{"674742":{"#nid":"674742","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Earns STARS Gold Rating for Sustainability Achievements ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has earned a STARS Gold Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the\u202fAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment \u0026amp; Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.\u202f \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith more than 1,200 participating institutions in 52 countries, AASHE\u2019s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university\u2019s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in five areas:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAcademics and research\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Col start=\u00222\u0022\u003E\u003Cli\u003EEngagement \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Col start=\u00223\u0022\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOperations \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Col start=\u00224\u0022\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPlanning and administration \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Col start=\u00225\u0022\u003E\u003Cli\u003EInnovation and leadership \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSTARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,\u201d said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. \u201cGeorgia Tech has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Gold Rating.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe STARS program is open to all institutions of higher education and allows for both internal comparisons as well as comparisons with similar institutions. \u0022STARS is the cornerstone of sustainability reporting for colleges in the U.S. It is our most comprehensive process for collecting data and tracking our sustainability progress at Georgia Tech,\u0022 said Jennifer Chirico, associate vice president of The Office of Sustainability at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Office of Sustainability led the charge, reaching out to more than 200 individuals and dozens of offices collecting data for STARS. The information provides a deep understanding of how diverse campus areas work together to support sustainability. STARS data directly informed Georgia Tech\u2019s recently published \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-climate-action-plan\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EClimate Action Plan\u003C\/a\u003E, whose goals advance Tech\u2019s commitment to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAchieving this rating is evidence of our commitment to sustainability and responsible stewardship,\u201d said Shantay Bolton, executive vice president for Administration and Finance. \u201cIt reflects the collaborative efforts of our entire campus community \u2014 students, faculty, and staff \u2014 as we work together to create a more innovative, environmentally conscious, and socially responsible institution. Let this be an inspiration as we continue advancing sustainable practices and making a positive impact on our campus, in Atlanta, the state of Georgia, and the world.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEmma Blandford serves as portfolio manager for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/sustainabilitynext-plan\/\u0022\u003ESustainability Next\u003C\/a\u003E and project manager for the STARS report. She says, \u201cThis team is incredibly passionate, and they are all experts in their fields. This report truly showcases that amazing work, but the progress does not end there. As proud as we are of earning a Gold Rating, Georgia Tech will continue to improve our commitment to sustainability going forward.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is important to note that this report showcases data only from Summer 2021 through Summer 2023. Since the fall, Georgia Tech has: \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELaunched \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/sustainabilitynext-plan\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESustainability Next\u003C\/a\u003E, a 10-year strategic plan to advance sustainability across research, education, operations, and commercialization.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELaunched the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-climate-action-plan\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Climate Action Plan\u003C\/a\u003E, an actionable road map for halving Institute emissions by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. Led by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOffice of Sustainability\u003C\/a\u003E, it includes 30 climate-focused strategies.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDistributed over $400,000 in seed grants for sustainability-related research in partnership with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sustainability\u0022\u003EBrook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/rbi\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERenewable Biproducts Institute\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAwarded over $150,000 in seed grants significantly expanding the reach of Georgia Tech\u2019s sustainability-across-the-curriculum initiatives and launched a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ctl.gatech.edu\/transformative-teaching-sustainability-and-sdgs\u0022\u003ECommunity of Practice through the Center for Teaching and Learning\u003C\/a\u003E in partnership with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/usec\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EUndergraduate Sustainability Education Committee.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Gold Rating represents an improvement from Georgia Tech\u0027s 2021 submission, which received a Silver designation. From highest to lowest, STARS ratings include Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Reporter. Blandford adds, \u201cWe have landed Gold status, but the path to Platinum is visible. We are excited to see how far we can go.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s STARS report is publicly available on the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reports.aashe.org\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-ga\/report\/2024-02-29\/\u0022\u003ESTARS website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has earned a STARS Gold Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the\u202fAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"   Georgia Tech has earned a STARS Gold Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the\u202fAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)."}],"uid":"35028","created_gmt":"2024-05-16 17:59:34","changed_gmt":"2024-08-30 16:35:01","author":"cbrim3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674029":{"id":"674029","type":"image","title":"STARS Gold Rating for Sustainability ","body":null,"created":"1715881515","gmt_created":"2024-05-16 17:45:15","changed":"1715881754","gmt_changed":"2024-05-16 17:49:14","alt":"Image of the STARS Gold rating for sustainability from AASHE","file":{"fid":"257493","name":"Stars_Seal_Gold_RGB_300.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/16\/Stars_Seal_Gold_RGB_300.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/16\/Stars_Seal_Gold_RGB_300.png","mime":"image\/png","size":223257,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/16\/Stars_Seal_Gold_RGB_300.png?itok=OMq95P-4"}}},"media_ids":["674029"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/","title":"Office of Sustainability"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"193728","name":"I\u0026S News"},{"id":"192081","name":"office of sustainability"},{"id":"35921","name":"Facilities Management"},{"id":"193729","name":"STARS rating"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEmma Blandford\u003Cbr\u003EProgram and Portfolio Manager\u003Cbr\u003ESustainability Next\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["eblandford3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}