Sustainability Plan Strategy Three for Goal Five

Washington State Department of Ecology

Institutionalize Sustainability as an Agency Value and Raise Employee Awareness of Sustainable Practices in the Workplace

Objective - Assure that Agency Staff is Aware of Changes Being Made in Order to Meet the Sustainability Goals of the Agency.

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STRATEGIES	ACTION STEPS	WHO	WHEN
1. Lobby bulletin boards with information on current sustainability projects going on in the various facilities.	a. Secure bulletin board space. b. Post information.	Sustainability Teams	Second 6 months
2. Utilize the headquarters kiosks to provide real time information on energy use in the building.	a. Work with facilities staff to graphically represent performance measures related to energy and water consumption. b. Develop charts. c. Post on kiosk.	Facilities Sustainability Team	Second 6 months
3. Form facility sustainability teams with representatives from throughout the organization. The teams would recommend sustainability actions, track implementation progress at each facility, and inform staff.	a. Form teams. b. Develop facility sustainability plans, incorporated by reference into this plan.. c. Implement plans.	Regional Sustainability Teams	First 6 months
4. Develop a series of training classes on sustainability that is required to be taken by all staff.	a. Develop class outline. b. Develop class materials. c. Offer training. d. Evaluate results.	Sustainability Team Employee Services	First 6 months
5. Place the Sustainability Plan on the internet. Performance measures and graphs will demonstrate progress.	a. Develop web pages. b. Go live with web pages. c. Continuously update performance.	SWFAP IT staff, J. Shepard	First 6 months
6. Send "sustainability tips" via e-mail or a quarterly one page e-letter.	a. Write tips. b. Distribute.	Sustainability Teams	Ongoing
7. Write articles for the in-house newsletter, "EcoLink."	a. Develop articles. b. Submit according to deadlines.	J. Shepard Sustainability Team	Ongoing
8. Hold Earth Day conferences on sustainability at all Ecology facilities for all Ecology staff. The conferences will revolve around economic, social and environmental equity. Local communities will be engaged.	a. Secure agency support. b. Establish Steering committee and sub-committees. c. Develop agendas, secure facilities. d. Hold events.	Sustainability Teams	Second 6 months
9. Hold monthly hands-on demonstrations related to sustainability leading up to Earth Day. These involve activities folks can take home, such as how to build and maintain a worm bin, how to select a “green” automobile or community involvement in environmental justice.	a. Create organizing committee. b. Create agendas and schedules. c. Secure speakers. d. Hold sessions.	Sustainability Teams	Ongoing

Anticipated Outcome

Agency staff will:

Become aware of sustainability efforts taken by the agency to reduce its footprint.
Know how they can participate in agency sustainability efforts.
Be aware of the importance of sustainability.
Become better at providing sustainability education.
Understand the concepts of sustainability.

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