San Francisco State U Students Construct Bioswales
(U.S.): Eighteen students recently helped replace a conventional campus lawn area with bioswales, a landscaped depression that slows the flow of water, allowing it to seep naturally into the ground instead of being diverted into a storm drain. The bioswale is funded in part by a $23,000 grant from the Community Challenge Grant Program, a partnership between the San Francisco Public Utility Commission and the City of San Francisco.
Shanghai Jiao Tong U Launches Sustainable Urban Planning Center
(Singapore and China): The National Research Foundation has approved a proposal for Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China) to set up an urban planning research center for megacities in Singapore. Collaborating with the National University of Singapore, the center will work to improve energy recovery from waste and develop system modeling and data management tools to track and mitigate emerging environmental contaminants using test beds in Shanghai and Singapore.
SmartPower Names 'America's Next Eco-Star'
(U.S.): Recent Middlebury College (Vermont) graduate Katelyn Romanov has won the title of "America’s Next Eco-Star." She was selected by more than 10,000 voters and a panel of experts during the SmartPower and U.S. Department of Energy nationwide competition. Romanov was recognized for her clean energy and environmental activism as a founding member of student group Sprout (dedicated to promoting environmental education in local schools) and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Middlebury student chapter.
Staffordshire U Adopts Car Share Program
(U.K.): A partnership with Hertz On Demand now offers students and faculty a free membership that allows them to reserve a vehicle via phone or on the website. The pay-as-you-go system provides members 24-hour access to vehicles located on campus.
Students Worldwide Collaborate to Improve Lives of Rural Poor
(Ghana): University students from Pakistan, Cambodia, Tanzania, Ghana and the U.S. convened in Ghana to showcase designs aimed at improving the lives of the rural poor as part of the International Development Design Summit, reported the Chronicle of Higher Education last fall. For the past five years, the summit has brought together students, lecturers, engineers, farmers, mechanics and other practitioners from around the world to collaborate on developing products, services and business models to serve the rural poor.
U Michigan Receives $10 M for New Sustainability Fellowship
(U.S.): The university plans to host 300 sustainability scholars over the next six years to study sustainability as it relates to energy, climate change, water, food, housing, transportation and health. The Dow Chemical Company gift will help launch one- and two-year fellowships for master's, doctoral and postdoctoral students, and support a lecture series focused on sharing sustainability research and best practices.
U North Alabama Receives Grant to Improve Recycling Efforts
(U.S.): The University of North Alabama and City of Florence Recycling Center have received a grant from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to improve and increase recycling initiatives on the university campus. The funds will be used to purchase recycling containers for placement across campus. The university will also use part of the grant to implement more advertisements and promotions of the campus-recycling program.
U Pennsylvania Sustainability Curriculum Earns Int'l Recognition
(U.S.): The academic component of the University of Pennsylvania's Climate Action Plan was recognized in the International Sustainable Campus Network's inaugural Global University Leaders Forum Charter report. The university, which became a charter member of the forum in 2010, offers more than 160 sustainability-related courses as part of its goal of making climate change and sustainability part of an educational experience available to all students and the campus community at large.
U Queensland Sees 70% Increase in Bike, Pedestrian Commuters
(Australia): A recent report has revealed a significant rise in bus, bike and pedestrian commuters to the University of Queensland's St Lucia campus. Bus commuters have doubled since the last survey in 2002 and the number of people traveling by bike or foot increased 70 percent. The university has worked to improve its green transportation infrastructure by capping campus car parking spots and working with the Brisbane City Council to develop direct access via public transportation to campus.
U.S., Brazil Partner for Sustainability Workforce Development
(U.S. and Brazil): Houston Community College (Texas), Jackson Community College (Michigan) and Red Rocks Community College (Colorado) have partnered with Brazilian organizations for science and math workforce development. U.S. students are headed to Salvador, Brazil in June to help improve the English skills of 200 Brazilian technical high school students while participating in an intensive program focused on Brazil’s sustainability technology and innovation.
U South Pacific Unveils Solar Energy System
(Fiji Islands): The 45-kilowatt grid connected system is expected to provide approximately 10 percent of energy needs for the campus. Funding for the system was part of a contribution by the Korean government’s East Asia Climate Partnership initiative.
U Vermont Launches Campus Renewable Energy Feasibility Study
(U.S.): Initiated by the university's Clean Energy Fund, the study will reveal which locations on campus can improve their energy technologies with a focus on the possibility of campus-based renewable energy and its role in achieving carbon neutrality. The project is expected to be completed by September.
U Wyoming Students Aid Efficient Lighting Retrofit
(U.S.): As part of a "Campus Sustainability" class learning project, a pair of University of Wyoming students are conducting a detailed inventory of campus building lights to help the university receive rebates for converting to more efficient lighting.
Victoria U Pilots Program to Convert Waste Heat for Distillation
(Australia): Results from the Institute for Sustainability and Innovation's three-month trial operation demonstrate the potential for a membrane distillation process using waste heat from heavy industry to desalinate saline effluent. The system produced high-quality water without an increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
Washington U St. Louis to Expand Green Labs Program
(U.S.): The university's Office of Sustainability and Sustainability Action Team at the School of Medicine are working to expand the pilot Danforth Campus Green Labs Initiative after seeing significant savings in carbon emissions and money since its September 2011 launch. Based on initial results, the initiative is projected to save 80,000 pounds of carbon emissions and $2,000 in energy bills per year.
Advocacy Groups Protest Student Loan Interest Rate Increase
Advocacy groups including Campus Progress, US PIRG and Rebuild the Dream delivered 130,000 letters from students to Congress recently, reports Inside Higher Ed. The groups are asking the lawmakers to stop the interest rate on subsidized student loans from doubling to 6.8 percent in July.
Appalachian State U Dorm Awarded LEED Gold
The second LEED Gold certification for Appalachian State University (North Carolina), the new residence hall received high marks for stewardship in areas including erosion control, landscaping and stormwater controls. Additional sustainable features include energy-efficient lighting, solar thermal and low-flow plumbing fixtures.
Bowling Green State U Achieves First LEED Gold
Bowling Green State University’s (Ohio) Stroh Center incorporates a variety of sustainable strategies including the optimization of heating and air conditioning performance, construction waste management, regional and recycled materials, and water-efficient restroom accessories. The building was also made accessible to alternative transportation.
Brandeis U Tackles Deferred Maintenance with $5 Mil Plan
Brandeis University's (Massachusetts) Board of Trustees has committed $5 million to a Sustainable Energy Program aimed at reducing energy costs and addressing deferred maintenance issues on campus. Projects including lighting retrofits, the replacement of aging heating and cooling systems and increasing efficiency in all energy-related systems are projected to reduce utility costs about $540,000 in the first year. The program's launch coincides with student-initiated Energize Brandeis Month.
Clemson U Debuts Car Share, Electric Car Charging Station
Clemson University (South Carolina) has unveiled its first electric vehicle charging station and a new car sharing program. WeCar, a membership-based car sharing program, allows students, faculty and staff to rent vehicles by the hour. The charging station will be used to charge a Chevrolet Volt that is part of the WeCar vehicle fleet.
Columbia U Awarded Several LEED Certifications
In its winter 2012 newsletter, Columbia University (New York) reports several recent LEED certifications including LEED Gold for its research facility, Northwest Corner, and University Medical Center; and LEED Silver for its administrative Studebaker building.
Elon U Partners with Local Farmers for '10 Percent Campaign'
Elon University (North Carolina) has adopted the 10 Percent Campaign, a statewide initiative that establishes trade agreements between local farmers and businesses to purchase a minimum of 10 percent of all food locally for campus meals. The campaign intends to help reduce food transit; decreasing gas emissions and the need for pesticides and preservatives.
Georgian Court U, EPA Partner for Sustainability Initiatives
Georgian Court University (New Jersey) has partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a range of voluntary programs designed to broaden the university’s sustainability initiatives. As part of the agreement, the university will use the EPA’s Greenscapes landscape planning recommendations, improve its stormwater management, work within the EPA’s WasteWise program and participate in the Labs21 Partnership Program.
Green Mountain College Announces New Eco-Design Program
Green Mountain College's (Vermont) new renewable energy and ecological design undergraduate major, set to launch in fall 2012, will engage students in hands-on design and building projects that benefit the college and local community.
Harvard U Hosts Green Lab Competition
Harvard University's (Massachusetts) Faculty of Arts & Sciences department is teaming up with the Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology department to hold its first floor by floor lab competition for most efficient recycling efforts and energy use.
LIU Post Debuts Environmental Sustainability Master's Degree
LIU Post (formerly the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in New York) has announced a new Master of Science in Environmental Sustainability, to begin September 2012. The program will incorporate both traditional scientific methods and modern technologies including Geographic Information Systems to prepare graduates to address the challenges facing governments, nonprofits and businesses in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the environment and energy resources. A special focus and emphasis will be placed on applying these skills and knowledge to the Long Island/New York City metropolitan area.
Plymouth State U Opens Student Ecohouse
Plymouth State University (New Hampshire) has unveiled its Ecohouse, a home for students dedicated to sustainable living and green renovation. Residents will gain hands-on experience with alternative ways of living in a house featuring solar panels for water heating and thermal window inserts that absorb heat.
Queens U Opens Bike Shop
The AMS Bike Shop at Queen's University’s (Ontario), organized by its Commission of the Environment and Sustainability, will provide replacement parts and repair services for students, and sell refurbished bicycles.
San Diego State U Students Assess Clean Water Access in Honduras
Engineers Without Borders students at San Diego State University (California) recently traveled to Tejeras in Honduras to assess the town's water filtration and distribution system, which was making residents sick. The students are applying concepts from their environmental engineering classes toward a blueprint for a clean water solution. The group is planning another trip in January 2013 to implement the new filtration system.
Schools Offer Accelerated Degrees to Save Student Costs
Institutions nationwide including Grace College and Seminary (Indiana), Baldwin-Wallace College (Ohio), Lesley University (Massachusetts) and St. John's University (New York) have introduced three-year undergraduate degree options to help save students money, according to a recent article in the U.S. News & World Report. At Grace College, as an example, students can save up to 50 percent on college costs by taking more short courses during the fall and spring semesters, while any credits taken in the summer are free.
Selkirk College Plans Renewable Energy Technology Certificate
Selkirk College's (British Columbia) new six-week advanced certificate in renewable energy technology will focus on small hydro, wind, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, ground source energy and biomass energy technologies. Students will have the opportunity to retrofit a small-scale prefabricated building.
Stanford U Conducts Sustainability Awareness Survey
Aiming to determine baseline levels of environmental sustainability awareness and everyday practice on campus, the survey of Stanford University (California) students, faculty and staff included questions regarding habits and barriers focused on office and room lighting, computers, monitors, printer use, air conditioners and heaters, refrigerators, reusable products, water, recycling and composting, food choices, and the influence of others.
St. Cloud State U Pilots 'Re-Cycle' Program
St. Cloud State University's (Minnesota) Husky Re-Cycle pilot program is offering eight bicycles built from donated parts by volunteer mechanics for use to students living on campus.
Trinity U Uses Reclaimed Water for Plumbing
In an effort to conserve water, Trinity University (Texas) has installed new toilets that use reclaimed water. The system uses condensate captured from the air conditioning system in the university’s Center for the Sciences and Innovation and is then treated and pumped to toilets and urinals.
U Arizona Creates Sustainable Built Environment Degree
The new Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Built Environments at the University of Arizona’s College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture will focus on design, planning, open space and recreation, sustainable ecosystems, sustainable communities and housing, and heritage conservation. The program will launch in fall 2012.
U Arizona Residence Halls Earn LEED Platinum
The University of Arizona’s two newest residence halls feature rainwater harvesting, drought tolerant landscaping, low-flow plumbing and a web-based software that allows students to monitor the amount of energy the building uses.
U Calgary Adds Environmental Education Graduate Certificate
The University of Calgary's (Alberta) new four-course graduate program will tackle climate change, consumerism, ecological literacy, ethics and environmental design from a broad range of disciplines including philosophy, education, physics and architecture.
U Calgary Students Work toward a Fair Trade Campus
Engineers Without Borders students at the University of Calgary (Alberta) are working with university administrators to become a fair trade campus this year. The group's "Fair Trade Fridays" have increased campus awareness and recruited the Student Union to the cause.
U Iowa Receives Grant to Explore Biofuels for Campus Power Plant
A $25,000 grant from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture will help the University of Iowa locate and procure sources of biomass fuel to replace coal at the main power plant. Several working groups will study different types of renewable biofuels including invasive plants, switchgrass and miscanthus grass.
U Minnesota Twin Cities Names 'Conservation Madness' Champion
Territorial Hall has been named the winner of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities' second annual residence hall sustainability competition for reducing its energy use during the month-long competition by 4.4 percent. If all residence halls conserved resources over the course of an entire year at the same rate as the top ranking residence halls during the competition, the university reports that it would save more than $120,000 annually.
U Missouri Brings 'Solar Dok' to Campus
The University of Missouri's new Solar Dok, a table equipped with solar panels for charging electronic devices, was funded by student fees. The table features a battery bank that stores energy for use when the sun’s rays are not as strong and a charge controller that displays the amount of solar energy being produced.
Unity College Eases Enrollment Process for Transfer Students
In an effort to ease the transition from community colleges and reduce admissions hurdles, environmental college Unity College (Maine) has announced that students who have earned an associate degree will automatically be accepted for enrollment. Students have to show a "C" or better in a college level math, science and composition course with an overall GPA of at least 2.5.
