Ithaca College Announces Partnership on State-Funded 2.9MW Solar Project
Ithaca College and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) have partnered on a 2.9-megawatt photovoltaic project currently underway that is slated to provide approximately 10 percent of the college's electricity needs. The project will be financed through a power purchase agreement, which covers all up-front costs and maintenance, whereby the college buys the clean energy produced from the system owner at a set price over the 25-year term of the agreement through virtual net metering.
Northwestern U Moves to Mixed Recycling System
As of February, the university has mixed recycling collection that allows paper, cardboard, plastic, cans and bottles to be collected in the same bin. The effort is an attempt to meet its waste-to-landfill reduction goal.
U Illinois Urbana-Champaign Anticipates $41M in Cost Avoidance
A set of energy conservation projects on the Urbana campus has estimated $41 million in cost avoidance over the next 20 years and will reduce the campus deferred maintenance backlog by an estimated $25 million. Improvements in five College of Engineering buildings will include the installation of new HVAC equipment, direct digital controls, fume hoods, heat recovery systems, and occupancy sensors. Substantial completion is expected by July 2018.
Mott CC Launches Water Info Webpage With Lead Results
The community college, located in Flint, Michigan, updates a webpage with regular results of water tests for its main campus and any necessary actions taken if results were out of compliance. The webpage also gives updated information on the availability and distribution of bottled water, water testing kits and filters for students and employees, and information, updates and resources related to the water situation in Flint.
Inside Higher Ed 'Get Ready for More Protests'
About nine percent of freshmen indicated in a recent annual survey that they have a very good chance of participating in student protests while in college, an increase of 2.9 percentage points from last year's survey, reported Inside Higher Ed. Conducted by the American Freshman Survey, the survey collected responses from more than 141,000 first-year students during their first few weeks of college.
Washington State U Becomes Marine Stewardship Council Certified
As of February, the school became the first university in Washington state, and one of a dozen institutions of higher education around the country, to obtain the certification, which means that seafood products are sourced from a sustainable and well-managed fishery and is traceable from ocean to plate.
California State U Fresno Partners on Sustainable Parks
Fresno State is partnering with the city to offer 19 new courses as part of its Sustainable Parks and Recreation Community Initiative. The new initiative will promote student success by providing recreation administration classes with opportunities for applied learning, service in local communities and research
U Delaware Implements Meatless Monday
As part of its commitment to provide students, faculty and staff with healthy, sustainable fare, the university's Dining Services now offers meat-free meals daily and will participate in Meatless Monday by increasing awareness of available meatless options on campus.
North Carolina State U Professor Receives $791K for Distributed Energy Research
Dr. Mo-Yuen Chow, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been awarded $791,950 from Total S.A. to develop a Cooperative Distributed Home Energy Management System (HEMS) over three years. The objective of this project is to design, develop and demonstrate a cooperative distributed Home Energy Management System (HEMS) for a single house/building as wells as aggregated houses/buildings in a community. The goal is to optimize the cost (e.g., minimize electricity bills, maximize energy storage life span) of each house/building while maintaining the users' comfort level.
U Central Florida Students to Participate in the Clinton Global Initiative University
Seventeen students were recently selected to participate in the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U). CGI U will mentor and assist students with their individual and group projects to create positive change. The CGI U has five focus areas: education, environment and climate change, peace and human rights, poverty alleviation and public health.
U Washington Campus Sustainability Research Projects Receive $190K
The university's Green Seed Fund approved three research projects to split $190,000. The projects include research on the impact of campus landscape changes on stormwater volume and quality, and impact to surrounding wetlands; improving outdated irrigation systems; and design, construct and monitor a new rainwater irrigation system on UW Seattle campus will also provide data.
Bowdoin College Receives $10M Gift for Study of Environment
Bowdoin College announces a new center for the study of the environment, funded with a $10 million gift from David and Barbara Roux of Virginia. The center aims to encourage collaboration and creativity in the teaching and scholarship of the environment. The new building to house the center is being designed to achieve USGBC LEED Platinum designation and is expected to open in the mid-to-late fall of 2018.
Harvard U Law School Produces Video About Food Waste
The Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, in partnership with Racing Horse Productions, has released a short film, EXPIRED? Food Waste in America, that explores how the variety of date labels on food products contributes to food waste in America. With the release of this film, the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic aims to raise awareness about the consequences of confusing and non-science-based date labeling, and about the impact that a uniform labeling standard could have on reducing food waste.
Michigan State U Students Nurture Green Space
A group of students from the university's Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment recently transformed a low-traffic area to a vibrant natural space to encourage students to enjoy and take advantage of the outdoor environment. Funding for the project was provided by the university's student sustainability fund.
Three Universities Create Global Alliance to Offer Sustainability Degrees
Arizona State University, King's College London and University of New South Wales Australia recently announced the PLuS Alliance, a new partnership dedicated to find research-led solutions to global challenges and increase access to learning. Beginning in fall 2016, more than 20 programs in sustainability, global health, social justice and sustainability leadership will be offered online. Degrees through the PLuS Alliance include Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science.
Brown U Renames Columbus Day
In an effort to recognize indigenous peoples and foster a more inclusive community, Brown University, by a recent vote of its faculty, has designated what was once Columbus Day at the university as Indigenous People's Day.
Glasgow Caledonian U Receives Cycling Award
(U.K.): Students and staff welcomed the Cycle Friendly Campus Award from Cycling Scotland, which recognized the university's efforts to promote cycling to, from and around campus. The university has implemented a range of measures including bicycle parking, cycle training and providing personal travel planning. Since 2014, the university has documented a 20 percent increase in the number of students, staff and visitors that choose cycling as a travel choice.
U Arkansas Appoints Eric Boles as Sustainability Director
Eric Boles, a University of Arkansas graduate with a master's degree in biological engineering, will now serve as the director of the Office of Sustainability. He is tasked with leading strategies to help the university achieve zero waste by 2021 and climate neutrality by 2040. He indicates one of his priorities is not alienating campus community members from the effort to implement sustainability.
Johnson County CC Earns Local Accolades for Sustainability
The community college was recently identified as a Certified Green Program partner by Johnson County, along with six other organizations or businesses. The county's new sustainability program is designed to increase recycling, improve energy efficiency, decrease waste and save organizations money and resources by providing free education and technical assistance on environmental issues.
National U, U California San Diego Offer Sustainability Manager Training
The new partnership offers students a pathway to pursue studies in sustainability management by allowing those who have completed a University of California San Diego Extension’s Sustainable Business Practices certificate program to obtain credit for two classes that can be applied toward National University’s Master of Science in Sustainability Management. Both the certificate and master’s program are available online.
Lawnstarter Releases 11 "Greenest" Basketball Arenas in US
Lawnstarter, a new landscaping startup company based in Austin, Texas, recently identified the 11 "greenest" basketball arenas in the U.S. Lawnstarter gave priority to newly constructed arenas that received LEED Gold status, followed by renovated arenas with LEED Gold status and renovated arenas with LEED Silver status. The LEED scores for the projects, if available, came from the U.S. Green Building Council and the universities. In order of rank, they are University of Texas at Arlington, Towson University, University of Oregon, University of Michigan, George Washington University, University of Toledo, University of Iowa, University of California Los Angeles, University of Notre Dame, Southern Methodist University and University of South Florida.
Sterling College Reports 76 Percent Sustainable Food
The college, known for growing 20 percent of its own food, was recently honored by Real Food Challenge for growing or procuring 76 percent of its food that is local, sustainable, humane and fair-trade. According to Real Food Challenge, the next highest ranked institution eats only 34 percent "real food". The Real Food Challenge survey the college used to determine its "real food" content also revealed the college eats 54 percent local food, defined as food that comes from either large farms within a 150-mile radius of campus or small farms within a 250-mile radius.
U Massachusetts Amherst to Open Online Food & Farming Degree
Starting in September 2016, the university's Stockbridge School of Agriculture will offer an online associate of science degree in sustainable food and farming. The online-only, 60-credit degree will cover basic knowledge of plant and soil science, and train students in agricultural techniques, community development, public policy and education. The program is designed to be flexible, allowing students to focus on specific career objectives.
Georgia State U Launches Green Office Certification Program
This new program offers university departments and offices the opportunity to gain recognition for sustainable practices already in place and learn additional sustainable practices. The program is entirely voluntary and requires buy in from the majority staff and faculty in each unit applying. Scoring is tiered and based on level of difficulty to achieve certain tasks in categories including energy conservation, waste reduction, recycling, communications, and occupant health and comfort.
Middlebury College Asks Fans to Practice Sustainability
The Green Panther Challenge is a new program through Middlebury College's Office of Sustainability Integration (OSI) and Athletics that seeks to engage student athletes and their fans by challenging them to practice sustainability. With a theme of waste reduction this year, a series of Perfect Sort Gamedays asks fans correctly sort all their waste during the game into recycling, compost and trash in order to reduce what goes into the landfill. Student athletic teams will set their own team goals for better practices, such as increasing recycling in the locker rooms.
Portland State U Reduces Food Waste Through Visual Display
The Food Waste Buffet is a new initiative of the university's Campus Sustainability Office and Aramark that is aimed at educating students about healthy, responsible eating and reducing rood waste. A display of all uneaten food from students' lunch plates, the Food Waste Buffet was also accompanied by an intervention program that encouraged students to ask for a sample before deciding to get a whole serving.
Western Carolina U Grounds Contributes to Human Decomposition Research
The university's grounds crew has been providing wood chips for research to determine the most efficient and environmentally friendly manner of composting human bodies after death. Call the Urban Death Project, two Office of Sustainability interns are assisting with the project that aims to eventually build a three-story human composting facility.
Georgia Tech Green Cleaning Program Earns Third-Party Certification
With certification under the Green Seal Standard for Cleaning Services, the university is now one of six higher education campuses in the nation to earn the certification. Certification verifies that Georgia Tech’s cleaning program has gone through performance testing and on-site inspections to prove cleaning efficacy, while supporting the well-being of people and reducing impact to the environment. Key requirements of certification include cleaning equipment and procedures, purchasing, training, labeling and communication. The custodial department has reduced the volume of chemicals used to clean the campus by 56 percent from 2008 levels.
U San Diego Climate Collaborative Receives $689K Grant
As storms and flooding from El Nino threaten the San Diego region’s coastline, infrastructure and economy, the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, a partnership managed by seven San Diego public agencies, including the University of San Diego, have received a $689,500 federal grant for coastal hazard protection and resilience. The two-year grant from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will integrate activities and provide new data on flood mapping and shoreline bluff surveys, develop additional legal, economic and scientific expertise and help cities with outreach and communication.
Harvard U Lab Renovation Receives LEED Gold
The purpose of the project was to revitalize a high performance space and to create an energy-efficient indoor environment focused on occupant health, resulting in 100 percent of the project's adhesives, paints and flooring systems were low-emitting. Energy conservation measures include more efficient LED lamps, and lighting sensors and controls to help improve the occupants’ research and time in lab.
Portland State U Launches Food Systems Certificate Program
The new program, Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Food Systems, aims to educate students on topics ranging from business and urban planning to policy and public health, providing a multi-dimensional understanding of the social, environmental and economic impacts of the food sector. A collaborative program developed by the Institute for Sustainable Solutions, the certificate is offered through a unique partnership between four PSU units: the College of Urban and Public Affairs, Graduate School of Education, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and School of Business Administration.
Houston Universities Participate in Fundraiser for Native Prairie Parks
The Katy Prairie Conservancy recently launched a fundraiser, called Grassroots for Change, to build pocket prairies at Houston-area universities, including the University of Houston, Rice University and the University of St. Thomas. The funding will be used to install and maintain native plant areas on campus.
Michigan State U Applies Organic-Based Liquid to Combat Ice & Snow
In alignment with the university's strategic framework, Landscape Services recently began using a liquid deicer derived from beet juice in an effort to reduce chlorides in the environment. Sidewalk snow removal teams are also equipped with special brooms that are now used during lighter snow events, which has helped cut down on salt use as well.
Utah State U Receives $29K for Clean Fuel Transportation
In an effort to improve air quality on campus, the university’s Center for Civic Engagement and Service-Learning was awarded $12,000 to buy an electric vehicle to deliver waste to the campus' organic farm and the industrial composter and to transport food waste recovered for the student food pantry through the Food Recovery Network. An additional $17,000 will provide partial funding to purchase a Chevy Volt for the Utah Conservation Corps and retire an outdated truck from its vehicle fleet. USU is providing matching funds to install solar panels on a facility to store that vehicle.
U California Davis Building Earns LEED Gold
The campus' main administration building is the university's 19th to be LEED certified. It features water-conserving plumbing fixtures, environmentally friendly lamps, energy efficient equipment and construction materials, and adoption of LEED's High-Performance Green Cleaning Program.
Associated Students U Montana Order Electric Buses
In alignment with the school's commitment to reduce carbon emissions, the Associated Students of the University of Montana recently ordered two 40-foot electric buses. The purchase will be creatively funded via the state's INTERCAP program and the U.S. EPA's Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant.
Georgia Southern U Opens Campus Community Garden
Opened in summer 2015, the organic garden has six beds for student teams to grow edible plants and vegetables. One member of each team is required to attend a bi-weekly workshop to learn various gardening techniques and skills. The garden was funded by the student sustainability fee.
Emory U Students Launch Interactive Sustainability Map
After three semesters researching and mapping the university’s sustainability network of over 700 staff, faculty and undergraduate and graduate students, the university's Graduate Sustainability Group has launched an interactive Emory Sustainability Ecosystem map. The map affords current and future community members interested in sustainability an avenue to identify a range of existing initiatives to plug into their work. The map is freely available on the Graduate Sustainability Group website through a project that was funded by the Emory Sustainability Incentives Fund.
Michigan State U Launches Sustainable Wood Recovery Program
In order to preserve the university's natural areas, the university has launched a Sustainable Wood Recovery Program to recover trees that are removed from campus due to decline, storm damage or safety concerns, by transforming them into products. Known as the MSU Shadows Collection, the sale items supports the Department of Forestry and the planting of new trees on MSU's campus.
Georgia State U Receives $400K to Support Community Health
In an effort to address the impacts of urban food deserts, the university's School of Public Health's Center of Excellence on Health Disparities Research was recently granted $400,000 to implement a Healthy Corner Stores Initiative that encourages corner store owners to carry healthier food options. The funding comes from the Center for Disease Control's Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Health.
Saint Mary's College California Releases Sustainability Report
The college's latest sustainability review cites its operational and academic successes and future plans. As an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Green Power Partner, the college has offset 100 percent of electricity consumption with renewable energy credits.
U Colorado Boulder Athletics Engages Fans in Water Conservation
As part of the university's new Water for the West campaign, fans at home basketball games will be prompted by an announcement to send a text message pledging to conserve water. For each text pledge received, CU Athletics will restore 1,000 gallons of water to the Colorado River Basin through a partnership with Change the Course, a national water initiative that engages the public, corporations and the conservation community in restoring water for people and nature. Through Water for the West, CU Athletics is restoring 10 million gallons of water to projects in the state of Colorado, balancing the estimated 12 million gallons of water used annually by the department for everything from watering Folsom Field to accommodating hundreds of thousands of fans at large-scale sporting events.
Mesa CC to Install 2MW Photovoltaic Array
The community college is preparing for the installation of the 2,045-kilowatt system, slated for completion in late April, which will provide shaded parking spots. The array is expected to provide approximately 24 percent of the community college's total energy use.
U British Columbia Releases Annual Sustainability Report
The university’s newest sustainability report aligns with the university’s new 20-year Sustainability Strategy through targeted priorities in teaching, learning and research, operations and infrastructure, community, and communications and engagement. Highlights from the report include 636 sustainability courses, 48 sustainability programs, a 22 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions relative to 2007, and a clear focus on community well-being.
