SDGs – Poster Topics

Quick links to the 10 topics below:

Cleary Courtyard
Union Market
Geothermal System
Greenhouse & Horticulture Education Center
THE SPACE
Green Roof
Learning Commons
Solar Panels
Wellness Center
Weber Veteran Military Student Center

STUDENTS

Please choose one of the following topics for your Sustainable Development Goals poster project. These areas highlight where Western Technical College is adapting and implementing sustainability around our campuses.

Be sure to include the text from these three categories:

POSTER HEADLINE
POSTER SUBHEAD
POSTER FACTS

Here are a few ideas showing how you might layout the information on a poster:

These are just ideas. Make your poster your own. Look at the examples on the instructions web page and draw inspiration from them. Remember your basics: Type, colors, art, and layout.

1. Cleary Courtyard

(Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Save Water: Clean Water and Sanitation)

POSTER HEADLINE

Cleary Courtyard

POSTER SUBHEAD

Without fresh water, life on Earth doesn’t exist. The Driftless Region has an abundance of freshwater. It’s our responsibility to steward

POSTER FACTS

As the rain that falls on our yards and parking lots flows off, it picks up garbage, oil, and other chemicals and drains directly into our local rivers and wetlands.
When washed into the Mississippi River, excessive nitrogen and phosphorous from fertilized lawns and fields in Wisconsin contribute to fish-killing pollution in the Gulf of Mexico.
Western uses native plants, rain gardens, and permeable paving to absorb extra stormwater.
Our landscaping absorbs 5,000,000 gallons of stormwater each year. That’s the equivalent of 7 ½ Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Climate Change Connection: Climate change is increasing the number and intensity of heavy downpours in the Driftless Region.
What can you do? Dispose of unused or expired medications, pain, and over-the-counter drugs properly. Use a medication drop box like those found around town at Gundersen or Mayo locations.

Learn more about it

Western is very intentional about constructing outdoor spaces that offer an array of sustainability features that mimic the natural world and pay homage to the natural beauty of our area. There is no better example on campus than Cleary Courtyard. Sustainability features of Cleary Courtyard, but also found across our campuses, include:

Plants native to the La Crosse area attract pollinators, require less maintenance and watering, and create healthier soil.
Stormwater planters and rain gardens capture stormwater headed toward the sewer systems—and then the river—and instead redirects it into the ground to be naturally filtered.
Permeable pavers, the grey bricks running the length of Cleary Courtyard, enable rainwater to seep back into the ground instead of creating runoff. The water can then be naturally filtered through the soil to replenish the groundwater. Western’s La Crosse campus diverts over 5 million gallons of stormwater from the sewer system each year!
Energy-efficient LED lighting makes the courtyard a safe, welcoming environment, even at night.
The Savanna Garden, located at the far west end of Cleary Courtyard, is meant to evoke the prominent natural features of La Crosse: the Mississippi River and the bluffs. This area brings the peacefulness of nature to the center of an urban campus.

Did you know? Carved into the walkway of Cleary Courtyard is a series of stars in the pattern of the constellation Eridanus, the River, found in the night sky!

2. Union Market

(Sustainable Development Goal 12 – Live Better: Responsible consumption and production)

POSTER HEADLINE

Union Market

POSTER SUBHEAD

By reducing, reusing, and recycling our stuff in such a way that doesn’t cause harm to the short and long-term livability of our communities, Western stewards valuable resources.

POSTER FACTS

About 33% of food in the U.S. is wasted, either being thrown out by us or having never made it to our tables in the first place. That’s over 200 billion pounds of wasted food annually!
50% of all plastic produced is for single-use purposes—used for just minutes and then thrown away.
Instead of sending kitchen scraps to landfill where they emit greenhouse gases, Western dehydrates them and sends them to be composted. This creates rich soil to grow more food.
The Union Market has reusable to-go containers and high-quality reusable coffee thermoses to help you reduce your own garbage.
Did you know the Union Market serves lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, and many other kinds of produce grown on campus in the greenhouse?
Each week, the Union Market donates all excess prepared cold foods to the Salvation Army and Western’s Cavalier Cupboard.
Climate Change Connection: Globally, food waste accounts for 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions!
What can you do? Reduce food waste at home. Be more attentive about how much food you buy and throw away. Avoid buying perishable food in bulk.

Learn more about it

The Union Market, home to Western’s food court, brings a sustainability slant to dining.

We only offer the larger size of a reusable thermos, not the smaller “tea” size
Promoting sustainably sourced foods – Union Market purchases its coffee from Just Coffee Co-op and the microgreens used in our salad bar are grown by our horticulture students in the Horticulture Education building on campus.
Reusable clam-shell containers – for take-out and incentives for using reusable mugs
Near zero-waste kitchen – Western uses a pre-consumer food waste dehydrator to turn food waste into biomass that, when amended, is used by our horticulture students and others as a growing medium. In the first year of operation, the dehydrator kept 4 tons of food waste out of the landfill and produced one ton of biomass.
Food donations to local shelters – Western donates leftover food to the local Salvation Army shelter at the end of the week.

Did you know? A giant hood above Chops Mongolian grill in the Union Market Food Court sucks up waste heat from the grill, filters it, and uses the recaptured heat to heat the rest of the building.

3. Geothermal System

(Sustainable Development Goal 9 – Making Smart Choices: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure )

POSTER HEADLINE

Geothermal System

POSTER SUBHEAD

Upgrading and retrofitting buildings with environmentally sound technologies makes Western more sustainable, resource-efficient, and saves taxpayer money in the long run.

POSTER FACTS

Western heats and cools the ITC using geothermal energy—that is, energy from the earth.
The ITC harnesses the heat from the earth using 128 wells located under the parking lot to the south of this building. Each well reaches down 400 feet! Western also uses geothermal technology at its Sparta location.
Western’s energy conservation efforts have saved us nearly $3.5 million dollars in utility bills since 2010.
Many of Western’s buildings have attained a LEED rating of Silver, Gold, or Platinum. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, the most widely used green building rating system in the world, provides a framework for building and operating highly efficient and cost-saving buildings.
Climate Change Connection: The way we operate our buildings accounts for around 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
What can you do? Investigate the heating and cooling systems present in your home. If you rent an apartment, ask your landlord if they have looked into energy efficiency measures.

Learn more about it

Western’s award-winning Integrated Technology Center (ITC), completed in 2016, was awarded a LEED platinum certification, the highest possible rating. Instead of demolishing and building from scratch, the ITC was built on the bones of a 1970s era building thereby diverting about 1000 tons of construction material out of the landfill. The building hosts a number of sustainability features inside and out:

Green Roof – More than one third of the ITC’s roof is covered in self-sustaining plants. Green roof technology is important in maximizing green space and reducing the Urban Heat Island Effect. This green roof in particular has a sustainable irrigation system that monitors the weather and adjusts the soil moisture to weather conditions.
Living Wall – Our two story living wall located on the 3rd and 4th floors of the building is made up of over 3,900 individual plants. These plants serve to clean the air and are juxtaposed with the industrial feel of the interior.
Transportation – The parking lot of the ITC is full of sustainability features. We try to promote biking as a viable form of transportation to school and work, or the use of other forms of green transportation. The ITC parking lot has spots specifically for “low emitting vehicles.” There is also an electric car charger and a bike repair station.

Did you know? There are also 128 geothermal wells under the ITC parking lot that reach down 400 feet for a total of 19 miles of piping! We use the geothermal system as an efficient method to heat and cool the building.

4. Greenhouse & Horticulture Education Center

(Sustainable Development Goal 15 – Love Nature: Life on Land)

POSTER HEADLINE

Greenhouse

POSTER SUBHEAD

A flourishing life on land is the foundation for our life on this planet. Promoting the sustainable use of our ecosystems and preserving biodiversity is key to our ability to thrive.

POSTER FACTS

Over 1,000,000 species worldwide are threatened with extinction, many within decades, more than ever before in human history.
The native plant species used throughout Western’s campus provide an important source of food and shelter for pollinators and migratory birds.
Western staff and students use the Horticulture Education Center (aka the greenhouse) to grow plants for the two-story living wall located in the Integrated Technology Center, a variety of native and house plants, and vegetables used in Western’s Union Market.
Due to our stewardship of trees on campus, Western has been a certified Tree Campus, U.S.A. campus since 2011.
The garden area to the west of the greenhouse is designed with climate change in mind, using plants that will thrive in a warmer, wetter Driftless area.
Climate Change Connection: Since 1990, plant hardiness zones, the geographical areas divided up by climate that are used to determine where different plants will grow best, have moved north by about 13 miles per decade due to our warming climate.
What can you do? Transform a vacant lot, median, alley, or any other space you have access to by planting it to intentionally maximize biodiversity, support pollinators, and create habitat for endangered species.

Learn more about it

The horticulture education building is home to our landscape horticulture program and Hillview Urban Agriculture, a not-for-profit grassroots organization dedicated to making fresh, healthy food accessible to everyone.

Water from the roofs are collected into an exterior storage tank, filtered and treated by a UV light, and then used to water plants in the greenhouse
The lot to the west of the horticulture education building is being transformed into a learning and demonstration space so that students and community members can learn about alternative landscaping ideas responsive to our changing climate.
Among other things, Western’s greenhouse bays are used to grow micro greens for use in the food prepared at our own Union Market.

Did you know?

At one point, the Horticulture Center was a residence hall for Western students. When that building was torn down, some of the stone was recycled and reused in the new Horticulture building. Come on in and check it out!

5. THE SPACE (Equity/Diversity area, 2nd floor of Student Success Center)

(Sustainable Development Goal 10 – Be Fair: Reduce inequality)

POSTER HEADLINE

THE SPACE

POSTER SUBHEAD

Central to Western’s mission is empowering and including all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or economic or another status.

POSTER FACTS

Western’s Student Place of Action, Culture, and Empowerment (SPACE) offers students individualized support and advocacy, coaching, and opportunities for engaging in their education while at Western.
The SPACE manages the Cavalier Cupboard (Western’s student food pantry) and the snack and hygiene baskets around campus.
The SPACE offers educational programming focused on identity and social justice topics that are relevant to our communities.
Staff in the SPACE help connect students’ learning at Western to community-based projects and volunteer opportunities.
Climate Change Connection: Increasing heatwaves, flooding, and extreme weather events caused by climate change disproportionately impact underserved communities. Everyone, no matter their race, color, national origin, or income deserves equal protection from environmental harm and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, work and play.
What can you do? Stand up for your rights and the rights of others.

Design Considerations – Suggestions from the team at THE SPACE

Have students add the heart/fist graphic
Highlight the Cavalier Cupboard pantry in one section
We focus on all historically marginalized identities (race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, ability, etc…). I really like the “respect our differences” image because it shows that we are an LGBTQ+ safe space, but we also focus on so much more.

Download the Cavalier Cupboard logo:

Cavalier-Cupboard-logo.ai.zip Download

Heart/fist icon examples (students will draw their own version for the poster)

Learn more about it

The Student Place of Action, Culture, and Empowerment (The SPACE) is housed on the second floor of the Student Success Center in Room 222. We offer individualized support and advocacy, coaching, opportunities for engaging in your education while at Western, and the Cavalier Cupboard, campus food pantry. The Department of Equity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement is housed within this area.

The physical space offers a relaxing atmosphere to socialize, meet new folks, and study. We offer board games, private study rooms, free printing, snacks, and coffee.

The Cupboard could be better highlighted unless they are going to create a separate flyer for the Cavalier Cupboard – including the Food Recovery Network in partnership with the Union Market.

6. Green Roof (2nd floor of the Integrated Technology Center)

(Sustainable Development Goal 11 – Love Where You Live: Sustainable Cities and Communities )

POSTER HEADLINE

Green Roof

POSTER SUBHEAD

Designing our communities to be safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, Western helps increase the quality of life for those in the communities we serve.

POSTER FACTS

Due to large amounts of paved surfaces, urban areas can be several degrees warmer than surrounding suburban and rural areas during the summer months. Green roofs absorb less heat than conventional roofs, reducing the heat-island effect.
Green roofs capture up to 80% of rainfall during storms, thereby helping reduce urban flooding.
Western’s green roof is irrigated using reclaimed rainwater stored in an underground cistern between the ITC and the Business Education Building.
Our green roof is planted with sedum, a plant that needs very little maintenance and is resilient to pests, diseases, and drought conditions. Plus, bees find sedum irresistible!
Climate Change Connection: Green roofs help to keep buildings cooler in the summer. The reduction in cooling loads reduces greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.
What can you do? Placemaking is both an idea and approach to strengthening the relationships between people and the places they share. Become a local placemaker by working with others to create public art, build playgrounds, or advocate for more pedestrian-friendly streets.

Learn more about it

More than one-third of the ITC’s roof is covered in self-sustaining plants. Green roof technology is important in maximizing green space and reducing the Urban Heat Island Effect. This green roof in particular has a sustainable irrigation system that monitors the weather and adjusts the soil moisture to weather conditions.

7. Learning Commons

(Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Learning Throughout Life: Quality Education)

POSTER HEADLINE

Learning Commons

POSTER SUBHEAD

Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education, Western prepares inhabitants of the Driftless for jobs now and in the future.

POSTER FACTS

Education is a human right, but not everyone has access to education like we do in the U.S. Around the world 62 million girls are kept from realizing their right to education.
The data are clear: people with more education end up earning more over their lifetime.
In addition to our main campus in La Crosse, Western has 6 regional locations and provides quality education to people in 11 different counties!
Western offers over 100 programs, apprenticeships, and transfer programs to help all students attain their educational goals.
Western’s Learning Commons puts student success first. Meet with librarians, specialists, peer tutors, or instructors if you need help finding books or articles for assignments, assistance writing a paper, or help with math or other subjects.
Climate Change Connection: Women with more years of education tend to have fewer and healthier children, thereby easing population growth and the future greenhouse gas emissions that come from a more populated planet.
What can you do? Keep learning throughout life and defend everyone’s right to high-quality public education.

Learn more about it

Student success is our top priority! The Learning Commons provides library services, tutoring, and college prep programs for Western students. Meet with librarians, specialists, peer tutors, or instructors if you need help finding books or articles for assignments, assistance writing a paper, or help with math or other subjects. We work one-on-one and with small groups to help you gain the skills to succeed in college, jobs, careers, and beyond. The Learning Commons is also a great place to relax between classes, a quiet place to study, and the perfect place to meet with classmates for group projects.

In addition, we are the campus hub for social and emotional support. Access the Cavalier Cupboard food pantry located just inside the main doors, meet with a counselor, find learning support and accommodation services, participate in community activities, or get involved as a volunteer!

8. Solar Panels

(Sustainable Development Goal 7 – Use Renewable Power: Affordable and clean energy )

POSTER HEADLINE

Solar Panels

POSTER SUBHEAD

In today’s world, everyone needs fair, affordable access to renewable energy from the sun and wind. Western reduces its carbon footprint and helps to usher in change by using renewable sources of energy.

POSTER FACTS

Western has converted nearly every light on our campuses to high efficiency LED lights.
Western is a member of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership because more than 30% of our electricity comes from renewable sources.
The solar array in front of the ITC provides about 5% of the electrical power needed in the building.
Western has other photovoltaic systems on our Automotive and Diesel Center, our Black River Falls location and our Independence location. We also purchase renewable energy from a solar garden in Cashton.
Climate Change Connection: Electricity production accounts for about 25% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
What can you do? If you are unable to install solar panels where you live, contact your energy provider about signing up for a renewable energy program. Xcel Energy offers utility customers, either homeowners or renters, the option to use renewable energy for just a few additional dollars per month.

Learn more about it

Western, an inaugural signatory of the President’s Climate Leadership Commitment, is committed to carbon neutrality by 2035. Part of our strategy to achieve this is using renewable energy sources to power our buildings. In addition to investing in a community solar garden built by Xcel Energy, we use several photovoltaic systems across our campuses. Click on the links below to access our various energy dashboards.

Integrated Technology Center – 50 kW system
Automotive Center – 75 kW system
Black River Falls campus – 7.2 kW system
Independence campus (in partnership with Dairyland Power) – 10.4 kW system
Excel Solar garden – 100 kW

To learn more about Western’s green energy usage, check out the energy dashboard.

Did you know? Since 2010 our energy efficiency efforts have helped us avoid over $2.5 million in utility bills!

9. Wellness Center

(Sustainable Development Goal 3 – Stay Well: Good Health and Well-Being)

POSTER HEADLINE

Wellness Center

POSTER SUBHEAD

Western promotes physical and mental well-being for students and employees.

POSTER FACTS

In 2019, just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 19.86% of adults experienced a mental illness, equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans.
Just 23.2% of U.S. adults meet the Physical Activity Guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.
With a variety of strength training and cardio equipment, personal training, group fitness classes, intramural sports, massage therapy, and nutrition coaching, the Wellness Center at Western provides members with the tools they need to live healthier lives.
Climate Change Connection: Climate change impacts our physical and mental well-being by exposing us to more intense and prolonged heatwaves, a longer allergy season, decreased air quality and more frequent natural disasters.
What can you do? Destigmatize mental illness, value your own health and well-being, and encourage others to do the same.

Learn more about it

The Wellness Center has what you need to get into shape and stay that way! We have treadmills, elliptical machines, upright and recumbent bikes, Matrix strength machines, free weights, and functional fitness equipment: stability balls, resistance bands, medicine balls, and TRX. Our facility includes a full-court gymnasium, a studio for group fitness classes, a massage therapy room, and locker rooms with showers.

Comments from your instructor and the Wellness Center staff

Be sure to include women and men.
Be sure to show diversity regarding body shape, ethnicity, hair color, length, etc.
Show people and products if possible
Be sure to vary the type of clothing worn by people working out.
Include the Wellness Center Logo.

Wellness Center logos and photos for your reference

Wellness-Center-Photos.zip Download

Wellness-Center-Logos.zip Download

10. Weber Veteran Military Student Center

(Sustainable Development Goal 8 – Decent Work)

POSTER HEADLINE

Weber Veteran Military Student Center

POSTER SUBHEAD

Western prepares people in our region for important, good-paying jobs, helping our local communities thrive.

POSTER FACTS

For every certificate, diploma, or degree earned by a Western student, there is an employer impressed with the skills and experience students develop through our accredited programs.
Western offers more than 100 programs, multiple pathways, and apprenticeships, that lead our graduates to good-paying jobs.
Western proudly serves around 1,000 military connected students each year through the Weber Veteran Military Student Center, a spot on campus dedicated to helping veterans succeed in achieving their goals beyond the military.
Western evaluates military training and experience in order to maximize students’ prior military experience and shorten the time and resources they need to earn an associate degree, diploma, or certificate.
The Veterans Center fosters connections between our Veterans and community partners, helping to build a more resilient community.
The Veterans Center helps student veterans build resiliency through programs such as benefits counseling, VA work-study positions, and military credit for prior learning.
Climate Change Connection: As we continue to respond to the challenges brought on by climate change, “green-collar” jobs present enormous opportunities for growth and innovation.
What can you do? Support local businesses. Check to make sure no one was exploited to make what you buy.