Boise State has earned a silver rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System program. The program measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. This is the first time the university has participated in reporting. Boise State’s report is available on the STARS website.
With more than 900 participants in 40 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in five overall areas: academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership.
The completion of the STARS report was the first goal of the Sustainability Governance Council. The council is developing a campus-wide sustainability action plan that prioritizes long-term goals and immediate objectives in the areas of academics and research, engagement, the built environment, transportation, waste management and events, and green finance and investment. This plan is in development in part to support the Second Nature Presidential Carbon Commitment, which Boise State signed in 2007, making the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality. For more information on the SGC goals, or to get involved, visit the Sustainability website.
In addition, the university will join in celebrating AASHE’s Campus Sustainability Month in October. The sustainability team is hosting a RecycleFest competition in residence halls throughout the month to educate and engage students in contributing to a clean recycling stream and empowering them to find reusable alternatives to non-recyclable products.
To learn about recycling on campus, other sustainability month events or to receive a zero-waste swag bag, email sustainability@boisestate.edu.