Brodie Recreation Center & Office of the Duke Forest Certified Green

The Brodie Recreation Center and Office of the Duke Forest recently earned Duke Green Workplace Certification, bringing the campus total to 72 certified green workplaces. The Certification recognizes work areas that formally assess how they are reducing their environmental footprint.

The Brodie Recreation Center earned certification for six staff members by completing 43 out of 58 items on the checklist. At Brodie, the staff worked with Facilities Management to establish a composting program and now compost waste from lunches and events. To further reduce waste, employees print double-sided, cancel junk mail, use reusable bags, and designated a location for sharing unwanted office supplies. All staff have taken the Sustainable Duke Pledge and Duke Individual Carbon Calculator.

Five staff earned certification for the Office of the Duke Forest by completing 45 items from the checklist. Duke Forest staff purchase office supplies with recycled content, encourage alternative transportation, and use reusable water bottles and bags. Employees review options from the Duke Surplus Program before buying new and donate unwanted items to the Duke Free Store. At an off-campus event last year, staff made their own recycling and compost bins to divert waste from the landfill.

Duke's Office of Sustainability administers the Duke Green Workplace Certification, which begins when a representative from a work area attends the free "Leading for Environmental Sustainability" workshop. As part of the workshop, participants receive a checklist of sustainable practices ranging from double-sided printing to using eco-friendly dishwashing soap in a break room. A work area that can demonstrate it follows at least 40 of the checklist's 58 items can apply for certification and permission to post the Duke Green Workplace seal in its office and on materials.

View a complete list of certified offices and the actions they completed to earn certification.