AASHE Conference 2012

Oregon State University is a proud member of AASHE, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. AASHE has been bringing colleges and universities together since 2001 to advance sustainability in higher education worldwide. Members of AASHE include universities like OSU, 16 other colleges and universities in Oregon including some Oregon based businesses and NGOs. Members also include Universities like Harvard and Yale and there are hundreds of members worldwide.

This year, AASHE held its annual conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Downtown L.A on October 14-17. This year’s theme was titled “Investing in the Future.”  OSU representatives whom attended the conference included Brandon Trelstad, Sustainability Coordinator; Sonja Mae, Sustainability Program Specialist; Andrea Norris, Outreach Coordinator for Campus Recycling and Surplus Property; Emily Bowling, Civil Engagement and Service Coordinator for  Student Leadership and Involvement and Brian Laird, Student and Fee Board Chair for the Student Sustainability Initiative. OSU representatives opted to ride Amtrak’s Coast Starlight to the conference as train travel is less environmentally impactful than air travel. The conference offered attendees a plethora of seminars, workshops, tours, keynote and plenary speakers like Hunter Lovins, to cater to the diverse needs of each college or university.

Each of the OSU representatives was able to dive into their topics of interest and attend sessions that would support their sustainability related efforts in the workplace. Sessions were broken down into several categories: Facilities and Operations, Academics, Engaging Students, Change Management, Administration and Planning, Business Resources, Collaboration and Partnerships and included some documentary films sessions. The AASHE conference this year embodied diversity, solutions, creativity, education and inspiration.

To learn more about AASHE, this year’s conference and other upcoming events please visit http://www.aashe.org/