At the request of the Provost, the CSUN Sustainable Office Program (SOP) was created in the 2011/12 academic year and piloted during the Fall 2012 semester. The program is designed to educate, encourage and reward sustainable practices in the workplace by CSUN’s staff, administrators and faculty. It is also an important service-learning opportunity for students who will be conducting the program, which includes the following components:
1. An educational program that will provide information to CSUN faculty and staff about best practices in sustainability
2. A visit to your office by a group of trained students, who will talk to you about the program and about the kinds of sustainable practices that are encouraged in the workplace. You will be provided with a checklist used to assess practices.
3. An assessment of existing practices in the office by the students using the SOP Checklist to establish a baseline. This will include conversations between the students and the staff to understand how and why current practices exist.
4. The preparation, by students, of a report on current practices, which will include any recommendations for changes.
The SOP will recognize offices that have taken steps to implement green practices and reduce their environmental footprint. This program seeks to identify conditions and actions that staff and faculty can take to reduce waste, carbon emissions, water and energy use, and improve environmental quality. The SOP also works with participants to identify areas where faculty can advance sustainability practices within their offices and throughout the campus.
