7.5 Community Involvement & Outreach.  

MIT's EHS Policy clearly articulates the Institute's commitment to the well-being of the community in which it operates. Acting on this commitment, MIT participates in numerous community-focused activities that promote sound EHS practices and performance. The following select examples showcase the variety of MIT community-focused EHS activities:

• Cambridge-MIT Clean Diesel Collaborative - MIT’s Environmental Programs Office has partnered with the City of Cambridge to win and implement an EPA Voluntary Diesel Retrofit grant to install advance diesel pollution control devices on both City and MIT diesel vehicles. These installations will reduce harmful diesel emissions in the community where they operate.
  
• Greater Boston Breathes Better - MIT serves on the steering committee of the EPA-sponsored “Greater Boston Breathes Better” initiative and is an active participant in this collaborative effort to find and promote solutions to reduce local diesel emissions.
  
• Cambridge Energy Alliance - MIT is currently serving on the Organizing Committee of the Cambridge Energy Alliance and is partnering to advance this important energy conservation initiative.
  
• Cambridge Climate Protection Program - MIT is assisting the City of Cambridge to achieve the goals set by the Cambridge Climate Action Plan through existing and future environmental initiatives. MIT has developed classes and class modules that specifically engage students on exploring opportunities to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions.
  
• Earth Day – Several MIT departments and student groups partner annually to host an Earth Day showcase of environmental activities and programs both at MIT and in the community. MIT’s Earth Day events are open to the public.
  
• EPA P3 Program – MIT academic departments and the EHS Office are implementing an EPA P3 (People, Planet and Prosperity) grant that funded the development and implementation of an innovative Green Chemical Purchasing Wizard and pollution prevention program aimed at reducing the toxicity of research chemicals.
  
• Best Workplace for Commuters - MIT has been recognized by the EPA as a Best Workplace for Commuters for its comprehensive programs to increase commuter choices.
  
• EHS Office Open House – The EHS Office has hosted a public open house that offered educational displays and activities to inform the community about sound EHS practice in the home.
  
• Cambridge GoGreen Award – MIT’s recycling program was awarded a GoGreen award from the City of Cambridge for the success of our programs reaching a 40% recycling rate.
  
• Cambridge City Council - In 2006, the City Council of Cambridge passed a City Resolution recognizing MIT’s leadership in environmental stewardship. The Resolution also thanked MIT for sharing their knowledge and experience with other institutions to promote sustainable practices.
  

Other recent activities have included:

• Environmental Virtual Campus*- A web-based "virtual campus" compliance assistance tool for use by colleges and universities.
  
• Urban Focus: MIT-Cambridge Schools Collaboration on Education for the Environment*- A collaboration with the Cambridge Public School system to perform three urban environmental projects. The goal of this collaboration was to provide lasting benefits to the local urban environment as well as to develop enhanced environmental consciousness among local citizens..
  
• Cambridge Public Schools Science Lab Project - A collaboration between the MIT EHS Office, Harvard University, and the Cambridge Public Schools to develop an EHS program for the Cambridge Public School science labs.
  
• Cambridge Climate Action Initiative - MIT is assisting the City of Cambridge to achieve the goals set by the Cambridge Climate Action Plan through existing and future environmental initiatives.
  
• Stata Center Biofiltration Stormwater System*- A biofiltration stormwater system for MIT's new Stata Center building that improves the health of the Charles River has been completed.
  
• Vassar Street Utilities and Streetscape Projects - Installation of a bicycle lane, better sidewalks, trees, new steam and condense lines, hot water piping, telephone/data and electrical duct banks, fire protection water lines, water, sewer, and storm drain on Vassar Street. This includes the burial of overhead telephone and electric lines to incorporate the physical and aesthetic connections among MIT's buildings and public spaces. This project results in a greener, more pedestrian and bike-friendly streetscape. The project has begun phase two, which continues north of Massachusetts Avenue.
• Participation on the Local Emergency Planning Committee for Cambridge - Examples of a short term project that the EHS Office was involved in was participation on the Cambridge Nanomaterials task force to determine appropriate policy and procedures for managing concerns regarding research with nanomaterials.

* This project was undertaken by MIT in connection with the settlement of an enforcement action brought by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice for alleged violations of the Federal Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. There was no actual harm to the environment.