Sustainability Ambassador Project Examples
Taking action is a part of the Sustainability Ambassador Program experience. Completing a project allows ambassadors to apply what they are learning to issues or opportunities they are interested in.
Host a Campus Event
Host Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Multiple ambassadors planned and executed film and panel discussion events for Earth Month 2024. These films covered a range of topics including biodiversity, climate change, health, and social justice. Each film screening hosted an expert panel of UNC Charlotte faculty and members from local organizations to discuss the themes and ideas presented in the films with the audience.
Some Sustainability Ambassadors host on-campus events for their projects that are open to UNC Charlotte students, staff, and faculty. Ambassadors can create their own events or support the planning and execution of events generated by the Office of Sustainability. These projects allow ambassadors to make connections on and off campus with others interested in sustainability, and create an opportunity for their peers to learn about sustainability.
Participate in a Campus Event with Colleagues
Participate in Campus Beautification Day
Staff from UNC Charlotte’s School of Nursing attended the first Earth Month Campus Beautification Day. Volunteers came out to spruce up the Northeast Recreation Fields by planting trees and collecting litter (see them in action on the right). Community involvement and team bonding are very important to the School of Nursing staff, and they were able to work together to help the community.
Ambassadors engage their colleagues in sustainability by bringing at least five people to a pre-approved event. They then reflect on the experience as a group. This is a great option for ambassadors who want to connect and build a culture of sustainability with their team.
Complete a Green Workplace Badge
The Green Workplace Program is a badge certification and recognition program for units to create more sustainable workplaces. A few ambassadors are working to complete the Recycling & Waste Reduction Badge to help their unit improve waste management. This badge focuses on finding solutions to waste challenges and opportunities to reduce waste and improve recycling. As part of this program, each unit receives a professional waste site review to assist their needs.
Ambassadors who desire to help their units become more sustainable can join the Green Workplace Program. This program serves units by recognizing their best practices and helping them find opportunities and solutions to improve.
Engage an Audience on Campus
Sustainability for Study Abroad
This project aims to make the education and activity of students studying abroad more sustainable. This will be done by creating several web pages for students studying abroad; one webpage for students and one for faculty who are leading trips. The creators of these webpages hope to encourage students studying abroad to take at least one sustainable action, and for the faculty and staff to develop study abroad curriculum that integrates at least one sustainable development goal. The student webpage is already live and offers great information and tips for how students can make sustainable choices.
Engagement projects go beyond the boundaries of an ambassador’s home unit to serve a larger campus audience. These projects can vary widely in topic.
Take Action in Your Unit
Sustainability is on the Agenda
Sustainability has made its way onto the Belk College of Business Management Department meeting agendas. The goal of this project is to engage faculty and staff on sustainability initiatives and raise awareness on ways the College of Business can make an impact. During these meetings, the Management Department plans to brainstorm and develop a sustainability-related project for the department to do together.
Sometimes ambassadors have creative ideas to support a need or explore an opportunity within their own unit. These projects can vary widely in topic.