Green Office Program

What is the Green Office Program?

The Green Office Program encourages and facilitates energy and waste reduction practices in offices across campus. 

UMass Amherst currently has 85 offices (and counting) that participate in the Green Office Program. View the most up to date list of participating offices (as of June 2020) working to be more sustainable. You can also view our outdated archived list of participating offices (from April 2016). 

How Does It Work?

The offices that choose to participate in the program work to complete requirements based on a five-level scale: bronze, silver, gold, green and evergreen. Each level is based off of seven topics: energy, waste and recycling, kitchens, bathrooms, travel, purchasing and involvement, which outline more sustainable office behaviors and operations. Completion of the program occurs once an office fulfills the criteria for the “evergreen” level. Offices will need to renew their certifications to maintain their "evergreen" standing every semester. 

Our Sustainability Fellows work individually with an Eco-Leader (a role assigned to a staff member in the office) to devise a plan customized to meet the office’s needs. The system allows for a friendly competition between offices to see who can reach the evergreen certification. Recognition is rewarded for every level completed with a congratulatory certificate.

Scoring for certification for v2.1 (Launched January, 2018) is as follows:

  • Bronze: 11+
  • Silver: 16+
  • Gold: 21+
  • Green: 26+
  • Evergreen: Offices are eligible for Evergreen status if they attain the following:
  1. They maintain green certification for at least two semesters.
  2. Earn a minimum of 5 innovation credits.
  3. (Prior to Fall 2018) Recruit another office to the program. (Post Fall 2018) Share a weekly sustainability tip, sustainability news article, or something that your office is doing to promote sustainability with the members of your office. 

     

Get Involved

Offices: Email the Green Office Program team 

Students: Apply for a Green Office Fellowship Position

Checklist

Step-by-Step Guide to the Green Office Program:

  1. Please email the Green Office Program team to schedule a walk-through of your office.
  2. Download the Green Office Checklist (Checklist for offices WITH Kitchens  |  Checklist for offices WITHOUT Kitchens) to see how green your office is.  This is optional prior to receiving a walk-through.  The designated Green Office Student Fellow will bring a checklist to the walk-through once scheduled.
  3. Perform a walk-through with a Green Office Program fellow and begin implementing the suggested actions in order to receive or improve your score.

Composting

The Minute Riders Compost Program is operated by Green Office Program Fellows. The program offers student-led, bike-powered compost pickup services available to Green Offices on campus. We will assist offices that have kitchens or break rooms in collecting their own composting by providing counter-top compost bins and liners, and student Green Office Fellows assigned to your Green Office will use pedal power to collect it bi-weekly. To enroll in the program, please contact the Campus Sustainability Manager at 545-0799. 

Building Coordinators are available to help Eco-Leaders

You may be stuck wondering how to make physical changes to your office. Building Coordinators oversee building conditions and report building deficiencies to, and make service requests of, Facilities & Campus Services; and coordinate completion of requested services. If you need to know who is currently serving as the Building Coordinator for your building or department, you can call 5-6443, or email csr@umass.edu. You can also look it up yourself on the Building Coordinator/Customer Service Representative List.

Resources

The following links are resources for greening your office.
Please download them and print only as needed.