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What is the Climate Action Leaders Program?

The Climate Action Leaders are faculty and staff peer-to-peer sustainability educators that will work with the Keene State College Office of Sustainability to further KSC’s sustainability goals. The Climate Action Leaders complement the existing student Eco-Rep peer-to-peer education program to ensure that all groups on campus are engaged in creating a culture of sustainability at KSC. Additionally, one of the primary goals of the Climate Action Leaders program is to promote the Green Office and Green Events programs, key resource-saving and efficiency initiatives.

How does the Climate Action Leaders program work?

At the beginning of each academic semester, the Office of Sustainability will host a joint Climate Action Leaders/Eco-Reps/ROCKS kick-off meeting. This will be a comprehensive onboarding which will include critical information about KSC’s sustainability goals, process and programs. The training will include: information about the sustainability work that KSC is doing, KSC’s Sustainability Goals, the ‘Green Programs’ that the KSC Office of Sustainability manages, communication and behavior change techniques, and a Campus Sustainability Tour. After the kick-off meeting, the Climate Action Leaders will begin their work, which ranges from formal or informal education sessions within their department, promoting sustainability goals and initiatives, and thinking creatively about new ways to make KSC more sustainable. In particular, The Office of Sustainability anticipates that the Climate Action Leaders will support the Green Events and Green Office programs, and will also involve their departments in specific Office of Sustainability engagement activities such as competitions and celebrations. The Office of Sustainability will host monthly joint meetings during the academic year, which will include the the Climate Action Leaders, the Eco-Reps, and the ROCKS students. This will be an opportunity for the Climate Action Leaders to connect directly with students engaged in sustainability work on campus.

What does it take to be a Climate Action Leader?

To be a Climate Action Leader, all it takes is a desire to help spread the word about sustainability, the ability to participate in the Climate Action Leader training session, held at the beginning of each academic semester, and the ability to participate in monthly meetings during the academic year. The Climate Action Leaders are not expected to be subject area experts, just the point person within their department for sustainability-related questions. The Office of Sustainability encourages the Climate Action Leaders to raise any questions that they need help answering and to feel as though they are part of the broader Keene State College Sustainability Team.

How much time does it take to be a Climate Action Leader?

The Climate Action Leaders program is designed to be a relatively flexible time commitment, however at a minimum, Eco-Ambassadors are expected to attend meetings and trainings and promote key programs and events within their departments. The minimum time commitment is approximately 2 hours per month, but the Office of Sustainability hopes that Eco-Ambassadors will be enthusiastic supporters of sustainability and will be excited to spend more time, where appropriate, within this role.

What are the key Climate Action Leader responsibilities?

• Promoting the Green Office and Green Events Programs so that their coworkers and peers understand the importance of recycling, composting, energy saving, and more
• Supporting the Office of Sustainability campus-wide engagement campaigns such as the fall Conservation Celebration, winter RecycleMania and spring Earth Month, and encouraging participation within their department in these events
• Participating in monthly joint meetings with the Climate Action Leaders, Eco-Reps, and ROCKS students
• Briefing their department on the sustainability work happening on campus and on new initiatives
• Encouraging colleagues to think creatively about integrating sustainability into their work and programs
• Acting as a resource for their colleagues for any and all sustainability-related questions or concerns
• Being advocates and change-makers; the Office of Sustainability welcomes new ideas and innovative solutions 

Interested in learning more? Contact Caitlin Holden, the KSC Sustainability Engagement Coordinator, at Caitlin.Holden@keene.edu.