1. ESC Green Project 1
Summary Text for Power Point Presentation of
December 6th, 2010: “Building a 'Green' Culture at Empire
State College, Metro Center – 325 Hudson St., New York, NY
Empire State College/SUNY–Metro Center
Team Members: Marc Garber, Cheryl Lavery, Pam Lozano, Gary Prashar
Mentor: Dr. Erella Regev
Course: Strategic Planning: Sustainability Project – BME 0687243 Fall,2010
January 31, 2011

2. ESC Green Project 2
ABSTRACT
As Students of Empire State College, specifically the Metro Center located at 325
Hudson Street in NYC our intent is to research other successful “Green Culture” initiatives in
and around NYC that can be applied to our campus. Our teams’ purpose is to be able to
determine areas where this campus can improve in its sustainability and energy efficiency
efforts.
Our team recognizes that one of the main obstacles in adopting any new initiative is
the modification of behavior; therefore we plan to considerably research functioning
program’s behavioral impacts on the basis of success in creating a “green” culture.
We will make recommendations for how Empire State College, Metro Center – 325
Hudson Street can adopt a “greener” culture.

3. ESC Green Project 3
WHAT SUSTAINABILITY IS AND IS NOT.
Recycling paper, glass, and other materials, and limiting water and electric
consumption are major steps in the struggle to make our world a better place. But these
measures are just drops in the bucket when viewed from the perspective of true
sustainability. But what exactly is sustainability. Or maybe it is easier to discuss what
sustainability is not. Sustainability is not just about recycling plastic water bottles, rather it is
about not buying water in plastic bottles in the first place. Sustainability is not about
removing another mountain top for a cache of coal that will barely out a dent in the human
races appetite for fuel; it's more about changing our lifestyles to reduce our reliance on fossil
fuels by demanding less energy. It is up to each and every human being who cares about
sustaining a livable planet for generations to come, to become personally sustainable. Here
we will present our findings, after months of research, for achieving sustainability here at
Empire State College Metro campus. We hope to plant the seeds that will grow into the
greening, not just of the physical facility, but of the culture of ESC Metro.
"Achieving sustainability is not just about changing how humans do things, it's about
changing how humans view things." -Dexter Dunphy in "Organizational Change for
Corporate Sustainability", p. 153
In order to build a Green culture at Empire State College, Metro Center we must
consider the following: where we are now, where we want to be and what we must do to
there. Only after we have fully researched these aspects of building a green culture will be
able to assess the potential implementations that can take place at ESC, Metro Center both
short term and long term.

4. ESC Green Project 4
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
SUNY plans for ESC Metro Center
ESC has hired a full time Director of Environmental Sustainability, whose
responsibilities include making recommendations for sustainability efforts throughout the
ESC school system. Additionally, ESC has made a commitment to participate in NYC
Mayor Bloomberg’s NYC 30-10 challenge, in which colleges will commit to reduce their
carbon emissions by 30% over the next 10 years. ESC is a member of the Association for
the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. These initiatives place ESC in a
position to embrace sustainability throughout the campus and commit to making ESC a more
“green” environment for students, faculty and staff.
SWOT Analysis
A comprehensive SWOT analysis was completed at the inception of the project.
Internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats were identified.
Strengths of the project included the synergy with ESC’s sustainability efforts and certificate
program, cost savings that could be borne to the college, adult learners in general are open to
new ideas and behaviors, the college has hired a Director of Environmental Sustainability
and has a dedicated budget for sustainability efforts, and building a green culture will attract
environmentally-minded students and faculty. Some of the weaknesses identified included
existing lease restrictions, minimal influence with the current building management as ESC
leases the space and does not own it, general resistance to change, no funding designated
specifically for the Metro Center, and there is no current energy audit available by which to
identify or benchmark changes or suggestions. External opportunities are the environmental
concerns of society, significant advances in green technology and products to support
sustainability efforts, the availability of other “green” colleges by which to benchmark
efforts, and Bloombergs NYC 30-10 initiative, which challenges colleges to reduce their

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carbon emissions by 30% over the next 10 years. The threats identified include lack of
access to public and state funding, current building laws and ordinances that might prohibit
some of the recommendations, and any future change in current consumer attitudes towards
sustainability.
Audits: (GARY)
It is important that we define who comprises the current culture at ESC, Metro
Center. Any Green initiative has to involve Stakeholders. Stakeholder is defined by Merriam
Webster as “a person, group, organization, or system who affects or can be affected by an
organization’s actions”. Stakeholders at ESC – Metro include: Students, Faculty, Staff,
Families of Students, Other Building tenants, NYC , Community and the Government.
Through our research we were able to discover that the Faculty and Staff of ESC spend on
average 35 to 40 hours at the actual center, while some work from home. The student
information was harder to determine since the data available only took into account total
number of enrollments per term and some students are enrolled in more than one class.
However, we determined that the student body at ESC – Metro Center was comprised of
adult learners, a diverse population. They also include commuters and some distance
learners.
WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE?
Benchmarking – industry standards:
Three industry associations/standards were identified that support sustainability
efforts in colleges and buildings. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
provides guidelines and metrix for buildings to reduce their carbon emissions and become

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more energy efficient. AASHE provides a STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and
Rating System) audit program designed specifically for colleges and universities to determine
their current sustainability policies/operations are and where improvements can be made.
Finally, the American College & University President’s Climate Committee provides
additional guidelines and information for benchmarking and implementing sustainability
efforts in a higher education environment.
Benchmarking institutions – Berkeley College:
Berkeley College has 8 campuses in the NY/NJ area. This study focused
predominantly on their NYC Midtown locations which are owned by the college. Berkeley
has a well-formed sustainability program called Project GreenPath. It started as a grass-roots
effort by a few faculty members interested in how the college could implement basic
recycling measures, and has expanded to a fully developed program that includes a
sustainability committee and partnerships with all facets of the faculty, staff and student
body. Their initiatives include a highly visible recycling program, websites and newsletters
communicating their efforts, student and staff-wide emails promoting the program, internal
operating changes such as copy and print management systems, retrofitting bathrooms with
auto-flushers, foam soap dispensers and electronic paper towel dispensers, light sensors that
turn off lights when classrooms are empty, reduction of electrical usage through temperature
controls and powering down of computers, and a plethora of other programs. Berkeley
continues to research and recommend other sustainability initiatives such as solar power,
light bulb retrofitting and shortened hours on Fridays in the summer to reduce energy
consumption. The budget for the sustainability efforts comes mainly from the facilities and
operations budgets at each campus.
Benchmarking institution – Hunter College:

7. ESC Green Project 7
Hunter College, a NYC division of CUNY (City University of New York) has 10
buildings in the NYC area. They began their sustainability efforts in 2007 when they agreed
to participate in Mayor Bloomberg’s 30-10 Challenge. Hunter Green has a sustainability
committee comprised of faculty, staff and students. Hunter has a website that publicizes their
sustainability efforts, which include TV monitors that promote sustainability efforts and
campaigns, a recent “take the stairs” campaign that promotes fitness and energy awareness,
recycling efforts, food donations to City Harvest, participation in MillionTreesNYC, bike
racks to promote bicycling to school, rather than taking public transportation or driving, and
other initiatives. They have retrofitted their space to conserve energy, such as replacing
windows with energy efficient ones, retrofitting bathrooms with auto-flushers and auto-
dispensers, reduced HVAC demands on weekends and after hours. A new building will be
LEED certified. The budget for the sustainability efforts comes mainly from the facilities
and operations budgets, and grants to the college.
Triple Bottom Line Reporting … (GARY)
In order to have a future culture of Pro-environmental Students, Staff and Faculty, we
will have to foster environmental knowledge, which will affect environmental attitudes and
result in pro-environmental behavior. The college can provide the faculty, staff and students
with environmental knowledge through studies and seminars that will seek to impact
Environmental attitudes. Although increased environmental knowledge does not directly
result in positive environmental attitudes, but it is key in modifying pro-environmental
behavior. [ FIND CITATION ] .
WHAT WE MUST DO TO GET THERE

8. ESC Green Project 8
Given the nature of our current culture, we have an advantage already. Studies have
found that “the longer the education, the more extensive is the knowledge about
environmental issues. Yet more education does not necessarily mean increased pro-
environmental; behavior.
A meta analysis of 128 pro-environmental behavior research found the following
variables associated with pro-environmental behavior…
Organizations that are trying to change a culture their employees in order to
implement the change. However, one of the biggest challenges to implement change and
main resistance to change is cynicism. Communication, research has found, is one of the
most usefull tools in implementing successful environmental practices and overcoming
cynicism and skepticism. However. This communication must fully expose the real motives
for the change and they must be believe by the employees and organization members.
Another key in implementing successful strategic decisions refers to involving key members
of the organization that are respected to buy-in on the motives of management and then
influence the rest of the organization.
Organization must Communicate implementation plans to reduce cynicism and
skepticism Expose real motives Involve key members of the organization.
"Vision 2015" – The SUNY Empire State College Vision 2015 includes a
commitment that by 2015, ESC will serve a growing body of students while generating a
smaller carbon footprint, providing a full array of studies and degree programs related to the
environment and sustainability, and modeling environmentally sensitive behavior in
communities across the state. ESC will also play an active role within SUNY and beyond as
an advocate for sustainability in higher education.

9. ESC Green Project 9
Incentives for engagement and accountability:
ESC has committed to being energy efficient and embracing sustainability in the
Vision 2015 statement. It states that by 2015 “ESC should be prepared to serve a growing
body of students while generating a smaller carbon footprint, providing a full array of studies
and degree programs related to the environment and sustainability, and modeling
environmentally sensitive behavior in communities across the state. We will also play an
active role within SUNY and beyond as an advocate for sustainability in higher education.”
ESC has also made a financial commitment to sustainability through the hiring of a Director
of Environmental Sustainability. Failure to succeed in their sustainability efforts and
commitment may result in a loss of credibility and bad public relations for the college, a
waste of funds designated for these programs, and a negative impact on students interested in
sustainability studies.
Create a vision…(GARY)
Another way in which ESC could ensure the building of a green culture is using
communications, both internal and external (marketing plan). We recommend that the
greening of the culture of ESC Metro Center be placed at the forefront of visibility for all
who enter: students, faculty, staff, and visitors alike. To accomplish this, we suggest that a
major initiative be undertaken which will utilize the abundance of resources at our disposal.
The talents of ESC students of advertising, marketing, web-based technologies, psychology,
sociology, art, mass communications, and any other relevant discipline should be enlisted in
launching a plan that will effectively communicate the message stressing "why going green
benefits you". We propose a collaborative program offered under the auspices of a class or
classes taken for credit and integrating these disciplines. We believe this will undoubtedly
produce a revolutionary and exciting new approach to achieving our goals.

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Available resources – talent of ESC students…????
RECOMMENDATIONS
Short Term – Technical, Physical and Cultural:
Short term recommendations were developed that can be applied with little cost to the
college and utilize available resources of the school, and which require relatively small
cultural changes. Technical and physical recommendations include making recycling bins
more visible, putting signs above the light switches to remind students and faculty to turn off
the lights when leaving a classroom, providing students access to the paper shredding bins,
have a designated sustainability bulletin board to promote and advertise sustainability efforts,
promote the book exchange more visibly on Angel and MyESC, and provide a visible link to
the Sustainability Website on Angel and MyESC pages. Short term cultural
recommendations include encouraging faculty to accept emailed or online submissions of
assignments, as opposed to requiring paper copy submissions. Additionally, students should
be allowed to opt for electronic learning contracts and grade assessment forms. Finally, ESC
should advertise the benefits of NYC drinking water and encourage students and faculty to
fill their water bottles in school and at home.
Long Term – Technical, Physical and Cultural
Long term recommendations were developed with the philosophy that they should be
sustainable through cost savings initiatives with imaginative use of new resources and that
they should encourage a culture change throughout the school. Some long term technical and
physical recommendations are to partner with the building management to ensure that
recycling is being done, to partner with building vendors to ensure that they are practicing
environmentally positive behavior through using green cleaning supplies, retrofitting
bathrooms when possible, explore the possibility of a bike room for commuting students, and

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invest in a print management and copy system to reduce paper consumption. It was also
recommended that ESC implement a student recycling program for ink, toner and batteries,
with the money received from recycling to be used to fund future sustainability initiatives.
ESC should also publish and communicate the cost savings borne by these initiatives to
engage students and faculty in the program and encourage a change in behavior.
CONCLUSION
????
Addendum
Since our presentation we have learned that all discarded trash from the facility is
sorted for recycling at a facility in New Jersey. We have also learned that a good practice
already in use At ESC Metro Center is the wide use, self-initiated by faculty and staff, of
reusable cups and mugs, rather than disposable containers. Under the direction of Empire
State College's first Director of Environmental Sustainability, Sadie Puglisi, a system-wide
Sustainability Club has been created to facilitate the inclusion of students in green initiatives
and, quite ingeniously, to place the College in a more advantageous and opportune position
to receive benefits for the purposes of achieving sustainability that might otherwise not be
available to the schools.
Acknowledgements
The members of the ESC Metro Center “Green Team” would like to express our
sincerest thanks to everyone who helped us in our study, including. Dr. Erella Regev,
Mr.Rhett Dugstad, Ms. Sadie Puglisi, Dean Cynthia Ward, Dr. Kevin Woo, Mr. Aaron
Zachmeier, & Ms. Sophia Mavrogiannis. We hope we haven't omitted anyone in error.

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References
Dunphy, Dexter; Griffiths, Andrew &; Benn, Suzanne (2010) Organizational Change for
Sustainability Management: A guide for leaders and change agents of the future.
p.153. New York: Routledge.