How green is your office?

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green office streamEmployees who want UAB to be more sustainable now have a checklist to identify opportunities to reach that goal by reducing waste and energy consumption in their offices — and be recognized for success.

The voluntary Green Office Program, which is part of the Sustainability Strategic Plan to transform UAB’s academic and medical entities, helps campus units work toward institutional goals by developing a culture of stewardship and community at UAB.

“We have such a unique culture of collaboration here at UAB,” said Julie Price, Ph.D., manager of UAB Sustainability. “The Green Office program is a great way to participate in that culture while ensuring that we’re investing in a more sustainable campus.”

Capitalizing on that collaborative culture is part of Forging the Future, UAB’s strategic plan, and employees are encouraged to find opportunities to be good stewards of resources on campus — both fiscally and environmentally.

UAB was recently named one of 413 Green Colleges from the 2019 Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges, chosen from a list of more than 700 schools based on data points such as academic offerings and initiatives, campus policies and practices and green-career preparation for students. One of UAB’s those initiatives is the popular program Green Labs, which helps campus research laboratories reduce environmental and economic costs without sacrificing research quality, safety standards or comfort and productivity.

Price says the Green Office Program, like its partner Green Labs, provides an opportunity for broader engagement in sustainability practices across the university — even if it’s as simple as purchasing reusable, recyclable, locally and responsibly sourced office supplies.

“We hope it helps make people more aware of what they’re choosing to buy for their offices, and perhaps consider alternative options,” she continued.

Want to participate? Follow these steps:

  • Select a primary Green Office liaison for your unit. Connect with your Sustainability Ambassador, who partners with UAB Sustainability to promote initiatives to colleagues and helps implement educational programming tailored to the needs of the units they serve. Find your ambassador from the list online.
  • Download the checklist and work with colleagues to complete all responses.
  • Email the finished checklist to greenoffice@uab.edu.

The UAB Sustainability Green Office coordinator will visit your office to discuss the responses and better understand barriers to and opportunities for improved sustainability practices. Each office also will be awarded a Green, Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum certification based on its achievement. Sign up for the program at any time.


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