What is a Green Team?
Green Teams are groups of faculty, staff, and students volunteering to take specific actions to help their organization (college, department, building, etc.) operate in a more efficient, innovative, and healthy way. Typically, Green Teams focus on making their operations more sustainable through the easy to follow Green Paws Program and other initiatives unique to their departments. Currently, the University has 116 Green Teams, with 33 of them at the Commonwealth Campuses, operating in various departments.
The Sustainability Institute sponsors the Green Team program and supports it with information, resources, and training. What initiatives are these teams working on? Check out the success pages.
See the tabs above for more on forming your own Green Team, signing up for an orientation session, learning resources, and locating a team in your unit. For more information contact Lydia Vandenbergh at (814) 863-4893.
Benefits
The ability to work with co-workers to make positive change:
- It's more effective (and more fun!) to work with others
- Connection to 116 Green Teams and more than 1,000 members around Penn State
- Bring recognition to your unit for having a Green Team
- Invitation to annual Green Team lunches and special training sessions
- Access to the best and latest information, resources, events and news available from the Sustainability Institute that can help you and your Green Team succeed. Everyone on our list gets regular updates and announcements from our office via our AIR Newsletter for Green Teams specifically.
How to Form a Green Team
- Identify co-workers who would be interested in working on greening your area.
- Contact Lydia Vandenbergh to set up an orientation meeting or sign up for any of the monthly sessions available through Adobe Connect or in person.
- Obtain a Letter of Support from the Leadership in your office
- Getting support from those in leadership roles can boost morale and promote the credibility of your team. Ask your Office Head/Program Director to write a letter in support of the formation of your Green Team. Be sure to share the letter with your fellow Green Team members and mail or email a copy to Lydia Vandenbergh, 108 Land and Water Research Building.
- You can use this draft letter as a tool to create your own personalized request for leadership support.
- Check out this example letter written by Penn State Dubois' Chancellor supporting her Green Team's efforts.
- Expand your team!
- Invite more co-workers to join your team using this sample invitation.
- Include a copy of the letter of support from your supervisor along with the invitations to join the team.
- You can also post this flyer somewhere in your office to market your team.
- Complete the Green Team Registration Form. Officially registering can help us to help you!
- Contact Lydia Vandenbergh to collaborate on organizing your first meeting.
- Invite coworkers to your meeting using the sample meeting invitation with the meeting time.
- You can also use these tips for meetings and sample agendas.
Update Information
To ensure that we provide your Green Team with the most accurate and up-to-date information, we ask that you let us know if there are any changes to your existing team. Please use this form to update the following:
- Green Team Name
- Green Team Leader Information
- Green Team Member Information
- Green Team Contact Information
Green Team Resources
Green Teams are on the front lines of learning about sustainability, engaging others in that pursuit, and celebrating success. The Sustainability Institute has compiled a variety of tools to help teams build awareness about sustainability issues, inspire others to take an interest and change behaviors and how to communicate these ideas with others. Several of the ideas were created by teams and we will continue adding new resources as they are developed.
Orientations and General Resources
Events & Orientation
2017 Eco-Challenge
Green Bag Lunch Presentation Series
While this series of Green Bag Lunches was held last year, Green Teams can still use the presentations to connect with their Penn State community. All three presentation packets include a planning guide, customizable flyers and emails to advertise the event, and discussion guidelines. All the teams have to do is reserve a room with AV capability, recruit participants, show the presentation and guide the discussion afterward.
Each presentation runs 25 to 30 minutes, allowing 10-15 minutes for Green Teams to facilitate discussions within their groups. Get your planning started with this guide.
1) Jeremy Bean presented “Sustainability Lives Here.”
- Flyer template
- Email template
- Sign-in sheet
- Discussion guide
- Download the powerpoint presentation
- View the presentation recording
2) How Diversity Matters: The Connection between Sustainability and Diversity
What is the connection between sustainability and diversity and how does it apply to work life at Penn State? The Educational Equity Green Team investigates these concepts during this presentation and explores how to tie the mission of diversity into your unit's strategic plan and your personal YOU@PSU.EDU goals. Examples of activities, workshops, discussion questions and videos will be shared.
- Flyer template
- Email template
- Sign-in sheet
- Discussion guide
- Download the powerpoint presentation
- View the Presentation recording
Orientations
During this one-hour orientation, you will learn about the Green Teams program, its benefits and how to start one in your unit and share ideas with others. There is no cost for this training. We do ask that you register, whether or not you will attend in person, so that we can know how many people to expect. Sessions are offered almost every month via Adobe Connect, and some of them are also available in person. The full roster of dates and times and registration is available online.
Customized Orientations:
The above programs are presented by Lydia Vandenbergh of the Sustainability Institute. Customized orientations for groups of ten or more can be scheduled by contacting Lydia.
Branding Materials
Air Newsletter Archive
Air is our monthly newsletter filled with updates, events, green tips and news from our partners.
- March 2018
- February 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
Resources by Category
Behavior Change
Changing behaviors is the key step to prompting cultural transformation and you will find resources to learn about social marketing and how to use it to promote behavior change in this section. Tips and examples are included.
Communications
How can you communicate in a way that is effective? Check out the resources and tips in this section, including videos showing how to share messages in fun and dynamic ways.
Energy
Energy is a main focus in conservation, particularly in our ability to reduce our usage. Learn how to organize energy reduction campaigns, gauge energy use, and prepare your office for holiday breaks.
Recycling
Reduce, Reuse, RECYCLE. In order to stop as much waste as possible from entering the landfill, we must understand how to recycle it. Learn about what services are available at Penn State and how to get others involved.
Sustainability
For all you need to know about what sustainability is, how it applies to the larger world, and your role in it.
Existing Teams
Green Teams at Commonwealth Campuses
Green Team | Contact |
---|---|
Altoona DUS Advising Green | Sue Dodson |
Altoona Earth Angels | Michele Kennedy |
Altoona IT Leadership Council | Joanne Peca |
Altoona Learn Green | Victoria Hesser |
Altoona Sustainability Council | Lisa Emili |
Beaver | Matt Grunstra |
Behrend Dobbins Hall | Cindi Pander |
Behrend Glenhill | Ann Quinn |
Berks | Mahsa Kazempour |
Brandywine | Mark Boudreau |
DEVinitely Green Hershey | Samantha Moore |
DuBois | Mary Walker |
Fayette Admit-Recycle-Enroll | Sherry Scully |
Fayette Chancellor's Office | Billie Jo Yuhaniak |
Fayette E2 Team | Tina Reed |
Fayette Engineering Building | David Meredith |
Fayette Nursing | Michelle Henrish |
Fayette Williams Building | Paula Congelio | Chad Long |
Great Valley | Suzanne Cruit | Eric Stern |
Green York | Annie Haines | Holly Gumke |
Greener Allegheny | Eric Lipsky | David Seitz |
Harrisburg | Andrea Hoerner | Jason Zubler |
Hazleton | Sean McHale |
Mont Alto Bookstore | Beth Neisser |
Mont Alto Conklin Green Team | Francis Achampong |
Mont Alto General Studies | Freya Qually |
Mont Alto Goddard Green Team | Shawn Albright |
Mont Alto Library | Lisa White |
Mont Alto Mill Green Team | Curt Wengert |
Mont Alto Perry Green Team | Brian Sensenig |
Mont Alto Science and Technology | Pam Kauffman | Beth Brantley | Linghoa Zhong |
New Kensington | Ruth Herstek |
ShenanGO GREEN | Tony Paglia | Greg Singer |
Green Teams at University Park
Green Team | Contact |
---|---|
Administrative Units: |
|
Admissions | Amy Pancoast |
Budget Office | Paul Liadis |
BURSAR: Better Understanding Recycling, Sustainability, and Resources | Dennis Peterman | Kelley McCord |
Educational Equity | Ryan Westhoff |
3GT - The 330 Green Team | Sarah Matthews | Sarah Bowser | Katie Bode-Lang | Laura Young | Wendy Peck |
Green Innovations - Investment Office | Karen Hulett | Pam Nisewonger |
Green Planners | Ginny Hosterman | Ellen George |
Green Riders | Ginny Hosterman |
Office of Student Aid | Lisa Homan |
Office of the President Green Team | Justin Lugin | Marissa Shamrock | Tara Cassick |
Office of University Development | Courtney Van Sky |
Office of the University Registrar | Julie Conner |
Research Accounting | Katrina Walker | Cissy Reese |
University Libraries | Harlan Ritchey | Sarah Billman |
Student Affairs: |
|
CAPS Mini Green Team | Susanna Hummer |
Career Services | Barbara Holmes |
Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development | Wolfgang Bruckner |
HUB Green Team | Heide Port | Mary Edgington |
Student Affairs Sustainability | Mary Edgington |
University Health Services | Michel e Brown |
Finance and Business: |
|
Aux. & Bus. Serv. Marketing Office | Michelle Isham |
Center for Workplace Learning and Performance | Jennifer Clouser |
Environmental, Health & Safety | Lysa Holland |
Green BJC | Kate Clarke |
Hintz Building | Sally Horn | Josh Patishnock |
Housing | Dave Manos | John Duncan |
Office of Physical Plant | Jason Smith | Derek Leonard |
Parking Office/ Tranportation | Cecily Zhu |
Penn State Hospitality | Matt Tomrell | Judy Karaky |
Procurement | Becky Fike |
Residential Dining | Jim Meinecke |
Outreach (UP) |
|
Outreach Building Green Team | Julia Ross | Connie Price |
Shaver's Creek Environmental Center | Josh Potter |
Academic Colleges & Institutes: |
|
Agriculture | |
Ag Admin Green Team | Corinna Fisher |
Food Science Greenies | Bob Lumley-Sapanski | Kim Ripka |
Zero In (Ag Engineering) | Heather Gall | Peggy Newel |
Arts and Architecture | |
Center for Performing Arts | Shannon Bishop |
School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture | Lisa Iulo |
Business | |
Smeal School of Business | Christine Novinskie-Olbrich |
Communications | |
COMMunity Green Team | Brenda Johnson |
Division of Undergraduate Studies | |
DUS Green Team | Courtney Karmelita |
Earth & Mineral Sciences | |
ADGER Green Team | Kaitlyn Ingram |
Dean's Office | Liam Jackson |
Dutton e-Education Institute Green Team | Brandi Robinson | Sing Wong |
EME Green Team | Morgann McAfee |
MatSE Green Team | Laura Tetrault | Eric Sagmuller |
Simply EESI Green | Jennifer Williams |
Education | |
College of Education | Bonnie Richardson |
Engineering | |
Civil & Environmental Engineering | David Jones |
College of Engineering | Clark Colburn |
SEDTAPP Program | Andy Lau | Scott Pusey |
The Graduate School |
|
Kern Ph. Gs | Brian Grilli | Roxanne Patton Zoschg |
Health and Human Development | |
BBH Building | Lisa Grove | Joanne Foley-Defiore |
HPA Ford Greenies | Beverly Fahr |
Henderson Ground | Deb Houser | Sue Confer |
HHD Building | Amanda Applegate | Tina Meyers |
Hort Woods | Jennifer Hooven |
Kinesiology | Roana Fuller |
Nutrition | Denise Lawson |
Recreation, Park and Tourism Management | Gennifer Deibler |
School of Hospitality Management | Dave Cranage | Peter Nyheim |
Information Sciences and Technology | |
IST Building Green Team | Lisa Crownover |
Liberal Arts | |
ReANTROcycle | Betty Blair |
Burrowes - Old Botany Green Team | Nicole Force |
Economics Green Team | Georgine Mihalenko |
Green Weavers (Weaver Building) | Bryan McDonald |
Labor and Employment Relations Green Team | Lisa Pierson |
Oswald Green Team | Kim Smith |
Psychology Department Green Team | Janet Swim |
Sentencing Commission | Carol Zeiss |
Pond Lab Green Team | Barb Singer |
Sparks Green Team | Ryan Fisher |
Willard Green Team | Kathy Rumbaugh | Tracey Jackson |
Nursing | |
Nursing Simulation Lab | Darlene Clark | Kristal Hockenberry | Janet Knott |
Science | |
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Joyce Greslick |
Biology | Stephanie Gookin | Aaron Knight |
Chemistry Department | Russel Saieva |
Physical Sciences | Laurie Dasher |
Thomas Green Team | Cassie Johnstonbaugh | Robert Holden |
Institutes | |
Land and Water Green Team | |
Gregarious Green Lions (Larson Institute) | |
The Huck Green Team | Jean Pierce |
Summary |
|
University Park Green Teams | 83 |
Commonwealth Campuses Green Teams | 33 |
Total Penn State Green Teams | 116 |