Smith College Reduces Emisisons 31 Percent
Smith College (MA) has announced that it reduced its emissions by 31 percent between 2004 and 2008. The College has attributed the decrease to ongoing efficiency upgrades to campus buildings and infrastructure and to its conversion from burning mostly oil to natural gas in the central heating plant.
U Guam Launches Recycling Initiative
The University of Guam has launched the "Green Initiative," a campus-wide program that aims to collect recyclable aluminum, plastic, cardboard, and shredded paper. The University plans to expand the program to include glass, newspaper, food waste, and used office paper in the future.
U Illinois Chicago Releases Sustainability Report
The University of Illinois at Chicago Office of Sustainability has published its first annual report on the sustainability of the campus as a whole. The report utilizes indicators from AASHE's Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) and is intended as a frank assessment of UIC's strengths in the area of sustainability, to provide some metrics to track the progress towards is sustainability goals, and to identify areas that need more attention and action. UIC collected data as one of nearly 70 pilot institutions for the AASHE STARS program.
U Kansas Generates Energy from Student Workouts
The University of Kansas has retrofitted 15 elliptical machines with devices that draw on kinetic energy created by people's workouts and reroute that energy back into the building's electric grid. The energy produced from the workout machines will be used to help power the David A. Ambler Student Recreation Center.
U Mass Dartmouth Partners to Form Regional Sustainability Group
The University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth has partnered with the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District to form the Massachusetts Council on Sustainability. The purpose of the Council is to provide education, advice, and assistance on the broad issue of sustainability in Southeastern Massachusetts and to coordinate efforts among different entities in the region. The group currently has five subcommittees focused on: food and agriculture, economic development, energy, natural resources, and transportation. The Council plans to meet quarterly with the subcommittees meeting more frequently in the interim.
U Nevada Reno Announces New Energy Management Certificate
The University of Nevada, Reno has announced that it will launch an Energy Management Certificate program in the fall of 2009. The new 10-session, 30-hour certificate program, which will be offered by Extended Studies, will explore the essentials of building-energy management and examine methods for increasing efficiency and return on investment. The program was developed for building managers, facility/operations managers, construction planners, engineers, maintenance personnel, small business owners, entrepreneurs and others interested in energy resources.
Union College Pilots Fuel Cell Technology
Union College (NY) has been selected as the host site of a new residential fuel cell. As part of the project, a 5 kilowatt combined heat and power (CHP) unit will convert natural gas into electricity and heat for the Beuth House residence hall. The companies running the unit will use the data collected to determine system refinements for incorporation into the next-generation system design.
Utah State U Wetland Discovery Point Receives LEED Platinum
Utah State University's Wetland Discovery Point, a space that is used to teach about the importance of conservation and wetland ecosystems, has received LEED Platinum certification. The roof of the new structure functions as both a rainwater collector and a tool to provide shade or allow winter sunlight into the building. Harvested precipitation is stored in a cistern and used to irrigate part of the landscape and to flush low-flow toilets. Much of the power used in the building will be solar-generated, and solar-heated water flows through the building’s heating system.
U Virginia Showcase Dorms Feature Green Products
The University of Virginia Bookstore and Housing Division have outfitted its showcase dorm rooms with environmentally friendly products in an effort to encourage students to do the same. The green products featured include binders, notebooks, and paper towels made from recycled products, green cleaning supplies, and energy efficient computers refrigerators, and microwaves.
Wake Technical CC Wins Green Building Award
Wake Technical Community College (NC) has received a 2009 “Green Building of America” Award from Construction Communications. Building D, on Wake Tech’s Northern Wake Campus, was chosen for the award from more than 2,500 entries. The building will be featured in a special edition of Real Estate & Construction Review , a publication for policy makers and leaders in finance and economic development. At just under 75,000 square-feet, the building features occupancy sensors and daylight harvesting - a system that detects the amount of light coming in from outside and automatically dims the inside lights accordingly to save energy. The structure also has a white roof to reflect the sun; sun-blocking louvers and roof overhang on the south side of the building; and high-efficiency condensing boilers, fan, and pump motors.
Western Illinois U Partners to Protect National Resources
Western Illinois University and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the shared goals of protecting natural resources and enhancing environmental sustainability in the region. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will work closely with Western's Institute for Environmental Studies to conduct environmental research and data gathering and to provide environmental education opportunities surrounding large river natural resources.
Appalachian State U Installs 100 kW Wind Turbine
Appalachian State University (NC) has announced the completion of a 100 kW wind turbine located on campus. Officials believe it is the largest wind turbine in the state of North Carolina. The $533,000 project was funded by Appalachian students through a $5 Renewable Energy Initiative fee collected each semester.
Appalachian State U Partners for Renewable Energy Education
Appalachian State University (NC) has partnered with Ching Yun University to develop faculty and student exchanges, participate in collaborative research activities, and jointly publish research papers focused on renewable energy. ASU hopes to learn from CYU's solar and wind installations, and CYU plans to study ASU's biofuel initiatives.
Dickinson College Announces Public Service Fellowship
Dickinson College (PA) has announced its new Public Service Fellowship, a program that provides up to $40,000 in tuition credits in exchange for public service. Students can apply for admission into the Fellowship in their senior year of high school. If accepted, students may defer enrollment at Dickinson for one, two, three, or four years to engage in meaningful public service devoted to improving the human condition and/or the natural environment. Participants will receive a $10,000 tuition credit for each year of public service during this period. Upon matriculation at Dickinson, Public Service Fellows will receive priority consideration for positions as resident advisors, community advisors, and other opportunities to further reduce tuition and fees and gain additional leadership experience.
Eastern Illinois U to Replace Coal Plant w/ Renewable Energy Ctr
The Eastern Illinois University Board of Trustees has approved the construction of a Renewable Energy Center, which will replace EIU's coal-fired power plant. The new biomass plant will meet EIU’s heating and cooling needs by burning non-treated wood chips obtained as lumber industry by-products. The project is designed to be self-funded by energy savings over a period not to exceed 20 years.
Emory U Begins Pilot Composing Program
Emory University (GA) has begun testing a composting program at its Dobbs University Center (DUC) dining facility. Running for seven weeks, the program will take pre-consumer organic food waste collected at the DUC and haul it to a nearby composting facility. The new initiative is part of the University's goal to divert 65 percent of overall waste and 95 percent of food waste from landfills by 2015.
Florida International U Implements Recycling Program
The Florida International University Student Government Association and University Custodial Services have introduced a new recycling program using bottle-shaped recycling bins for plastic bottles and aluminum cans. The University obtained the bins free of charge from the School of Hospitality Management. The University also received thirty 95-gallon blue bins as part of a new single-stream recycling program.
New England Professionals Form Sustainability Group
The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Region I, which includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, has formed a group called the NASPA Sustainability Knowledge Community. The group is charged with advancing sustainability practices through the education and engagement of members. Members of the Sustainability Knowledge Community will communicate at local, regional, and national NASPA meetings and conferences. They will also attend other sustainability meetings and work to develop better sustainability approaches for the use of technology in student affairs. Stephen Nason, Director of Residence Life and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at Unity College (ME), has been named to lead the effort.
Oklahoma City CC Establishes Green Task Force
Oklahoma City Community College has established a Green Task Force that aims to reduce waste, conserve water, and start a recycling program on campus. The group will also encourage students, faculty, and staff to be more involved with environment protection initiatives. Funding for Task Force projects will come from outside grants and campus funds.
Pacific U Dorm Receives LEED Gold
Pacific University's (OR) Gilbert Hall has received LEED Gold certification. The building, a residence hall, was cited for water efficiency, energy saving systems, providing areas for recycling materials, diverting construction waste from landfills, and indoor environmental quality.
Raritan Valley CC Sings Env'l Stewardship Agreement with EPA
Raritan Valley Community College (NJ) has signed an environmental stewardship agreement with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agreement, which was signed June 16, pledges the College’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and to continuous improvement using EPA programs to develop policies, practices, and specifications for environmental efficiency standards. It also commits RVCC to increasing stewardship awareness; remaining current with EPA regulations and guidelines; increasing involvement and recognition of its stakeholders in environmental sustainability programs; partnering with local government on environmental initiatives; and addressing environmental concerns swiftly.
Richland College Opens Green Campus Building
Richland College (TX) has opened its Garland Campus, which was designed to meet LEED Gold criteria. The building features easy access to public transportation, a single-slope roof that harvests rainwater in underground storage tanks to be used for irrigation, motion-sensor faucets and dual-flush toilets, and low VOC construction materials.
Simon Frasier U Students Compare Green Initiatives
A group of nine Simon Frasier University (BC) business sustainability honors students have completed a review and comparison of sustainability initiatives at SFU, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Victoria (BC). The project compared performance, leadership, operations, teaching, research, finance, and community engagement. The group found that that SFU leads in active student sustainability groups, leading sustainability researchers, and energy management, but trails in the number of staff hired to institutionalize sustainability and the number of sustainability-related courses available to students. SFU also falls behind UBC and UVic in composting, paper reduction, LEED certification, and the use of green cleaning products. The group made recommendations to the administration on how SFU can improve its standing.
St. Olaf College Awarded for Energy Efficiency
St. Olaf College (MN) has been named Xcel Energy's Number 2 "Efficiency Partner" - one of 56 businesses the company honored recently for participating in Xcel's 2008 efficiency programs. St. Olaf was noted in the "Top 10" list for having saved 6.91 million kWh. St. Olaf also ranked No. 1 in natural gas efficiency, with 417,840 therms saved.
U Alaska Fairbanks Reuses Unwanted Items
The University of Alaska, Fairbanks hosted a community-wide freecycling event in which students and members of the larger community were encouraged to donate unwanted items. Event attendees were encouraged to take all needed items, free of charge. No selling, bartering, or swapping was permitted. The effort aimed to reduce the amount of items sent to the landfill.
U Colorado at Colorado Springs Installs Solar Panels
The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs has installed a solar system on the roof of its Science and Engineering building. The $107,000 system was funded with a grant from the Governor’s Energy Office, proceeds from a 2008 fee passed by UCCS students, and funds from Colorado Springs Utilities rebate program. The energy produced by the solar system will be displayed on a kiosk in the lobby of the building.
U Colorado Boulder Partners to Establish Renewable Energy Ctr
The University of Colorado at Boulder has announced plans to partner with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to launch a joint institute on campus. The institute will blend disciplines — including business, engineering, and law — to explore renewable energy production and policies. The program will facilitate collaboration among researchers and offer graduate and undergraduate courses.
U Houston Commits to Socially Responsible Collegiate Apparel
The University of Houston (TX) has announced that its bookstore will sell a brand of clothing that has committed to higher standards of social responsibility. Knights Apparel manufactures collegiate apparel in overseas factories committed to providing all employees with benefits and a living wage sufficient to cover the monthly costs for a family of four.
U Utah, U Florida Hire Sustainability Officers
The University of Utah and the University of Florida have hired sustainability officers. Utah has named architect Myron Willson to head its Office of Sustainability, replacing the late Craig Forster, the planning professor who initiated the program and died last year in a hiking accident. Willson has a Master's degree from the University of Utah and has served as adjunct faculty in the College of Architecture and Planning. He assumes his new post July 8. The University of Florida has named Anna Prizzia, the former outreach coordinator of the University of Florida’s Office of Sustainability, as the new director of its office of Sustainability. Prizzia has a Bachelor’s degree in marine biology from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, and a Master’s of science degree in wildlife ecology and conservation with a concentration in tropical conservation and development from UF.
Warren Wilson College Receives Green Curriculum Grant
The EcoTeam program of Warren Wilson College’s (NC) Environmental Leadership Center has been awarded a $2,000 grant from Progress Energy Carolinas to help expand its curriculum to include new lessons on energy and climate. EcoTeam is a science-based environmental curriculum for third-grade students that correlates with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. The EcoTeam curriculum, taught by trained Warren Wilson students and focusing on the French Broad River Basin, has delivered lessons to thousands of third graders in the area since its inception in 1998.
Wilfrid Laurier U to Open Office of Sustainability
Wilfrid Laurier University (ON) has announced plans to open an Office of Sustainability on campus. After increasing the student green fee from $0.50 to $5.00 a semester, WLU is now able to fund a sustainability office, as well as hire a sustainability officer. The office will provide resources for students working to improve the University's sustainability performance.
Alfred U to Open Bicycle Library
Alfred University (NY) has announced plans to open a bicycle lending program this fall. The program will make 20 hybrid bicycles, which were purchased with $10,000 in funding from the AU Student Senate, available to AU students, faculty, and staff for a nominal fee. The AU Bicycle Lending Program will also offer a bike shop that will be staffed with a work study position. In addition, a University trustee made an anonymous donation of $2,000 per year to help cover ongoing costs of the program.
Alliant Intl U Partners for Green Development
Alliant International University (CA) has partnered with EcoDynamics, LLC to advance renewable energy production, environmental conservation, and sustainable business development. As part of each of its projects, EcoDynamics will create an Alliant Sustainability Center that will house research, educational, and outreach activities related to energy production, resource management, sustainable development, and conservation. These Centers will provide further opportunities for Alliant’s faculty and students to participate in research, planning, and educating the public about these topics.
Chatham U Establishes School of Sustainability, Master's of Food Studies
Chatham University (PA) has announced the creation of the School of Sustainability and the Environment (SSE). The new School will provide interdisciplinary education and research opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students to better prepare them to identify and solve challenges related to the environment and sustainability. The first program offered through SSE will be the University’s newest graduate program, the Master of Arts in Food Studies. The program, which will begin in the spring of 2010, is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the issues surrounding food such as the environmental costs of food production and distribution, cultural issues, sustainability of communities, and safety of the food supply.
Chatham U Offers Env'l Track in Biology Program
Chatham University (PA) has announced plans to add a track in Environmental Biology to its Master of Science in Biology program this fall. The new track includes classroom, laboratory, and field work experiences designed for students who want to pursue careers in environmental services, research, education, or advocacy. Course topics will include Plant Development, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Soil Science, Field Ecology, Wetlands Ecology, and Biostatistics. Students will also participate in internships and field seminars.
Colorado State U Installs Biomass Boiler
Colorado State University has partnered with the Colorado State Forest Service to install a biomass boiler heating plant on the Foothills Campus to reduce the university's greenhouse gas emissions and cut energy costs. The heating plant will burn wood chips rather than rely solely on natural gas to provide hot water for the Judson M. Harper Research Complex. The wood chips will be obtained from forest restoration and management efforts such as forest fire mitigation projects, which typically supply about 10 tons of wood chips per acre. CSU officials estimate that it will save approximately $60,000 in utility costs annual as a result of the new biomass boiler.
Colorado State U Installs Solar Panels
Colorado State University has installed photovoltaic cells on the roof of its Engineering Building. The 18.9-kilowatt solar array is expected to produce more than 25,000 kilowatt hours per year and will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the Engineering Building by 18.3 metric tons per year. The Governor's Energy Office provided $35,000 in matching funds for a PV project grant as part of the state's 2009 Solar Rebate Program.
Cornell U Opens New Biofuels Research Laboratory
Cornell University (NY) has opened a new Biofuels Research Laboratory. The new $6 million facility will study and research ways to convert sugars from nonfood crops, such as grasses and wood, into fuel. The lab will provide educational opportunities for students.
McGill U Receives Funding for Green Chemistry Project
McGill University has received a total of $63 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Quebec government. The funds will support five research projects, one of which will help discover new chemical reactions which allow chemists to switch from harmful petrochemicals and solvents to environmentally sound alternatives. $16 million has been allotted for green chemistry research.
Meredith College Approves Sustainability Plan
Meredith College (NC) has approved a plan for integrating sustainability into the College's practices in education and daily operations. Known as the College's "Greenprint," the new plan includes three main goals: to educate the campus community about sustainability; to model environmental responsibility in daily operations; and to integrate sustainability into campus administrative structure. Each of the goals include several desired outcomes, including weaving sustainability into the curriculum where applicable; minimizing the amount of waste generated by the campus; and using sustainability to inform financial decisions on campus. Students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumnae participated in the development of the plan, led by Meredith Sustainability Coordinator Laura Fieselman.
Northeastern Junior College Announces Wind Training Program
Northeastern Junior College (CO) has announced plans to launch a Wind Technician Training Program this fall. The College is creating the new program to provide trained technicians for the local wind turbine farms. Between private industry contributions and a grant from the Department of Local Affairs, nearly $900,000 has been raised to help pay for the opening of this new program. The two-year associate of applied science degree will require completion of 60 credits and will offer technical electronics courses as well as training in programmable logic controllers, basic fluid power, airfoils and composites, power distribution and control systems, and maintenance welding and power mechanics.
Northern Michigan U Cancels Plans to Burn Coal
Northern Michigan University’s request to void the State of Michigan permit for its proposed cogeneration heating and steam plant has been granted by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The permit, which was issued May 12, 2008, would have enabled NMU to burn coal as a backup fuel source in the proposed multi-fuel steam and heating plant. The primary fuel source was to be wood and wood byproducts. Construction on the cogeneration plant had not started, in part, due to a stay on the DEQ permit by the Sierra Club, which opposes the burning of coal. NMU is currently working on a permit application that would allow wood to be the sole fuel source.
NY Times Covers Colleges Cutting Costs w/ Sustainability Initiatives
The New York Times has published an article on the growing number of colleges and universities that are cutting costs by implementing sustainability initiatives on campus. The article mentions the University of Washington; Dickinson College (PA); Bryn Mawr College (PA); the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Oberlin College (OH); Pitzer College (CA); Carleton College (MN); Whittier College (CA); Whitman College (WA); Davidson College (NC); Susquehanna University (PA); Cornell College (IA); Rhodes College (TN); College of Wooster (OH); and Washington & Jefferson College (PA).
Ohio State U Students Win 1st Phase of EcoCAR Competition
A team of Ohio State University Engineering students have won the first phase of EcoCAR: The Next Challenge, a competition run by the U.S. Department of Energy that is challenging student teams to re-engineer a 2009 Saturn Vue to achieve improved fuel economy and reduced emissions while retaining the vehicle’s performance and consumer appeal. 17 teams competed in the competition. In this first year of the EcoCAR competition, each team received $10,000 to begin developing their vehicle designs. During years two and three, students will build the vehicle and continue to refine, test and improve vehicle operation. At the end of years two and three, the re-engineered student vehicle prototypes will compete in a week-long competition of engineering tests.
Philadelphia U Chooses 'Cradle to Cradle' for Reading Program
Philadelphia University (PA) has selected William McDonough’s book, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things , as the 2009 First Year Experience Summer Reading Program book. Cradle to Cradle is a manifesto that calls for a radical change in the relationship of human industry to the environment using a model of “lifecycle development.” The model advocates for a regenerative stance and uses manufactured products that have exhausted their primary function as the material to create subsequent products. New students at PU will receive a copy of the book when they attend orientation. Students will discuss the book in orientation with faculty, staff, and upper division students; the University will offer forums to engage additional discussions; and the book will be used in many courses taken by first year students.
Pomona College Students Outfit Trailer w/ Solar Panels
Students in a Farm and Gardens class at Pomona College (CA) have installed three 200-watt photovoltaic panels that charge six 12-volt batteries on a trailer. The outfitted trailer, known as the "rover," also features a charge controller that helps avoid battery overcharging and an inverter that converts the battery's DC current into AC. Students in the course planned and raised funds for the solar project, which will primarily be used at the campus farm. The trailer will also be available for campus events.
Pomona College Updates Env'l Policy, Establishes Sustainability Office
The Pomona College (CA) Board of Trustees has approved an update to the College's Statement of Environmental Policy. The new policy explicitly states the College's commitment to sustainability and sets new standards and requirements for decision-making in four key areas: capital projects, budgetary and financial planning, education and research, and assessment and review. It also formally creates the Sustainability Integration Office, headed by Pomona's Director of Sustainability, Bowen Patterson.
Red Rocks CC Receives $850K for Green Curriculum
Red Rocks Community College (CO) has received a grant from the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education Program in response to a proposal submitted by the college, “Sustaining a Green Collar Workforce: An Interdisciplinary Approach.” The award has been approved as a continuing grant for a period of three years, totaling $850,000. The grant project has two primary objectives: to expand the preparation of the workforce for careers in renewable energy, and to develop sustainability curriculum that will be integrated throughout career and general education courses. RRCC will work closely with multiple industry and education partners that include the Colorado School of Mines, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Jefferson County Schools, Jefferson County Workforce Center, and others to expand industry-aligned curriculum that prepares students for career opportunities in energy and environmental technology.
San Diego State Establishes Center for Regional Sustainability
San Diego State University (CA) has established the SDSU Center for Regional Sustainability. The Center will be a forum through which a range of stakeholders can come together to work collaboratively to implement comprehensive sustainable solutions to pressing problems in San Diego and Imperial counties, and in Northern Baja, Mexico. Identifying and tackling particular issues, such as water resource management, climate change, transportation, energy, air quality, health, social equity, and sustainable workforce development, the center will build on its capacity to conduct basic and applied research while sponsoring regional and community forums to further define and identify pressing issues.
