Policy Paper #2: Environmental Investments = Financial Investments. 2002[edit | edit source]
This Paper details how to compare environmental improvements to financial investments in order to economically justify greening.
Mueller Policy Paper #3: Platinum LEED Certify All New Buildings. 2002[edit | edit source]
This paper provides a rationale to LEED Certify all new buildings on campus to the highest level.
Mueller Policy Paper #4: Institutionalize Long Term Economic and Environmental Planning. 2002[edit | edit source]
This paper provides a method to reduce the rate of tuition increases, provide better facilities, and decrease waste costs without impairing the research, teaching, outreach, maintenance, operation, administrative, and fund raising functions of the University.
Mueller Policy Payer #5: Highlight Penn State's Environmental Stewardship Record on the Web. 2003[edit | edit source]
In an age when many students spend more time socializing on the net through email and instant messaging than engaging in face-to-face dialog, it is surprising that typing "recycling" into the Penn State Search Engine provides a list of hits but none take you to the information on how or what is recycled at University Park.[1]
Mueller Policy Payer #6: Institute Investment Screens on Companies which are Counter to Penn State's Mission. 2003[edit | edit source]
Penn State currently invests this money to guarantee the highest return and thus may unwittingly support corporations whose practices and aims conflict with our mission. For example, we may be unknowingly profiting from the socially and environmentally deleterious sale of tobacco. In addition to the long list of negative health and environmental effects outlined in Policy Paper #6, the Centre Daily Times recently highlighted a report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention that showed that U.S. cigarettes contain much more cancer-causing chemicals than those sold abroad. It is inappropriate for educational institutions like Penn State to profit from investing in companies that are unashamedly counter to our mission. Penn State University could screen its investments to eliminate financially supporting companies who profit from the sale of tobacco. This paper details how to implement socially responsible investing
