Knox College Sustainability Office Initiates Grad Pledge
(U.S.): The university's Sustainability Office recently took over Graduation Pledge for Social and Environmental Responsibility and was able to secure signatures for 90 percent of the spring 2014 graduating class. The pledge reads, "I pledge to explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of any job I consider and will try to improve these aspects of any organizations for which I work."
Northampton CC to Install Solar Panels
(U.S.): The college's new campus, which uses ground source heating and cooling, will use photovoltaics to supply approximately 80 percent of its power.
North Carolina A&T State U Enters into Energy Efficiency Contract
(U.S.): The recently signed contract will be funded by reductions in energy usage over a 17.25-year contract term, with no upfront cost to taxpayers for improvements to university buildings and systems. It includes lighting, steam system and weatherization improvements, installation of new heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) controls, and a preventive maintenance program.
Oxford U Faculty Urge Fossil Fuel Divestment
(U.K.): In an open letter presented during a university-wide consultation on divestiture, 59 academics requested the university divest its 3.8 billion pounds ($6.5 billion) from fossil fuel-based investments.
Pondicherry U Signs Talloires Declaration
(India): The recent signing of the commitment is a symbolic representation to develop sustainability-related skills among students and scholars and to disseminate knowledge to its community.
U Albany Building Achieves LEED Gold
(U.S.): The new building features a geothermal heating and air conditioning system, energy efficient windows and doors, recycled and locally-sourced materials, rain gardens and permeable pavement.
U Colorado Boulder Expands Energy/Water Professional Degree Prog
(U.S.): A new educational partnership at the university allows qualified students to earn both a Master of Engineering (ME) degree and a Professional Certificate in Renewable and Sustainable Energy or a Professional Certificate in Water Engineering and Management, which can be earned either via distance education or in campus classes and may be pursued either part- or full-time.
Vanderbilt U Reduces Take Out Container Waste
(U.S.): The university's Campus Dining unveiled the "If You Stay, Use a Tray" initiative using posters, social media, stickers, to-go box signs and buttons worn by Dining workers that intends to promote awareness of sustainability by encouraging people staying in the hall to eat off of plates instead of using disposable boxes.
Vassar College Earns Tree Campus USA Designation
(U.S.): The college earned the new credential by creating a tree committee, which includes faculty, staff, students and community members, creation of a campus tree care plan, observing Arbor Day, and a service-learning project.
AASHE Executive Director Attends MomentUs Leadership Summit
AASHE Executive Director Stephanie A. Herrera attended MomentUs last month to develop actionable solutions to climate change with over 140 other leaders from faith, business, health, higher education and communities. Herrera said, "At AASHE we take the issue of climate change very seriously. We believe the MomentUs initiative is in line with our goals, vision and mission. This is why we provide the inspiration and resources to help create a cleaner, greener and environmentally sustainable transformation, one college campus at a time."
CC System of New Hampshire Reduces Tuition
In an effort to address higher education affordability, the system's new board of trustees president recently announced a five percent tuition reduction for all state community colleges due to the restoration of money to the state's budget.
Elon U Initiates End of Year Waste Diversion Campaign
In an effort to keep usable items out of the landfill, the "Don't Trash It!" campaign encouraged students to donate unwanted items rather than throw them away during the move-out phase. In total, the collection effort donated over 10,500 pounds of bedding, clothing and housewares and nearly 1,500 pounds of canned food.
Governors State U Opens Organic Community Garden
The newly opened 52-plot garden gives area residents a chance to use organic methods to grow the vegetables of their choice while building a sense of community with fellow gardeners. A subset of the garden area will be designated for a student food pantry and the on campus childcare facility.
MacEwan U Launches Green Certification Program
The university's new pilot program, Green Impact, allows teams to choose from hundreds of actions that cause the team to fall into one of three categories, bronze, silver or gold. Students trained as Green Impact project assistants helped teams implement their actions and served as auditors.
Penn State U to Offer Clean Energy Certificates
To prepare for the future of low-carbon energy generation, the university is launching four online graduate certificate programs: bioenergy, solar energy, wind energy, and sustainability management and policy. The certificates are aligned with the green energy and sustainability management sector helping build skills in such areas as project development, sustainability assessment, systems engineering and strategic planning.
Portland State U Bolsters Community Sustainability Goals
The university's Institute for Sustainable Solutions recently announced the Sustainable Neighborhoods Initiative work with three Portland communities to match classes, researchers and interns with neighborhood partners to work on a range of sustainability-related issues, such as district-scale waste reduction, neighborhood livability, energy efficiency and transportation alternatives.
Second Nature Declares 2014 Climate Leadership Award Winners
The fifth annual Climate Leadership Awards presented top honors to Western Michigan University, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, California State University at Chico, University of Minnesota at Morris, Valencia College and Montgomery County Community College. The awards are presented annually to signatory institutions of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) that demonstrate innovative and advanced leadership in education for sustainability, and climate mitigation and adaptation.
U Missouri Hosts First Farm to Dinner Event
The recent locally-produced on-campus dinner aimed to showcase the university's involvement in the local food movement in Columbia and introduce students to the farming community.
U Washington Seattle Gains International Accolades
The university was selected for the winning prize in the International Sustainable Campus Network's Excellence Award Integration category, and was cited for projects or initiatives that have integrated sustainability into the culture, community and/or operations. While the University of Washington was the only U.S. school to win a top honor, the Excellence Award also recognized three other sustainable campuses that demonstrate leadership, creativity, effectiveness and outstanding performance in the areas of Building, Campus and Student Leadership. Find out more details in next week's Bulletin: Global Edition.
California Polytechnic State U Pomona Earmarks $100K to Programs
The university's Associated Students Inc. sustainability chair recently announced a new reserve of $100,000 for sustainable programs, events and implementations on campus that promote sustainability and help reduce the university's negative environmental impact.
College of Charleston Hosts Zero Waste Alumni Event
The university's Office of Alumni Relations and the Office of Sustainability partnered for the 5,000-person event making it a 94.7 percent waste diversion event, where only 413 pounds of material were sent to the landfill including gloves, plastic wrap and any non-recyclable packaging.
Dickinson College Students Fund Local Transit
The college's Student Senate is committing $47,000 over a three-year period in partnership with the local transit authority to enable college members to ride for free, develop additional routes to key locations, and offer student internships.
Emory U to Install 295KW of Solar Electricity
Selected by Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative to help spur economic growth in the renewables market, a series of low-profile, roof-mounted solar panels totaling 295-kilowatts will be installed on three campus buildings.
Iowa Lakes CC to Host Wind Company Test Facility
Windtest recently announced that it will house its North American headquarters at the community college's new Sustainable Energy Resource and Technology building. The German company will be a provider for wind energy services, including testing, measuring, and trouble shooting for developers and grid operators.
Knox College Transitions to Renewable Energy
After the college's energy contract ended and the Presidential Task Force on Sustainability suggested renewable energy be the focus of a new contract, the college signed a new one-year agreement that will provide the college with 100 percent renewable energy.
Menlo College Student Develops Campus Sustainability Program
A student recently initiated several waste-related projects at the college in memory of her sister, who was her university's Living Green Club president, including banning one-time use plastic bottles, refurbishing campus recycling bins, installing water bottle refill stations, and holding a sustainability fair.
Montclair State U Awarded $1M Grant for Sustainability Studies
Recently awarded, the three-year funding will support future research activities and collaborative educational programs that are directed at fostering a sustainable and resilient New Jersey through the university's PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies, which is dedicated to achieving a better understanding of how New Jersey can work to balance a clean environment with economic growth and social justice.
North Carolina State U Class Boosts Water Efficiency
This spring, aided by the professor's desire to generate real-world sustainability experience, 15 students in a quality control in food and bioprocessing science class focused on improving sustainability in the university-owned creamery by researching the facility’s processes and choosing to focus on enhancing efficiency of the case washer, which cleanses reusable plastic cases that transport milk.
Portland State U Receives $630K for Building Research
The National Science Foundation awarded $630,978 through the university's Interdisciplinary, Research-based Engineering and Design (IRED) Green Building Scholars project for new interdisciplinary educational opportunities focused on reducing the environmental impact of buildings.
Southwestern Illinois College Partners on 137KW Solar System
The college recently partnered with a local solar installer on two solar systems, a roof-mounted system and a awning-mounted system, which total 137-kilowatts, and is projected to offset three percent of the school's energy costs annually.
U California Riverside to Build Bike Lanes
The upcoming double bike lanes aim to reduce bicycling accidents and alleviate traffic caused by bicyclists by ensuring that students are cycling with the flow of traffic and riding in their respective lanes.
U North Carolina Asheville to Create Resiliency Institute
A newly pledged $1 million dollar gift will be used to create the new McCullough Institute for Conservation, Land Use and Environmental Resiliency. The institute’s goals include working with faculty to develop certifications in environmental studies and policy as added professional credentials for university students. Three areas of focus are land use and conservation, urban planning and renewal, and sustainable agriculture.
U Wisconsin Madison Tests Campus Sustainability Game App
Designed with support from the university's Office of Sustainability, students from an introductory environmental studies course tested the new app, called Sustainable U, which directs players to find signs posted in campus buildings and scan a code with their mobile device to pull up information, videos or games related to waste, energy, water or transportation.
Arizona State U Completes Solar Shade Structure
Costing the university $5.825 million to complete, the new photovoltaic installation, at the center of campus, is functional, adds aesthetic value to campus, and contributes to the university's carbon reduction goals.
California State U Fresno Plants Desert Landscaping
The new landscaping initiative includes plants and trees that are common to a desert environment in an effort to further water conservation efforts. The university also replaced older sprinkler heads to newer models that use less than half than that of the older technology.
Indiana U Partners on Public Gardens
The university's Office of Sustainability recently partnered with a nature center and garden to offer gardening workdays to the public for free as part of its Campus Green Initiative, which fosters sustainability through interactive work spaces.
U Mississippi Receives Recycling Grant
One of the state's agencies to receive a portion of $227,160, the university will increase recycling stations across campus and develop educational recycling campaigns.
U Wisconsin Platteville Offers Bike Repair Station
To enable biking as a more convenient form of transportation on campus, university employees recently installed a self-service bicycle repair station that includes a hand-operated air pump, hand tools and a rack to hold the bike during repairs.
Berea College Earns Fair Trade Designation
(U.S.): Recently earning the declaration, students from the university's People Who Care program spearheaded the achievement, which has five criteria: building a Fair Trade Advisory Council, including Fair Trade in applicable curriculum, offering Fair Trade products at campus outlets, using Fair Trade products on campus, and passing a university-wide resolution to support a commitment to Fair Trade.
California Polytechnic State U Bolsters Bike Safety
(U.S.): In an effort to promote biking and create a safer environment for bicyclists and non-motorists, the university recently completed a new bike path that connects the endpoint of an existing city path to the heart of campus.
