Environmental Caucus

Keeping NAU green

By promoting conservation education, innovative research, and sustainable operations, we’re keeping our commitment to a green campus.

Our initiatives

We are proud to take a proactive stance on creating a sustainable future for NAU and the Flagstaff community. Among our initiatives are conservation programs like the Green Office Certification Program and Green Labs Certification Program through the Office of Sustainability, and the Sustainable Ambassador Program available to every Lumberjack. The Environmental Caucus also has seven Action Teams, each with a different focus. We are currently rebuilding and restructuring our Action Teams, while we continue to make an impact on campus.

Sustainability Leadership Awards

Each year, the Environmental Caucus awards outstanding efforts of students and community members for their work on green initiatives. We are proud to have a positive impact on the environment in and around Flagstaff, and enjoy recognizing those who make a difference! For more information, visit the Sustainability Leadership Awards website.

Action Teams

Our seven Action Teams—Communications, Energy, Sustainable Landscaping, Transportation, Academics, Justice, and Waste Minimization—engage the entire community, spreading awareness and understanding about the structure and purpose of sustainability-related organizations and initiatives on campus. They:

  • create ways to market new and existing sustainable initiatives
  • evaluate, support, promote and improve sustainable transportation alternatives at NAU
  • investigate opportunities and engage key stakeholders across campus in an effort to decrease NAU’s climate impact
  • implement diverse initiatives to decrease chemical use in our campus landscapes and promoting pollinator habitats
  • develop strategies for waste minimization

Be the guest speaker Accordion Closed

Each month, we feature a guest speaker to share a topic relating to our mission. If you would like to be a guest speaker at one of our upcoming meetings, please send us an email.

Mission and values Accordion Closed

We are a grassroots, volunteer group—our informal structure allows flexibility in producing effective and creative results. Our Steering Committee guides our work, approving recommendations that are brought before the Caucus at monthly meetings. The Action Teams advance the institutional commitment to sustainability and help promote education, research, and projects that positively impact the environment.

Steering Committee Accordion Closed

Our Steering Committee serves two-year rotating terms as our official operational body. Members come from diverse backgrounds and represent various university departments. The Steering Committee meets one week before the monthly Caucus meeting to plan upcoming meetings and discuss ways to incorporate sustainable initiatives at NAU.

  • Erik Nielsen: Chair, Professor, School of Earth and Sustainability

If you’re interested in applying to be a member of the Steering Committee, please send us an application for consideration. Email the Steering Committee for more information.

Events Accordion Closed

The Caucus is open to the community and meets monthly on the 4th Friday of the Month, 3:30-5pm in various locations. Email green@nau.edu for location info! Join the Green NAU community:

  • share ideas on initiatives that promote a more sustainable future
  • discuss nominations for NAU Sustainability Leadership Awards
  • plan upcoming community events to promote sustainability

If you have an event we should include on our calendar, please contact us.

Find upcoming events on the NAU Events Calendar (keyword GreenNAU).

Connect to Green NAU Accordion Closed

The Environmental Caucus works in concert with Green NAU, and we invite you to explore their mission and interests as well. Together, we can all make a difference!

Support the Environmental Caucus Accordion Closed

As a strictly volunteer association, the Environmental Caucus is one of the few, if not the only, group on campus where students, faculty, and staff interact as peers and work actively to brainstorm, share information, and put ideas into action. Financial donations are appreciated and will help us further our work and support green causes across campus.

Join us

The Environmental Caucus is supporting the Climate Action Planning efforts. Please check the website for upcoming events and join a public feedback session. If you’d like more information or to become part of the Environmental Caucus, please email us.