U Connecticut Publishes Sustainability Action Plan
The recently published UConn Sustainability Action Plan delineates specific actions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 with the goal of being entirely carbon zero by 2040, conserve resources, integrate sustainability across the university’s academic and research activities, ensure equity and engagement, and establish partnerships and support innovation to address sustainability challenges.
Two HEIs Receive Plastics Reduction Bronze Certification
The National Wildlife Federation, in partnership with the Campus Race to Zero Waste Program, has awarded Bard College and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt a Plastics Reduction Partner Bronze level certification. This program recognizes higher education institutions (HEIs) for taking action to reduce the purchase and use of single-use plastics on campus.
U Hawaii Manoa Receives $1.25M for EJ Initiative
The university's College of Arts, Languages and Letters recently received a $1.25 million grant from the Mellon Foundation that will fund an interdisciplinary environmental justice (EJ) initiative within the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. The funding will help establish two new faculty positions, a humanities lab to develop new teaching materials, and a forum for professional development and the exchange of ideas.
Dillard U Publishes Carbon Neutrality Action Plan
The recently published plan includes strategies covering energy, transportation, waste, procurement, academics, and outreach. The overarching goal is to systematically reduce the universities carbon footprint through infrastructure upgrades, operational changes, and cultural transformation.
U Pennsylvania Purchases Solar Electricity From 220MW Farm
The university will now be receiving all of the solar electricity from a recently connected 220-megawatt photovoltaic farm, which will meet the equivalent of 70 percent of the electricity demand of its campus and health system facilities in the Philadelphia area.
Yale U Commits $10M Toward HBCUs Collaboration
The new initiative is the latest in a continuing series of university commitments in response to the findings of a long-term examination of Yale’s historical role in and association with slavery. Yale will commit $2 million annually, for a total of $10 million, to establish the Alliance for Scholarship, Collaboration, Engagement, Networking, and Development, a bidirectional initiative centered on research, teaching and access.
SUNY Adopts Policy to Phase Out Single Use Plastics
The recently adopted policy details a staged elimination of single-use plastics across all SUNY campuses. Items covered in the policy include bags, beverage bottles, food service products, utensils, plastic wrap and packaging films. Additionally, the university system is partnering with a public service platform to create a plastics-free solutions hub.
Franklin U Switzerland Purchases 100% Hydroelectricity
The university recently announced the purchase of Guarantees of Origin to buy hydroelectricity to meet 100 percent demand for 2024 and 2025. The university's 2024 participation in the hydroelectricity program is sponsored by a company that is partnering with the sustainability office to develop an internship program to communicate the company’s sustainability commitment and efforts.
