Santa Clara University

sustainability at scu
Categories in the Sustainability Decathlon

  • iconScience and Technology
    • Teams will develop at least one science fair project related to sustainability.
  • iconFood and Agriculture
    • Teams will research and develop a 100-mile diet meal for both Santa Clara and Washington D.C.
      • See toolkit for more information about the 100-mile diet.
      • Ideas for this meal could be incorporated into SCU-CCA’s Solar Decathlon strategy!
    • Teams will identify how a personal garden could support that meal.
      • Ideas for this garden could be incorporated into SCU-CCA’s Solar Decathlon home design!
  • iconSocial Responsibility
    • Teams will articulate the ethical dimension/moral purpose of sustainability. Ethics and civic engagement should be running themes throughout the other nine categories.
    • Teams will help other students identify the ethical dimension of sustainability through direct action and/or reflection.
  • iconCommunication (interpersonal)
    • Teams will educate their campus about sustainability.
      • Start or contribute to an awareness day – possibly an Earth Day celebration on your campus with interactive activities that educate and entertain.
        • Invite at least one environmental/sustainability-related organization to attend/have a booth at your awareness day. Consult toolkit and work with student mentor for help.
        • Be sure to document all preparation for Awareness Day–including community invitations that were declined.
    • Teams will foster and measure campus involvement.
      • Teams should strive to get as many people on campus involved in the project. Getting people actively involved in a project is the most effective way to educate about sustainability and engage others. Encourage full campus involvement, from students to faculty.
      • Document attendance at team meetings, events, outreach programs, etc.
  • iconCommunication (via technology)
    • Teams will create a website to document their progress and support efforts in other categories. (Consult toolkit for help).
      • Websites should at the least, answer the following questions:
        • What is sustainability? What is your high school team doing?
        • Teams will create at least one video to document their progress, record an event, or support their efforts in other categories. Post video(s) to YouTube and link or embed video on your website.
  • iconConservation
    • Teams will propose and carry out initiatives to help the campus and student body conserve energy, reduce waste, and decrease water consumption.
    • Choose at least one of three categories (energy, waste, water) and work with your student mentors. Consult toolkit for ideas.
  • iconConnections (with the natural environment)
    • Teams will foster and develop students’ connections to nature. Enable and empower students to spend time outdoors. This could include organizing hikes, camping trips, or outdoor service projects.
  • iconConnections (leadership and education)
    • Teams will form relationships with and conduct outreach to middle school(s) and/or elementary school(s) around an issue of sustainability.
      • Choose one school and design a project to do in conjunction with a class or grade level. The more students involved, the better.
      • You are encouraged to extend your outreach to more schools.
  • iconConnections (regional/global)
    • Teams will develop a relationship with a high school in another state and/or country around an issue of sustainability.
  • iconGreen Living/Sustainable Habits
    • Teams will educate, enable, and foster sustainable habits for their school’s student population.
 

Judging Guidelines:

A panel of SCU faculty, staff, students, and community members – experts in their fields – will judge each decathlon entry at the Sustainability Decathlon Exposition in May 2009. Specifics about the event (date, time, etc.) will be provided by SCU mentors. The event will take place on a Saturday or Sunday at Santa Clara University.

Points will be awarded based on effort and outcomes of each team’s initiatives. The final result of the your projects is important, but so is your learning process along the way.

Remember that funding is available! Intel Corporation has generously provided funding to support youth education and outreach related to science and sustainability. Please use the Grant Application form in your Toolkit to submit your proposal to your SCU Mentor no later than April 3, 2009. A committee will review teams’ application on a rolling basis.

Points Awarded
  Total Points
Possible
Team addressed each decathlon category:
Science and Technology: 100
Food and Agriculture: 100
Social Responsibility: 100
Communication (interpersonal): 100
Communication (via technology): 100
Conservation: 100
Connections (with the natural environment): 100
Connections (education and leadership): 100
Connections (regional/global): 100
Green Living/Sustainable Habits: 100		 1000
Team successfully completed a project(s) in each category:
Science and Technology: 10
Food and Agriculture: 10
Social Responsibility: 10
Communication (interpersonal): 10
Communication (via technology): 10
Conservation: 10
Connections (with the natural environment): 10
Connections (education and leadership): 10
Connections (regional/global): 10
Green Living/Sustainable Habits: 10		 100
Team addressed and shows understanding of sustainability:
Social Equity: 100
Environment: 100
Economics: 100		 300
Team’s project(s) are sustainable
(they are ongoing and/or repeatable): 100		 100
Remember, if it’s not fun, it’s not sustainable! Total points possible: 1500

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