Harvard U Students Test Stormwater Purification Solution
Funded by an Office for Sustainability student grant, the Graduate School of Design students have transformed a concrete patio space into a modular system of vegetation and planters that can absorb and purify stormwater. The students are testing the capacity of a small-scale system to reduce the quantity of stormwater runoff from rooftops to help improve water quality.
JCTC Students Initiate Trash Removal Process for Local Watershed
(U.S.): After realizing that no one was measuring the amount of debris traveling to the Atlantic via their local Ohio River, the students established a uniform system and collected data for eight weeks. The group recently presented their findings to JCTC staff and students, as well as a representative from the Ocean Conservancy's Trash Free Seas. As a result, those in attendance are brainstorming ways to raise public awareness of the problem and help remove trash and debris from the river and watershed areas.
Lahore U Mgmt Sciences Students Take Social Responsibility
(Pakistan): More than 160 graduating students recently signed the Graduation Pledge Alliance’s Graduation Pledge of Social and Environmental Responsibility: "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."
NY Times: 'Greening of Canadian Campuses'
(Canada): "Sustainability has become more than a fashionable buzzword on Canadian campuses; it has become enshrined both in university policy and in daily student life," says a recent New York Times article. From a Shut Your Sash program, which encourages lab users to close their fume hoods when they were not in use, to campus farmer's markets and student-spearheaded fees for sustainability, several higher education sustainability strategies at McGill University, University of Toronto and University of Victoria are profiled.
U Iowa Student Leaders Focus on Affordability, Workforce Access
Student government leaders recently met with the Iowa governor to discuss college affordability and workforce development for graduates who want to stay in Iowa. The students will travel the state this summer to talk with legislators about extending the tuition freeze another year and ways that the state can help connect graduates from area universities to in-state job opportunities.
2 Cornell U Student Teams Win EPA P3 Award
Soliciting student projects that protect people’s health, the environment, encourage economic growth and use natural resources efficiently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Award honored students working on a cookstove fuel/biochar project in Kenya and a water filtration project. Each winning team now qualifies to receive a grant of up to $90,000 to further develop their design.
U Maryland Students Create 'Connect4Climate' Video
"Right here, right now, together" is the slogan for this video by a group of students in the university's "Contemporary Social Problems" class. The video is part of a larger student campaign advocating serious action to fix the climate problem that brought the group to the Connect4Climate event in Washington, D.C. in March.
13 Student Teams Compete in Solar Grand Prix
The student University of Texas at Austin Solar Vehicles Team hosted the recent solar car race, held for the first time at an official Formula 1 track. The endurance race challenges competitors to finish as many laps as they can around the 3.4 mile track during the designated driving hours each day. Students from Iowa State University, Northwestern University, Illinois State University, Western Michigan University, University of Waterloo, Principia College, Missouri Science & Technology, Georgia Tech, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Oregon State University and University of New Mexico were also part of the race.
Cornell U Student Joins Solar Plane Crew
After designing a pilot drinking water system for solar aircraft makers Solar Impulse, senior Sam Daly has been invited to spend his summer as part of the ground crew for the company, which has a plane that is currently flying across America. The company is scheduled to send a plane around the world in 2015.
Central Carolina CC Students Build Tiny House
Built by students in the sustainability technologies program to encourage sustainable and minimalist living and energy-efficient building products and methods, the 450-square-foot "Chatham Cottage" was recently auctioned off. The college is planning to construct another small house next semester with the money raised from the auction.
Oklahoma State U Student Spearheads Tornado Relief Efforts
Entrepreneurship graduate student Jonathon Button is donating a percentage of the sales of bracelets from his website, Life Out of the Box, to the United Way May Tornado Relief Fund. Button moved to Nicaragua a year ago to create his business, which sells products that help fund school supplies for children in need.
Western Washington U Brings Local Food to Campus
After a successful pilot period, the university's Viking Supported Agriculture Program is now available to all students, faculty and staff on campus. The joint collaboration between the university's Office of Sustainability, Students for Sustainable Foods and Growing Washington will offer locally grown produce on a weekly basis to subscribers.
Middlebury Students Collect 1,150 Signatures for 'Real Food'
Middlebury College student group EatReal, which promotes conscientious consumption among the student body, recently collected 1,150 student signatures in support of allocating more of the college’s total budget to Dining Services to increase the purchasing of local foods as part of Real Food Week ’13. The campaign aimed to raise awareness about local food issues through food-related events and educational experiences.
Maharishi U Mgmt Student Debuts Restorative Agriculture Project
Sustainable Living student Jacob Krieger has launched Greener Pastures, a senior project aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness of restorative agriculture, which allows soil to retain its natural fertility so that tillage and chemicals aren't necessary, on up to 2,000 acres of local pasture and hay fields by December 2014.
RISD Students Stage Nation's First Fossil Fuel Divestment Sit-in
Eleven students at the Rhode Island School of Design recently staged a sit-in at the President's office to demand that he and the Board of Trustees Chair personally endorse divestment from the coal, gas and oil industries. This is the latest action in a growing fossil fuel divestment advocacy movement that includes students at more than 300 colleges and universities.
SUNY-ESF Students Start Campus Bike Share Program
After conducting a campus parking analysis that found that alternative forms of transportation were needed, two senior environmental study students have developed a program that will enable students to borrow bikes for a small deposit. The program will start at the beginning of the fall semester.
U Florida Students Create Kiosk to Promote Campus Sustainability
Architecture and building construction students have built a mobile kiosk for the university's Office of Sustainability to help promote its educational mission across campus. Designed to be pulled behind a bicycle, the kiosk is constructed with reused materials and features two 250-watt solar panels that power cell-phone charging stations and LED lights. Counters also fold down to provide areas for brochures, games and informal conversations.
Portland State U, Chinook Book Launch Sustainable Living App
(U.S.): The university and Celilo Group Media’s Chinook Book have launched a mobile app that is available for free to students, faculty and staff. The app includes money-saving coupons for sustainable products and services that students love as well as student resources for green campus living.
Wake Tech CC Debuts App to Reward Sustainable Behavior
(U.S.): The college has launched a new partnership with JouleBug, a free mobile app that gives users incentives and rewards for making sustainable choices. A custom JouleBug badge guides users toward actions connected to the college’s Climate Action Plan, like carpooling or taking public transportation, recycling on campus, and saving energy by shutting down computer equipment. Users can share activities and achievements with friends on Facebook and Twitter. The college hopes to use JouleBug to run student competitions and offer rewards.
Long Island U Uses Blender Bike to Make Smoothies and Raise Money
A graduate assistant has partnered with Dining Services to convert a bicycle into a food blender in an effort to raise awareness about energy conservation. The blender bike will be used to create smoothies made from local and organic ingredients that will be sold to the campus community with the intention of showcasing how sustainability can be fun and profitable. The money raised will go toward future sustainability initiatives.
N Carolina Central U Organizes Farmers’ Market College Day
The university’s Green Team organized a College Day at the Durham Farmers’ Market to promote healthy eating, local farming and supporting local businesses. Students using public transportation received a five-dollar coupon for the market, and farmers offered a 10 percent discount to students with a college ID. In collaboration with the farmers market, the Green Team has also organized a student internship program where students next fall will work alongside farmers and the market manager to learn about sustainable agriculture, marketing and local economic development.
North Carolina State U Creates Steward Program
The Steward program will attempt to consider the challenges facing the environment more holistically, and integrate economic and social aspects into their advocacy. As ambassadors for environmental advocates, the Stewards hope to collaborate with other environmental groups by holding workshops, presentations and campus events.
Portland State U Teams with Wells Fargo on Cleantech Challenge
The university has partnered with Wells Fargo to present a new competition for students and faculty with innovative ideas on how to improve the way communities operate in a resource-constrained environment. The PSU-Wells Fargo Cleantech Challenge will offer $50,000 in cash to help innovation teams bring their ideas to market.
Students Compete in DOE-Sponsored Cleantech Challenge
The U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored CU Cleantech New Venture Challenge has recognized five student groups from the University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Denver, Iowa State University, University of Utah and Brigham Young University to compete in the regional semifinals. Student projects include a cooling system for data centers, a rooftop system that captures carbon dioxide, and a brewery byproduct that is converted to an algae-based nutraceutical. The first-place team will receive $100,000 and will go on to the national competition, June 11-12, in Washington, D.C.
U Colorado Boulder Debuts One Million Acts of Green
The university has announced the launch of One Million Acts of Green, a campus-wide sustainability-based social networking tool that will enable users to visualize the impact of their efforts to live green. For each of the first 1,000 people to sign up for One Million Act of Green, the Office of Campus Sustainability will put $10 toward campus sustainability projects.
U Vermont’s Eco-Reps Launch Follow the Leaf Campaign
The university’s Eco-Reps have launched a Follow the Leaf campaign in an effort to make it easier for students to make sustainable choices. As part of the launch, the Eco-Reps held an even that included green leaf eco-pledges and their own Eco-Option label.
Ohio State U Wins Environmental March Madness Championship
The university won the second annual Environmental March Madness Tournament, defeating other schools in the “Sustainable 16”. Organized by Enviance, an environmental software company, institutions competed against one another based on environmental curriculum and campus sustainability efforts. The university will be awarded $5,000 for its Environment, Economy, Development and Sustainability (EEDS) program.
N Carolina State U Launches Sustainability Student Ambassadors
With support from the university’s Sustainability Office, North Carolina State Stewards will promote sustainable practices among their peers and the community through workshops, presentations and campus events. 2013-14 will be the first full academic year of the program, which was piloted this year.
Rhodes College Students' “Street Paper” to Support the Homeless
Two students seeking to raise awareness about the plight of the homeless in the Memphis, TN area created The Bridge , a new street paper. Street vendors, who themselves are homeless, will be able to purchase copies of the publication for a quarter each and sell them for a dollar a piece. The vendors will be able to keep 100 percent of the profits.
Texas Tech U Student Senate Approves Steps for Sustainable Campus
The Student Senate has passed a resolution that supports all public relations efforts to promote sustainability on campus. The resolution states the senate supports reducing costs of beverages when students use their own containers, the placement of more recycling bins in residence halls, the use of recyclable containers for all to-go meals in dining facilities and the exploration of a more efficient watering system on campus.
U Wisconsin Green Bay Band Holds Sustainability Themed Concert
In an effort to create awareness for campus sustainability initiatives, the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble held a “Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle” themed concert. The band performed compositions from notable composers that aligned with the theme and the older songs were ‘reused’ and performed in new ways.
United Arab Emirates U Organizes First Green Week
(United Arab Emirates): The university’s first Green Week featured events linked together via specific themes aimed to raise awareness about environmental sustainability. The event aims to increase students' awareness regarding the preservation of the environment and applying green strategies in their daily lives.
Dickinson College Launches Student Sustainability Fellows Program
The Center for Sustainability Education has launched the Baird Fellows Program designed to bring together student leaders who have helped advance sustainability at the college. The intent is to create an interdisciplinary forum for discussion and collaboration. Senior participants will engage with guest speakers and the community throughout the semester, sharing ideas about how to create a more sustainable world.
Louisiana State U Kicks Off Campus Sustainability Campaign
Residential Life and Campus Sustainability have launched UNPLUG, a three-week campaign that aims to inform students about energy and water consumption, conservation, recycling and sustainability. Residential halls will also compete against one another to see who can save the most energy.
Department of Energy Announces Winners of Student Competition
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced the winners of the second annual Better Buildings Case Competition, which challenges university teams to develop and present real-world business and technical solutions to cut energy waste and improve the efficiency of commercial buildings across the country. The winners included the Carnegie Mellon University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California-Santa Barbara, University of Chicago, and Yale University.
Northwestern U Students Lead Charge to Divest from Coal
The university’s Associated Student Government has passed a resolution urging the administration to divest from the coal industry. Since passing the resolution, the student government and the Responsible Endowment Coalition has received more than 1,000 signatures from faculty, staff, alumni and students asking the university for three things: a full divestment from the coal industry, an increase in renewable energy and clean technology investments, and the full divestment from the fossil fuel industry in the near future.
Dalhousie U Art Installation Reflects Energy Use
(Canada): A student partnered with the Office of Sustainability and Facilities Management to create an art installation that taps into the building’s data systems. The project features 18 glowing cube-shaped lanterns that move and change colors to reflect the amount of energy and water being consumed within the building.
Environment Agency Abu Dhabi Debuts Sustainable Campus Initiative
United Arab Emirates): The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi has launched a new Sustainable Campus Initiative program. Through the initiative, participating universities and colleges will be required to establish environmental clubs that are responsible for conducting green audits and providing students with the opportunity to promote sustainability in their community. Students in these clubs will present their local efforts in regional and international forums, and can actively volunteer to get hands-on experience in preserving the environment.
U Florida Launches Sustainability Campaign
The Office of Sustainability has launched Under One Umbrella, a campaign that focuses on sustainability-related activities on campus and in the community to encourage students, faculty and Gainesville residents to learn how the various components of sustainability interact.
Boston U Debuts Sustainable Art Project
The university has created a new project titled Alternative Visions/Sustainable Futures, a collaboration between the College of Fine Arts and sustainability@bu. Throughout the semester, the cross-disciplinary project will explore the creative ways that artists, scholars, and members of the community might build a sustainable future.
Bowie State U Partners with Toyota Green Initiative
The university has partnered with the Toyota Green Initiative, an environmental stewardship platform designed to empower Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) students and alumni on the benefits of adopting a sustainable lifestyle.
Cornell U Professor’s Sustainable Art Wins MoMA Competition
Using sustainable materials from an Ithaca skateboard company, a pavilion designed by Caroline O’Donnell, Assistant Professor of Architecture, was chosen from among five finalists in the Museum of Modern Art P.S.1's 14th annual Young Architects Program. The proposal was selected because of its identification and use of locally available resources to make an impactful and poetic architectural statement within MoMA P.S.1′s courtyard.
Harvard U Creates Lab Reuse List
The newly launched Harvard Labs Reuse List, intended as a university-wide resource, encourages and enables trade, reuse, and sharing of working laboratory equipment and supplies.
Cornell U Students Build Sustainable House in Nicaragua
(U.S.): Sustainable Design students have begun building an affordable and environmentally sustainable model house as part of the Sustainable Neighborhoods Nicaragua project. The house and its landscaping are the product of more than three semesters of research on designing sustainable and affordable housing for low-income Nicaraguan families.
Lindenwood U Students Create Sustainability Alliance Group
(U.S.): Students have founded Sustainability Alliance, a group dedicated to decreasing the school's ecological footprint and advocating for responsible consumption. The group has launched Foam Free Fridays to encourage students to use washable plates and eliminate the use of expanded polystyrene foam containers.
