Past CEI projects 
Computer Purchase & Disposal Proposal
The Computer Purchase and Disposal Proposal, which reviewed arrangements for computer purchasing and disposal at UNH and at other universities, and the subsequent Technology Policy and Planning Group Recommendations were the synthesis of an on-going policy development collaboration between the UNH Office of Sustainability, the UNH Office of Environmental Health and Safety, UNH Computing & Information Services, and the USNH Purchasing Office. The goal of this initiative was to integrate life cycle principles into the computer purchasing and disposal system at UNH.
Houghton's Energy Star Discounts
In 2005, the University Office of Sustainability partnered with Houghton ACE Hardware in Durham, Lee, and Newmarket to offer everyone in the UNH community – students and parents, faculty and staff, and local Durham-area community members and landlords – discounts on ENERGY STAR and energy efficient appliances and compact fluorescent light bulbs – up to 50% off the listed retail price on some items. The program ended in 2007 when Houghton's closed its Durham store location. UOS is now working with UNH Housing, UNH ResLife, and others to develop new ways to provide UNH students and parents with ENERGY STAR and energy efficient appliances and electronics.
INHALE (Integrated Human Health and Air Quality Research)
INHALE was an integrated assessment investigating the link between climate and public health in New England by the UNH University Office of Sustainability, the UNH Climate Change Research Center, and the UNH School of Health and Human Services. Given the regions poor air quality, INHALE focused on the relationship between air quality, weather, and asthma and broader indicators of pulmonary function. The project was closely linked with the existing AIRMAP research project and relied heavily on air quality and climate data as well as air quality forecasts generated by AIRMAP. In addition, the project relied fundamentally on the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders (state, local, private) linked to improving public health in the state and region.
"Power to the People": 2006-2007 University-wide Dialogue on Energy
Sponsored by the UNH Discovery Program, the University Dialogue is an ongoing effort to engage the UNH community in a series of discussions and activities that explore a common theme each year. In 2006, UOS partnered with the Discovery Program to bring Kathryn Blume's one-woman play about global warming - "The Boycott" - to campus as part of the "Power to the People: a University-wide Dialogue on Energy." UOS often partners with the Discovery Program to help sponsor events, speakers, films, plays, and other "happenings" to campus related to each year's Dialoge topic. UNH Chief Sustainability Officer Tom Kelly was a Dialogue author during the first Dialogue on globalization in 2005-2006, and during the 2007-2008 Dialogue on democracy UOS helped to co-sponsor a fair trade fair. Learn more about the UNH Discovery Program...
Promise of the Sun Exhibit
The UNH Office of Sustainability was awarded a grant from the former New Hampshire Governor's Office of Energy and Community Services (now the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning) to install a photovoltaic array and companion educational exhibit in the University's student center, the Memorial Union Building. The exhibit was designed to explore the relationship between renewable energy, climate, and sustainability. Acknowledging the significance of these issues to all disciplines and professions, the exhibit was interdisciplinary and employed a variety of media including images, books, and the Internet. The "Promise of the Sun" exhibit can be viewed here.
Daily solar output from the photovoltaic array on top of the MUB can be viewed here. The array can generate 1 kilowawtt of power, which is equivalent to 15% of a typical home's electricity needs or approximately $132 per year. OS is now working with faculty, staff, and students on campus to gauge future research interests using the array.
Public Health and Sustainability: Vital Signs of New Hampshire
This 2002-2003 ongoing series of programs was co-sponsored by the UNH Office of Sustainability, UNH Health Services, the UNH President's Commission on the Status of Women, the UNH School of Health and Human Services, and the UNH Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space. The series explored the integration of public health and sustainability by taking an ecological approach to a variety of issues. Program topics included climate change, air quality, and genetically modified foods, while programming ranged from Women's Commission Networking Breakfasts to presentations and panel discussions. All programs were open to the public and held on the UNH Durham campus.
Recycled Paper Initiative
In 2001, the UNH community was consuming in a twelve month period approximately 30 million sheets of copy bond paper. The first goal of the UNH Recylced Paper Initiative was to increase the recycled content of paper used by the UNH community to a percentage higher than the old UNH standard of 30% post consumer. Members of the UNH Recycled Paper Initiative - including representatives from the UNH Student Senate, the UNH Student Environmental Action Coalition, UNH Printing Services, USNH Purchasing Office, UNH Central Receiving, and the UNH Office of Sustainability - issued a Recycled Paper Initiative Report and Recommendations (PDF). Until 2006, UNH required all offices and department to purchasing 100% post consumer paper through UNH Central Receiving, saving energy, trees and landfill space. As many more 100% post consumer paper products have become more prevalent in today's market, the UNH community now purchases paper through its outside office supply contracted vendors.
