RA Sustainability Toolkit

Quick Links

 

University Housing provides students with an atmosphere for learning and living as they work toward educational goals.  Let the Office of Sustainability be your partner in building student awareness about the environmental, economic and societal connections to sustainability.

Green Your Events 

A successful meeting or event starts with good planning–and that includes planning for sustainability. This guide will help organizers plan ahead to minimize waste and maximize recycling and diversion at University of Iowa events and meetings. Planners can pick a few of the items to implement or you can embrace the whole process! If you have questions along the way, please give us a call.  Be sure to let us know how it goes, too.

Download a green event guide (PDF)

Green Teams 

The University of Iowa is committed to becoming a sustainable campus. Our “green” pathway continues to be paved with the efforts of all students, staff, administration and faculty.

If you are interested in making a difference and uniting with a group of friends, consider forming a “green team.” Much can be achieved by small groups and committees, and you can be a leader for continuing efforts to make UI a more sustainable campus and develop best practices that can be shared with others.

Benefits of forming a green team:

  • Develop strategies for sustainability that are a good fit for your residence hall
  • Network with other students who are interested in reducing resource use and waste generation
  • Work together on ideation and offer feedback to the Office of Sustainability
  • Celebrate success – tell us, and the rest of the UI community, about your sustainability program

Suggestions to get your team started

There are many approaches you can take to building your team and many sustainability related topics. Download a guide that outlines ideas and may get the energy flowing.

Download a Residence Halls Green Team guide (PDF)

Programming Assistance 

Find a sustainability-related activity that fits your residents' interests. We've pulled together a few ideas and have links to other great online resources (and even a few downloadable items). 

Click here for the list, and if you have a sustainability-related program that's worked in the past and you'd like to share it, send it along and we'll post it.

Bulletin Boards 

We've gathered two sustainability-related bulletin board designs for you to use. Please feel free to use all or part of this content.

Sustainability at Iowa - basics of The University of Iowa's commitment to sustainability and how students can get involved.

Live Sustainably on Campus - ideas for students to go from "green to greenest" at UI. Coming soon!

Talking Points 

September - green tailgating, nature walk (see "programming" section), join a student organization

October - 350.org

November - power down (see "programming" section), carpooling, vote

December - green gifts guide

January - Spring break travel with a purpose, green Dance Marathon, get into the community by volunteering

February - fair trade foods (see chocolate tasting in "programming" section)

March - greening your events (see the guide above)

April - Earth Month, eagles spotting, UIEC student garden, waste audits

May - sustainable move out

Recycling at Iowa 

The University of Iowa has transformed the way it manages recyclable materials by introducing a new sort-free recycling program across campus. Newspaper, office paper, cardboard, lab plastics, nonredeemable drink containers, plastics, tin, aluminum, and most clean food containers can now be placed in the same collection bin instead of being sorted into individual containers. Learn more...

There are several recycling drop off spots around Iowa City. Be sure to take recyclable items not included in the University collection contract  to these centers. The City of Iowa City recycling website has a nifty guide.

 

Sustainability Grant Fund

More information coming soon!