U Victoria Opens Bike Center
Formerly occupied by 28 vehicular parking spaces, the newly opened shelter provides covered bike parking for 234 bikes, equipment lockers, benches, and houses the university's bike program.
York U Releases First Sustainability Report
The newly released report summarizes progress of the President's Sustainability Council and the Environmental Sustainability Report, which covers energy usage, waste diversion and other tracked indicators of sustainability. The document also highlights new recommendations that form the core of the university's sustainability plan.
Boston U Held Regional Eco Rep Conference
(U.S.): The recent Eco Rep Symposium at the university featured games to prompt discussions, presentations and roundtables about campus sustainability topics including waste, engaging students and communities, programs, effective communication, social justice and failures.
Boston U Releases Bike Accident Toolkit App
(U.S.): Called the BU Bike Accident Toolkit, the free mobile application provides the cyclist with tools to record the place of the accident, a form for documenting the driver's name, license plate and insurance policy number, and photos.
Coalition formed for Green Schools
(U.S.): Announced at the Greenbuild Conference & Expo and called the Global Coalition for Green Schools, 29 founding members have committed to establishing and leading a national coalition for green schools, within each of their respective countries, that will share best practices, resources and case studies, provide tools and infrastructure to the growing network, and introduce programs, initiatives and campaigns that can be replicated around the world.
College of William & Mary Selects Green Fee Proposals
(U.S.): The university's Committee on Sustainability has selected 10 proposals to fund totaling nearly $52,000, including a paperless management system, funding for a garden intern, and a student outreach position for marine education.
Emory U Awards Sustainability Project Funding
(U.S.): This year the Office of Sustainability Initiatives funded 18 projects totaling $16,000 including an expansion of recycling and composting, hosting a day-long conference, development of food gardens for patient meals, and human-powered phone chargers.
Oregon Tech to Connect Solar Array
(U.S.): Working toward its climate action plan, the soon-to-be-connected array of 7,800 panels will provide approximately 26 percent of the college's energy and covers nine acres.
ORT Hermelin Academic College of Eng & Tech to Become Microgrid
(Israel): The college president announced plans recently to transform the campus into a self-sustainable island to demonstrate how a smart electricity microgrid can successfully deliver energy to consumers when they need it and without power failures or extraneous costs.
Portland State U Initiates Green Revolving Fund
(U.S.): Aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower utility expenses and advance the university's climate action goals, the new $500,000 fund will be used towards projects that improve building conditions and reduce its environmental footprint. Savings are reinvested in the fund.
Skidmore College to Begin New Clean Tech Program
(U.S.): In a recent release, the university will soon offer the New York Executive Clean Energy Leadership Institute, which intends to teach business professionals about renewable energy and opportunities for new ventures.
South African Academe Promotes Equity Index
(South Africa): In an effort to spur progress toward an academe that reflects South Africa's ethnic mix, the University of KwaZulu-Natal has developed and introduced an "equity index" that tracks how closely student, staff, senate and governing council bodies reflect the country’s ethnic and gender make-up. Controversially, the data allow institutions to be ranked by how similar they are to the South African population as a whole.
Tufts U to Add 99KW Photovoltaic Array
(U.S.): Joining the city of Medford's effort to solarize the city, the university will install the 99-kilowatt solar system to foster environmental sustainability on the campus.
U California Los Angeles Responds to White House Call
(U.S.): In response to the 2012 White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the university recently introduced plans to participate in the Grand Challenge Initiative with six projects focused on pressing sustainability issue. The first of six projects, "Thriving in a Hotter Los Angeles," aims for the region to use exclusively renewable energy and local water by 2050 while protecting biodiversity and enhancing quality of life. The remaining five projects will be announced over the next five years.
U California Santa Cruz Introduces Impact Award
(U.S.) The university's 2013 Chancellor's Sustainability Challenge inaugural Impact Award recognizes students who develop waste reduction/diversion projects, experience a deeper level of commitment, participate in existing programs, or raise awareness of the need to reduce waste. First place prize is $300.
U California Santa Cruz Transitions to 100% Recycled Paper
(U.S.): As of summer 2013, the university's Copy Center now procures strictly post-consumer waste paper for student course reading packets. It is currently transitioning to this type of paper for all copy machines and printers it services across campus.
U Otago Joins Fairtrade Movement
(New Zealand): The university was recently accredited as one that procures certain products that are ethically, socially and environmentally responsible.
U Washington Offers Campus Research Project Funding
(U.S.): The university recently established the new Green Seed Fund to provide grants of $25,000 to $75,000 for proposals outlining research projects that provide practical solutions to helping the university reach its sustainability goals.
AACC Receives $1M Grant for Clean Technology Training
The recently awarded funding to the American Association of Community Colleges' Sustainability Education and Economic Development (SEED) Center will be used to expand training and sustainability education innovations at community colleges nationwide.
American Farmland Trust Awards Local Food Funding
The funding has been awarded to four SUNY campuses, University of Albany, New Paltz, Oswego and Oneonta, and aims to promote AFT's pilot project called Farm to College. The new program seeks to increase the use of fresh, frozen and processed vegetables raised by New York farmers by all SUNY colleges.
Austin College Dedicates Green Building
The university's newly dedicated Inquiry, Discovery, Entrepreneurship, and Access (IDEA) Center is aiming for LEED Silver through incorporating energy efficiency, green building techniques, solar shading, natural light and a rooftop rain irrigation system for native landscaping.
British Columbia Institute of Tech Hosts Computer Reuse Program
In an effort to address the plethora of electronic waste inundating the landfills, the university will now be home to the West Coast branch of the World Computer Exchange, a service that will accept computers from members of campus or the community, refurbish the machines, and redistribute them to local and international communities in need.
Catawba College Hosts Diversity Conversations
The campus' Diversity Club hosted a week of activities focused on appreciating differences. Events included exhibitions, a "race kiosk," varied ethnic food offerings and a documentary.
Connecticut College Initiates Recycling Education Campaign
After recently observing trash and recyclables intermingling in bins across campus and to help end confusion about single-stream recycling, the Office of Sustainability started the Blue Campaign using billboards across campus to ask the question "What does blue mean to you?"
Department of Education Solicits College Affordability Feedback
President Obama has directed the U.S. Department of Education to develop and publish a new college ratings system that would be available for students and families before the 2015-16 school year. The ratings system will help students compare the value offered by colleges and encourage colleges to improve. As part of an effort to gather public input about the development of the system, the Education Department has the last of four open forums on Nov. 21 at Louisiana State University. Transcripts of the forums are available. To submit input, email collegefeedback@ed.gov.
