Source: Ben Champion, 785-313-3085, champion@k-state.edu
http://www.k-state.edu/media/mediaguide/bios/championbio.html
Video available: http://www.youtube.com/kstate#play/user/D0B3974C2E2C6965/1/cDrEJVDHX9M
News release prepared by: Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, 785-532-6415, ebarcomb@k-state.edu

Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009

K-STATE GOES LIVE WITH SUSTAINABILITY WEB SITE TO CONNECT K-STATERS WITH DIVERSE OPPORTUNITIES; SITE INCLUDES INFO ABOUT COMING SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE

MANHATTAN -- As Kansas State University strives toward a more sustainable campus, a new Web site is connecting the K-Staters making that happen with one another and with the wider community.

The K-State Sustainability Web site is now live at http://sustainability.k-state.edu/

Ben Champion, K-State's director of sustainability, said the site paints a more complete picture of all of the efforts across campus that are making the university more sustainable. The site includes directories of courses, research and projects, ways for people to get involved, and a news blog.

"What this Web site can do is give the broad overview of things going on across campus," Champion said. "This Web site can help connect people for interdisciplinary research projects, service learning projects and more. For instance, if instructors are wanting to develop class projects, they could tie in with ongoing sustainability efforts by our facilities department."

One such sustainability effort is flower crews that ride their bicycles to the 65-plus beds and planters scattered across campus. K-State also is constructing a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certified building for its leadership studies program.

Sustainability-minded students are making their mark on campus as well. Students from various campus organizations are once again organizing game day recycling this fall, and they organized an effort that made it easier for students to recycle cardboard while moving into the residence halls in August.

In addition to offering information about these types of efforts, the new Web site will help Kansans working in higher education connect for K-State's second Conference on Sustainability, Jan. 29 and 30, 2010.

"What we really want to do is work with other sustainability professionals throughout Kansas," Champion said. "We want it to be about the needs of Kansas, not just K-State. This is a way that K-State can provide leadership in sustainability. We can help create a statewide network for sustainability throughout higher education in Kansas."

More information about the conference, including the call for presentations with an Oct. 1 deadline, is available on the new Web site at http://sustainability.k-state.edu/conferences/2010/