STARS is a database that universities can use to enhance and track the sustainability measures. The data that is needed includes energy, food, waste and much more. This application picks through each part of a campus to “grade” the school on its sustainability. The part of the database that my partner and I focused our efforts on was landscape management and biodiversity. These two areas accounted for credits that would go to the overall score.

My group choose to focus our efforts on the grounds because of our work in the bee keeping club and my partner worked there over the summer. Her knowledge of the people and the relations she built there gave us in advantage in working with the grounds department.

In the honey bee conservation club many members including myself have many ideas for how to make grounds more green. Ideas like electric power tools, and leaf blowers other ideas like native beds and growing ornamental plants ourselves. The results found show that our school does a good job already. We have an IMP program, research being done for the biodiversity and limited pesticide use.

Efforts need to be done however in limiting use of diesel and gasoline tools. This will help to cut carbon emissions and help UNE reach the goal of carbon neutrality by 2045.