OIP Sustainability Ambassadors Contribute to Better Waste Management

The Office of International Programs (OIP) is a conscientious partner of campus sustainability initiatives. Since the launching of the sustainability ambassador program at UNC Charlotte, four OIP staff members have participated in this campus-wide effort.

The Sustainability Ambassador Program is a professional development program for employees to learn more about the university’s sustainability goals and practices. Staff and faculty members, upon becoming ambassadors, help promote a culture of sustainability on campus and make a positive difference within their department and beyond.

Yongling Gorke, assistant director for international education, and Sherry Washington, director of finance and personnel, are amongst the inaugural cohort of sustainability ambassadors at UNC Charlotte. Gorke and Washington joined efforts and completed a project for better waste management at the Office of the International Programs. Washington liaised with the Office of Sustainability and led the waste equipment assessment. The team assessed the waste and recycle bins of all of the OIP office spaces, including individual offices, conference rooms, a computer lab and the kitchen.

The compost initiative is another critical component of the Better Waste Management project, which Gorke led. Through a collaborative consultation, the team decided on a compost plan, for which paper towels and coffee grounds are collected and composted weekly. The compost initiative reduced the overall paper waste produced and also provided a learning opportunity for OIP staff about environmental sustainability.