WOW

Planning a Sustainable Week

Sustainability: meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Sustainability is fast becoming a way of life at Cal Poly! Learn about what WOW is doing to reduce its environmental impact in the campus and community and also about how to have a sustainable week with your WOWies!

First and most importantly, educate yourself on important, current environmental issues. Be a knowledge base for your WOWies and be prepared to answer questions they may have. When you are doing things like zero waste lunches, taking the bus, not using single-used water bottles, and Day of Service, take the time to educate your WOWies about why these things are important. The more they know the more likely they will be to continue making sustainable choices!

Here are suggestions to think green when planning your week that will reduce your group's waste and therefore WOW's overall waste as well:


Utilize reusable water bottles and large water jugs instead of single-use individual bottles.

Eat meals in the dining facilities instead of getting food to go. This will save much material waste, such as to-go containers, that are needed for take-out food. Also, if the venue is buffet-style, remind yourself and your WOWies only to take portions they will eat and go back for seconds if they want more food!

Use alternate forms of transportation to events around the community. WOWies will be more likely to use alternate transportation in the future if they learn how to use it during the week. Teach your WOWies how to use the SLO transit system! Visit www.slocity.org for a bus schedule and map.

Try to plan consecutive events in one area to minimize gas usage. This will also help to save much needed time!

Pay attention to paper waste, and utilize emails to communicate with other leaders and communicate with your group.

Participate in WOW Day of Service! Show your WOWies more ways to get involved in SLO and also teach them the importance of giving back to their new community home. Day of service is on Friday of the Week from 1 p.m. to 4.p.m.

Calculate your group's carbon footprint during the week. Aim to have a zero carbon footprint from day 1! WOW is planning to calculate its carbon footprint during the Week. This will help uncover the wasteful and unnecessary aspects of the program which can be eliminated in future years. You can calculate your group's carbon footprint too using online sources.

Encourage WOWies to calculate their personal carbon footprint also. Imagine if everyone wasted even 5% less in their lives. With 4,000 people that would be 20,000% less waste! Talk about great news!

Visit http://www.carbonfootprint.com/minimisecfp.html for suggestions of how to reduce your carbon footprint and suggestions of how to apply some of those things to your group's activities.

Get involved in the fast-growing movement towards sustainability on campus and inform your WOWies how they can get involved too! The UC/CSU/CCC Sustainability Conference 2008 (http://sustainability.calpoly.edu/) is held at Cal Poly from July 31 - Aug 3, which is one opportunity for involvement. Other opportunities include participating in sustainability clubs such as Empower Poly, Net Impact, or Zero Waste.