Memberships & Affiliations

UofL recognizes that at the heart of sustainability is a recognition of our interdependence and common future. Sustainability is not created in a vacuum and goes well beyond the borders of our own campuses. In seeking to promote sustainability we collaborate with other individuals and institutions at the local, state, national, and global levels.

One such avenue for mutual support is through UofL's membership in the following organizations:

• Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
  All who care about environmental, social and economic responsibility should get connected with AASHE! UofL's membership gives all faculty, staff and students access to a world of benefits, including conference discounts and an online Resource Center containing how-to guides, best practices, campus profiles, assessment tools, policy and program databases, reports, and more. To get started, create a user profile using your @louisville.edu address.
  AASHE member benefits, services and programs include:

  Individual Member Accounts
  Anyone at UofL can create their own account to access member-only pages on AASHE’s website and receive member discounts. Create your member account and complete the user profile using your campus email address. Email webmaster@aashe.org if you have any difficulty with this process.  

  AASHE Newsletters
  You can subscribe to any AASHE newsletters. AASHE Bulletin is a weekly e-newsletter with the latest campus sustainability news, resources, opportunities, and events. AASHE Events notifies you about AASHE’s annual conference, workshop, webinars and other AASHE-hosted events. AASHE Announcements contains updates on important organizational news. STARS Update keeps you current on activities related to the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System program.

  Online Resources
  AASHE’s online Resource Center includes assessment tools, policy and program databases, best practices, campus profiles, how-to guides, reports, discussion forums, and other resources. Many of these are member-only so you’ll need an individual member account.

  Professional Development
  AASHE holds or co-sponsors workshops and webinars throughout the year, plus an annual conference that brings together every sector of higher education as well as business, government, and non-profit participants. These events offer opportunities to connect with colleagues at regional, national, and international levels to share resources. As members, UofL students and employees receive discounts on all AASHE events. Check the AASHE calendar for upcoming events. Also see AASHE Conference Papers & Presentations Database and STARS Webinars Archives.

  Product and Service Discounts
  AASHE business and non-profit members offer occasional product and service discounts for AASHE members.

  Publicity and Recognition
  You can submit campus sustainability news and job postings to the AASHE Bulletin. The Bulletin informs over 11,000 subscribers about campus sustainability news, resources, and opportunities. You can also submit a photo and text for the member spotlight, which highlights efforts at individual campuses and is featured on AASHE’s website.

  Professional Awards
  Submit applications for any of AASHE’s awards, including the Campus Sustainability Case Study Award, Student Sustainability Leadership Award, and Student Sustainability Research Award.

  Sustainability Officers Directory
  AASHE maintains an online directory of campus sustainability/environmental officers to enable us to find and reach out to colleagues doing similar work at other institutions.

  Discussion Forums
  Participate in AASHE’s Campus Sustainability Discussion Forums, which provide a central place for sharing ideas and best practices and for finding answers to questions on topics related to sustainability and higher education.

  AASHE Blog
  AASHE’s “Campus Sustainability Perspectives” blog features opinions and reports by staff and guests related to campus sustainability. Rad the blog, comment on posts, and request to submit your own items as a guest blogger. There is also a chronological archive page and a comprehensive list of blogs that are related to campus sustainability.

  Governance, Councils, Committees
  Anyone from UofL can participate on AASHE’s committees, councils, working groups, and board.

  Direct questions about AASHE or member benefits to info@aashe.org.
• American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)
  
  University of Louisville Praised For Positive Climate Impact (ACUPCC, April 3, 2012)
  A network of colleges and universities like UofL that have made institutional commitments to eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions from campus operations, and to promote the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate. The mission is to accelerate progress towards climate neutrality and sustainability by empowering the higher education sector to educate students, create solutions, and provide leadership-by-example for the rest of society. The ACUPCC provides a framework and support for America’s colleges and universities to implement comprehensive plans in pursuit of climate neutrality. The Commitment recognizes the unique responsibility that institutions of higher education have as role models for their communities and in educating the people who will develop the social, economic and technological solutions to reverse global warming and help create a thriving, civil and sustainable society.
  The ACUPCC publicly hosts UofL's Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventories and UofL's Climate Action Plan!

• The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE), University Affiliate Program and the Council of Environmental Deans and Directors (CEDD). Benefits include:

  Representation on NCSE's Council of Environmental Deans and Directors

  Participation in multi-institutional collaborations to secure funding

  Exclusive access to information on federal funding for environmental R&D and education

  Complimentary registrations for faculty and students to NCSE's National Conference

  Free campus-wide access to environment and energy news through E&E Publishing

  Paid environmental internships through NCSE's Campus to Careers Program

  Member discount for a new customized environmental program assessment service

• The Association of University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (ULSF) which serves as the Secretariat for signatories of the Talloires Declaration, including the University of Louisville.

• The Worker Rights Consortium and its Designated Suppliers Program help to ensure that UofL trademark apparel is not produced under abusive, dangerous sweatshop conditions. (Previously, UofL was also affiliated with the Fair Labor Association to advocate for an end to abusive practices and injustices in the supply chain).
  
• The U.S. Green Building Council
  

• Louisville's Partnership for a Green City between UofL, Metro government, Jefferson County Public Schools, and Jefferson Community & Technical College.

UofL also collaborates with groups and institutions through a variety of other channels:

• UofL's Socially Responsible Investment Committee exchanges ideas and information with other schools through the Responsible Endowments Coalition.
• Check out the virtual stands at Expo 21XX for info on several sustainability initiatives at UofL:
  - Sustainability Council
  - Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research
  - Renewable Energy Applications Laboratory
  - Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center
  - Office of the Vice President for Business Affairs
• UofL works with other institutions of higher education throughout the state through the Kentucky Campus Sustainability Leaders Workshops. UofL sends representatives to each workshop, and on October 22nd, 2010, UofL hosted the second workshop in this on-going collaboration, with representatives from: Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Transylvania University, Murray State University, University of Louisville, University of Kentucky, Northern Kentucky University, Morehead State University, and Jefferson Community and Technical College.