Texas A&M U Installs Green Roof
A section of a campus building’s rooftop has been transformed into a green roof with succulents, grasses and a weather station by an interdisciplinary group of students in phase one of a three-year research initiative. The project also calls for students to design and build a living wall, a vegetated wall that achieves benefits similar to green roofs and investigate its performance.
TIME Spotlights Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement
A recent TIME article profiles the rise of divestment campaigns as the next frontier for climate activism. In response to the lack of support from university and college administrators, the article reports ". . .for many college students today, there’s no cause greater than fighting climate change. University presidents who don’t fall in line should get used to hearing protests outside their offices. Just like their forerunners in the apartheid battles of the 1980s, these climate activists won’t stop until they win.”
U Alberta Creates Green Spaces Certification Program
The university has launched a new Green Spaces Certification program. The program is a three-level, voluntary certification process that encourages people in work, school, and living spaces on campus to adopt sustainable practices and green their work unit and events. Upon submission of a completed checklist, the work unit is recognized as a Green Space with Bronze, Silver, or Green & Gold certification.
U Calgary Students Hold Waste-Free Athletics Event
A kinesiology class of 50 students partnered with the university’s athletic department to hold a waste-free event at a basketball game. The project diverted 67 percent of waste through a number of measures including offering free popcorn to fans who brought their own container.
U Pennsylvania to Open Green Nanotechnology Center
The university has announced it will open a research facility designed to achieve a minimum LEED Silver certification. To be completed by Spring 2013, the building features a green roof, garden terrace and landscape surfaces that will work together to collect rainwater for irrigation and mitigate storm surge impacts.
U Vermont Installs 1,300 Exterior LEDs
The university is replacing more than 1,300 lamps in its exterior light fixtures with energy-saving LED fixtures. The conversion will be completed early this year and is expected to save the university $75,000 annually in electricity costs. The project received funding from the university’s Green Revolving Fund.
U Victoria Students Push for Socially Responsible Investing
Common Energy, a student organization, has begun advocating for more engagement between the university’s academic and social mission and the management of the university’s funds. The organization is asking for the adoption of principles of responsible investing and the formation of institutional structures that allow the university to exercise these principles.
U Wisconsin Receives Gift for Sustainable Technology Program
The university and Viessmann Group have announced a major gift to fund an endowment propelling the university’s new Sustainable Technology program. The “Viessmann Endowed Chair in Sustainable Technology” will allow the university to play an international academic leadership role in renewable energy technologies. The endowment will also fund exchanges for faculty, staff and students, including internships in Germany.
Vassar College Holds Idea Fair for Green Revolving Fund
The College Committee on Sustainability has hosted an Idea Expo that featured project nominations for the Resource Conservation Fund, a green revolving fund. The expo was created to serve as a better tool for community engagement, education and publicity. The 15 applications received represented the largest number in the fund’s three-year history.
Virginia Tech Creates Center for Leadership in Sustainability
The interdisciplinary center, launched by Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment, integrates graduate and professional education, research, and engagement activities focused on building partnerships and leadership for environmental sustainability.
Asian School of Business Building Earns LEED Gold
(India): The campus has received the certification under the new construction program of LEED-India. The facility features rainwater harvesting, erosion and sedimentation control measures, and recycled construction materials.
Ben-Gurion U Establishes Renewable Energy Degree
(Israel): The university has established an undergraduate program in renewable energy to begin in 2013. The degree will have a management focus and will contain courses on management, policy and specifics of renewable energy.
Black Hills State U Creates Sustainability Graduate Program
(U.S.): Beginning next fall, the university will offer a graduate degree in sustainability aimed at preparing students for careers in natural resource management, renewable energy, and community planning. Graduates of the program will be prepared for careers in South Dakota-specific industries such as wind energy, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, green construction techniques, and bio-fuels.
Bowie State U Launches Energy Conservation Campaign
(U.S.): The university has announced plans to launch an advocacy campaign to engage students, faculty and staff in a series of initiatives to reduce campus energy consumption and increase personal commitments to sustainability. A $25,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation will help fund the initiatives. Some initiatives include developing a campus "climate commitment" website, promoting alternative modes of transportation, implementing new technologies for energy conservation, and pursuing LEED certifications for new campus buildings.
Cornell U Receives DOE Grant for Biofuels Research
(U.S.): A research team has received a $910,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to create biofuels produced from algae. The team will design and build a new type of bioreactor that efficiently delivers light and collects fuel produced by algae inside the reactors. The reactor is also expected to use minimal water.
Dundalk IT Earns Green Flag for Campuses Award
(Ireland): The institute has received the Green Flag from the Green Campus Program, an international environmental education and award program that promotes long-term, whole college action for the environment. The institute’s sustainability efforts focus on themes of waste, travel, energy, biodiversity and water.
Emory U Awards Funding to Sustainability Projects
(U.S.): The Office of Sustainability Initiatives has funded 16 proposals submitted by students, faculty and staff that will support the university’s sustainability initiative. The funding ranges from $40 to $3,000, covers a wide range of expenses, and is made possible through the Sustainability Incentives Fund.
Fordham U Undergoes Energy Audit
(U.S.): The university has completed an in-depth analysis to determine the energy and water efficiency of its facilities in compliance with New York City local laws. The audit took 16 months to complete and the report was filed with the city’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability.
Four Institutions Partner to Create Sustainability Working Group
(U.S.): The presidents of South Carolina State University, Claflin University, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and Aiken Technical College have signed a memorandum of understanding to form an environmental sustainability working group in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency. The schools will collaborate in research, teaching and various sustainability projects.
Iowa State U Gym Renovation Receives LEED Platinum
(U.S.): The renovation of the university’s State Gym features light fixture sensors, the reuse of 87 percent of the original structure, captured stormwater that can be used to flush toilets, and native landscaping.
Johns Hopkins U to Give $10M to Local Neighborhoods
(U.S.): The university has announced plans to give $10 million over the next five years to help communities surrounding its campus. The university also announced plans to hire more city residents and increase supply purchases from local businesses owned by women and minorities.
Juniata College to Purchase Solar Energy Certificates
(U.S.): The college has committed to purchase 50 megawatt hours of Keystone Solar energy certificates annually for the next seven years. The college will also partner with Keystone Solar to provide access to an online learning platform that incorporates solar energy education lessons and tools into classwork.
Kansas State U Plans to Produce Biodiesel Fuel
(U.S.): The university has begun plans to design and create a biodiesel unit to refine the vegetable oil on campus. Project organizers expect to receive an external grant from the Kansas Soybean Commission to help fund the project.
Kenyon College Launches Sustainability Action Program Grants
(U.S.): Intended to cultivate a culture of sustainability, the college established the Sustainability Action Program and awarded inaugural grants this fall for two student-directed projects. The first grant will fund the construction of a new hoop house on campus. The second grant was awarded to promote the use of eco-friendly cups among students.
Luther College Rideshare Program Expands to Graceland U
(U.S.): The college has expanded its Rideshare program to include Graceland University. A user-friendly new computer program was developed by a computer science student and faculty member to connect drivers in the community with riders looking to carpool to class or work.
Mother Nature Network Highlights Best Environmental Programs
(U.S.): Mother Nature Network has published an article on its top 10 U.S. environmental programs. The programs and institutions highlighted include: Northland College, SUNY-ESF, Middlebury College’s Program in Environmental Studies, Cornell University’s Department of Natural Resources, Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, College of the Atlantic, Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability, Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Green Mountain College, and Montana State University’s Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems program.
Oxford U Partners with India to Launch Development Center
(U.K.): With a joint contribution of £8.3 million, the Government of India, Oxford University and Somerville College have partnered to establish an International Development Center. The initiative aims to engage in research concerning issues surrounding India’s development in the 21st Century, with a focus on food security and environmental sustainability.
Tufts U Installs Greenbean Recycle Boxes
(U.S.): The university has installed 12 Greenbean Recycle boxes in on-campus dorms to launch its partnership with the nonprofit organization Timmy Global Health. Greenbean Recycle is a software technology company that provides universities with reverse vending machines that accept deposits of recyclable cans and bottles in exchange for five-cent refunds to a PayPal account or charity organization.
U California Riverside Opens Campus Community Garden
(U.S.): The university has debuted a new community garden that will also hold student fields trips and serve as an educational learning space. The 2-acre “R’Garden” will feature two natural structures: a classroom and a facility equipped with a compost toilet.
U Iowa Adds Transgender Choice to Undergraduate Applications
(U.S.): The university has announced the addition of an optional question on sexual orientation, and a transgender choice under gender, as part of an effort to extend a welcoming signal to all students and to gather information about the institution's success at attracting and retaining LGBTQ students.
U Maryland Building Awarded LEED Gold
(U.S.): The renovation of the 22,648-square-foot facility replaced old building systems, connected the facility to a district chilling and heating plant, improved ADA accessibility, and updated building finishes.
U Virginia Students Help Reduce Food Waste
(U.S.): As part of the Campus Kitchen Project, a student group has begun to use leftover produce from Dining Services to create meals for the Salvation Army. The campus dining hall donates leftovers that were cooked but not served, and provides cooking space to student group three times a week. The program is expected to grow in the coming months thanks to a $1,000 grant from the UVA Hellenic Society.
U Wisconsin Stevens Point Debuts Green Dorm
(U.S.): A national energy and environmental group has recognized the institution’s efforts to build an eco-friendly dorm. The residence hall features solar panels, recycled construction materials and energy efficient lighting.
U York Student Organization Launches Living Wage Campaign
(U.K.): City Councilors are urging the university to adopt a living wage for all university employees set at £7.20 per hour or higher. A living wage policy has been adopted by the Students’ Union, and a living wage campaign petition created by the university’s Labor Club has already reached over 1,000 signatures.
Virginia Tech Students Launch Alternative Transportation Project
(U.S.): The institute’s Design for America chapter has launched “The BurgFinder”, a project to make alternative forms of transportation easier for students to access and understand. The group is designing and installing signs that present information regarding biking and walking in a simple and informative format.
Washington U St. Louis Installs Electric Vehicle Charging Station
(U.S.): The Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering has installed an electric-car charging station on campus. The university hopes the station will spur a campus trend toward more sustainable vehicles. The WeCar car sharing service has announced that it will soon have an electric car for student use. Implementation of the charging station was based on a sophomore chemical engineering student’s independent study project.
Western Illinois U Installs Wind Turbine
(U.S.): A 2.4-kilowatt wind turbine has been installed to serve as a curriculum resource. The project was primarily funded by a $28,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and is part of the Illinois Wind for Schools program.
Hofstra U Launches Sustainability Studies Program
This fall, the university has launched a Sustainability Studies Program that focuses on the challenges associated with the creation of sustainable suburbs. The interdisciplinary program leverages the resources of several departments including the National Center for Suburban Studies, the program in Urban Ecology, and the new department of Geology, Environment and Sustainability.
INSIGHT into Diversity Magazine Announces Higher Ed Awards
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine has announced the 48 recipients of its first annual Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award. The national award honors U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. Winning institutions were selected based on exemplary initiatives in various areas of diversity including gender, race, ethnicity, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBT community.
New School Urges Disclosure of Political Spending by Corporations
The New School’s Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility (ACIR) has submitted a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) calling for disclosure of political spending by public corporations. The ACIR’s letter to the SEC is the first from a university body in support of Petition 4-637, which urges the SEC to use its rule-making authority to mandate disclosure of corporate campaign financing.
NY Times Covers Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaigns
“In recent weeks, college students on dozens of campuses have demanded that university endowment funds rid themselves of coal, oil and gas stocks,” reports a recent New York Times article. The article profiles divestment campaigns at Swarthmore College and Unity College.
Odebrecht Announces 2012 Awards for Sustainable Development
Engineering and construction services company Odebrecht USA and thermoplastic resin manufacturer Braskem have announced Odebrecht Organization's inaugural U.S. sustainable development award winners. A team from Rice University won first place for a project that addressed the logistics of offshore oil extraction. A Johns Hopkins University team took second place for a small-scale papermaking machine concept for students in third-world countries. Third place went to North Carolina State University for a project on the recyclability of oil contaminated cardboard.
Oregon State U Installs Two Solar Arrays
The university has installed two ground-mounted solar arrays that will generate about 750 kilowatts of power. The installations are part of the Oregon University System's "Solar by Degrees" program, which includes a partnership with SolarCity to identify research opportunities through student internships and work with university faculty and staff.
Rhode Island College Acquires Bee Hives
The college has installed two beehives to raise awareness among the student body and educate the public about beekeeping’s role in promoting sustainability. Honey harvested from the hives will be used in the campus dining center next year.
Richard Stockton College Campus Center Earns LEED Gold
The 154,000-square-foot center features optimized energy performance, water use reduction, enhanced commissioning, and the use of recycled and regional construction materials. The building also earned a Community Connectivity Credit by having 10 services within a half-mile of the campus center.
