San Jose State U Launches New Campus Sustainability Website
The university launched a new website to promote and inform students about the sustainability efforts made on campus and ways in which they can reduce their ecological footprints. The website provides links for visitors that highlight campus accomplishments and list current and future projects.
U Vermont Student Group Calls on Trustees to Divest Fossil Fuels
The Student Climate Culture club has launched a campaign encouraging the university to bring an end to investment in fossil fuel companies. The student group has teamed up with Greenpeace, 350.org, and other environmental organizations to make a case for divestment. The group will present its arguments at an upcoming Board of Trustees meeting.
Dartmouth College Students Create Paper to Examine Social Issues
A group of students seeking to raise awareness about overlooked social justice issues created The Dartmouth Radical , a new campus paper. The eight-page publication will run poems, satire pieces and news stories from a progressive perspective. The Council on Student Organizations approved The Radical as an official student group and granted it college funding.
U Maryland Students Help Bring Solar Lighting to Sierra Leone
In a partnership with the Madieu Williams Foundation and the Maryland Sustainable Engineering student group, about 40 university students helped to design and install a 1.5-kilowatt solar array that would provide lighting to an elementary school in Sierra Leone. The team also installed a battery array that can last several days without any power input from the panels.
U Massachusetts Medical School Creates Sustainability Pledge
(U.S.): The university’s Sustainability Committee has asked students, faculty and staff to sign a pledge in an effort to encourage the campus community to think about the environmental impact of everyday decisions. Every month, one person who takes the pledge will be selected to receive a gift.
U Massachusetts Student Farm Partners with Local Supermarket
(U.S.): The university’s Student Farm Enterprise class has partnered with Big Y Foods, a local supermarket, to sell locally grown produce. The partnership will allow students to learn how to manage their own farms and work with a mainstream retail market.
Washington U St. Louis Student Government Passes Plastic Bag Ban
The university’s Student Union Senate has passed a resolution calling for numerous campus businesses to replace plastic bags with paper ones. The resolution, drafted by a campus initiative called Another Step Towards Sustainability, encourages each distributor to eliminate their plastic bag distribution by the 2013 fall semester and replace them with eco-friendly paper bags.
Brown U Debuts Housing to Promote Social Justice
The Office of Residential Life has approved the Social Action Program House, which will foster a community of students passionate about social justice. The 45 house members will develop goals, engage in community service oriented projects and host informational dinners to engage the student body.
Chatham U Students Win Design Competition for City’s Green Hub
Two teams of five interior architecture students have won a competition to turn a City-County building lobby into Green Central, a hub of information about the City of Pittsburgh’s sustainability action-plan projects and resources to help residents develop their own. The winning designs include custom-made recycling bins that evoke the roots of a tree. The mayor’s Green Trust Fund will pay for the project.
New School Design Students Help Build University Center
Four students and alumni have teamed with a construction company to help build the new University Center. Each intern has a focus project including work on the interior LED lighting design, implementation of an eco-friendly wastewater system, and work in the field office. The building will feature an ice storage cooling system that complements the air conditioning system and internal electricity generator to relieve pressure on the public grid.
St. Olaf College Launches 'SustainAbilities' Program
The college's new "SustainAbilities: Practical Steps to a Sustainable Society" program, encompassing all four years of the undergraduate experience, includes sustainability representatives for each residence hall to help students develop skills to design and build a more sustainable society, on campus and off. The newly launched SustainAbilities website offers students live newsfeeds, a blog with local stories, a calendar of events, a resource guide and green room certification guidelines.
U Maryland Student Team Wins Appliance Design Competition
A University of Maryland student team has won the U.S. Department of Energy’s first Max Tech and Beyond Appliance Design Competition. The students simplified the design of a standard wall-mounted air conditioner by separating the systems that remove humidity and provide cooling. After the students tested a fully functional prototype, they found that the design reduced energy use by 30 percent compared with typical wall-mounted air conditioners already on the market.
Maharaja Sayajirao U Holds Green March, Plants 10,000 Trees
(India): Students, faculty and administrators in the university’s Environment Army recently participated in “The Environment March” to raise awareness of the need to conserve trees. The event also kicked off a campaign to plant 10,000 trees on campus, in which members of the campus community will adopt saplings to nurture over the next three years.
U California Merced Student Wins Brower Youth Award
(U.S.): The Earth Island Institute has honored Martin Figueroa with the Brower Youth Award for his leadership in water conservation and energy efficiency. Figueroa coordinated last year's competition to see which residence hall on the UC Merced campus could save the most water. The competition, which used new water-monitoring technology to track progress and identify leaks in campus water lines, resulted in savings of more than 14 percent of the normal water usage.
U Minnesota St. Paul Students Host 'Weed Dating' Event
(U.S.) In addition to bringing together like-minded people who care where their food comes from, the recent Cornercopia Student Organic Farm event was a good opportunity to get some extra weeding done on the campus farm.
U Queensland Student Groups Debut Sustainability Market
(Australia): Organized by the university’s Ipswich chapter of Doctors for the Environment and Towards International Medical Equality, the university’s first Sustainability Market on campus featured information stalls, a clothing exchange, bike accessories, fresh local produce and a community garden booth. Organizers hope the market will become a regular event to promote sustainable products and services that can be accessed in the community.
Pratt Institute Students to Develop Green Roof
Graduate students in the institute’s Programs for Sustainable Planning and Development have presented concept proposals for a soon-to-be-built green roof on campus. Realized through $475,167 from the NYC Department of Environmental Protection's Green Infrastructure Grant Program, the roof will be located on a building that houses the campus cafeteria as well as classrooms, and will be planted with native species and monitored to measure stormwater management and energy efficiency benefits.
Oregon IT Students to Install Solar Systems in Tanzanian Villages
Ten students will travel to Tanzania to install solar energy systems for schools and hospitals as part of the Oregon Institute of Technology’s renewable energy engineering degree program. The project was launched in 2010 to provide energy to power lights that allow students to study after dark and medical professionals to perform surgery with adequate illumination.
Portland State U Students Build Prison Garden with Inmates
Students at the university recently worked side-by-side with the inmate gardeners to expand and plant a garden at Oregon’s only women’s prison. The project was part of a "Women’s Prison Gardens" capstone course, which focuses primarily on social justice, corrections and the impact of incarceration on families and communities.
U Kentucky Students Help Produce Biodiesel in Cameroon
Seven chemical and mechanical engineering students recently participated in a project to develop low-cost, environmentally friendly technologies to produce biodiesel for rural villagers in Cameroon, Africa. The students worked with the African Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology to design a process using resources and materials readily available in the area. A 10-day trip to work with the local villagers in implementing and refining the design was the culmination of the year-long project.
Bogor Agricultural U Students Create Sustainability Awareness
(Indonesia): Working toward Indonesia's commitment to reduce its carbon emission by 26 percent by 2020, a group of Bogor Agricultural University students are encouraging more sustainable actions among higher education communities by routinely picking up plastic bags and litter on campus, and distributing free reusable cloth bags.
Maastricht U Student Green Office Wins Int'l Sustainability Award
(Netherlands): The International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) and oikos International have recognized the achievements of the university’s student-led Green Office with a Student Leadership Award that represents sustainability student activism. Students have already successfully implemented several sustainability projects through the Green Office including the first sustainability baseline analysis of the university; business cases for a more energy-efficient computer infrastructure and light system; and several conferences and networking events.
Taibah U Students Build Biological Incubator
(Saudi Arabia): Students of the renewable energy and biotechnology unit have created a model of a biological incubator to produce antibiotics from bacteria using solar energy. The group is currently working on various applications that make use of solar energy and research on manufacturing solar cells locally.
Creighton U Student Spearheads Fair Trade Status
Inspired by the economic plight of a community in the Dominican Republic during a service trip, a senior at the university has successfully campaigned for the university's Fair Trade status. The status commits the university to support Fair Trade through the use of fair trade products where feasible in university-operated/owned outlets, meetings and special events; Fair Trade education and awareness building on campus; and general support of Fair Trade through procurement practices.
Cornell U Students Design Sustainable Housing for Nicaragua
After conducting a site analysis and speaking with community members, 14 students have provided recommendations for sustainable housing in San Diego, Nicaragua, a village of 99 households. An interdisciplinary team of more than 50 undergraduate and graduate students are part of Sustainable Neighborhood Nicaragua (SSN), an international project developed by Cornell University Sustainable Design. This summer, the SNN team will work on the design phase of the project that includes a mock-up drawing and digital design of a model house, estimating materials and cost, and raising funds. The students will also offer recommendations for neighborhood designs, with the hope that their model will provide plans for other communities on how to build sustainable housing that serves local needs.
Grand Valley State U Acquire Bees to Help Teach Sustainability
The new apiary is home to thousands of honeybees and is designed to align with the university’s commitment to sustainability, as well as promote the importance of the honeybees through education and awareness. The two hives will provide opportunities for interdisciplinary studies and research by students and faculty. The project received funding from a Sustainability Reinvestment Grant from the GVSU Sustainable Community Development Initiative.
U Colorado Students Introduce Green Energy Curriculum in Haiti
Five engineering students introduced a green energy vocational training program after an initial visit to Haiti in January to assess specific energy needs and employment opportunities for those who are trained in the field. Last month, the students returned for three weeks to train six local instructors on the essential knowledge and skills they need to pass on to their students. The 250-hour curriculum covers the installation, operation and maintenance of solar, wind and hydropower renewable energy systems. Beginning this fall, the program will be taught to local students in the 11th grade and beyond. The Neges Foundation, a relief and development organization, is supporting the instructors.
Mills College Students Spearhead New Campus Bike Co-op
Students recently partnered with the Mills College Sustainability Center and local, community bicycle shops to launch the cooperative. Aiming to make bicycles accessible for everyone and support sustainable transportation and exploration, the co-op's grand opening included the promotion of a Bike to School Day and a fix-it-yourself workshop led by local mechanics. The student-run space provides tools and open hours with volunteer student mechanics to assist in maintenance and repairs throughout the academic year.
U Iowa Students Develop Tool to Identify Energy Opportunities
Graduate students in the university’s School of Urban and Regional Planning have developed a new tool to help the City of Dubuque identify untapped renewable energy sources. The interactive, web-based map can be used by residents and businesses to pinpoint their property’s renewable energy potential, including solar, wind and geothermal power. The map application is expected to be implemented on the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation’s website for public use.
Southern Oregon U Student Creates Apiary Program
Graduate student Ryan King has partnered with the Southern Oregon Beekeepers Association to establish the Ashland Apiary Project on campus. Three new bee colonies mark the completion of the first stage of the long-term environmental education project. Next, King plans to start an official SOU Beekeeping Club by September 2012.
U York Students Launch Fair Pay Campus Campaign
(U.K.): The student branch of the Green Party, Young Greens, has launched its Fair Pay Campus campaign at the university. Among the demands: a pledge to work toward a 10:1 pay ratio; transparency regarding administrative pay; and that all contracted workers are paid a Living Wage. Universities that adopt fair pay policies will be recognized as "Fair Pay Campuses" by the Green Party and publicly celebrated.
Chatham U Graduate Student Initiates Community Seed Bank
A food studies graduate student has partnered with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to provide a public, regionally adapted seed bank, gardening and seed-saving classes, and a place to hear and share some of the local gardening history. The public can "borrow" or "check out" seeds, with the hope that they will grow the crops past harvesting stage, letting them go to seed. The public is then encouraged to return these seeds to the Pittsburgh Seed and Story Library.
U Chicago Students Create Green Event Certification Program
Students have partnered with the university’s Office of Sustainability, Office of the Reynolds Club and Student Activities staff to launch a Green Event Certification program. The aim of the program is to encourage student organizations to reduce the environmental impacts of on-campus events.
Western Michigan U Student Spearheads Recycling Expansion
As part of a graduate student's thesis, new recycling bins with improved signage have replaced trash cans on campus. The results from the pilot waste project will be used in the development of a campus-wide waste reduction master plan.
Chandler-Gilbert CC Students Help Green Local Community
As part of a special projects course, "Eco-philosophy and the Environmental Technology Center," students researched and found solutions for a local housing community to operate more sustainably and reduce its carbon footprint. After phone calls, field research and visiting the community to talk with members, the students recommended waterless urinals and sensor-driven faucets, reducing artificial lighting by at least one third, and the creation of community gardens and riparian areas.
U Illinois Chicago Students Help Water District Save Energy
(U.S.): Chemical engineering professor Sohail Murad and his students are testing both open and closed loop heat pump systems for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Over the next year, the group will study which system does best in lowering heating and cooling costs, with an expected savings of 20 to 50 percent. The water reclamation district may use the findings to retrofit its other treatment plants.
U New Hampshire Students Develop Bicycle-Powered Washer
(U.S.): Inspired by a TED Talks speaker who addressed the life-changing impact of washing machines in rural areas, three mechanical engineering majors have fabricated a bicycled-powered washing machine that can clean a load of clothes in 30 minutes using six gallons of water. The washer, which requires a drill and basic welding to assemble out of scrap materials and a few basic items from a hardware store, is designed for easy assembly in developing countries.
WV Wesleyan College Student Initiates Solar Panel Installation
(U.S.): With the help of a senior engineering student, West Virginia Wesleyan College has installed a solar panel above the doorway of its science building. The panel will generate enough electricity to power the fluorescent lighting in the building. The student plans to analyze the efficiency of the solar power system over the course of its operation with the goal of many more solar installations at the college.
Syracuse U Students Initiate Food Waste Audits
Two Sustainability Division interns recently gave their fellow students a firsthand look at the food being wasted in the campus dining center each day. Two dinnertime tray waste audits yielded a total of 278 pounds of tray waste, which was displayed for student viewing on a tarp-covered table in three separate piles: untouched food, food scraps and non-edible waste. The visual impact was designed to encourage students to waste less food.
'Can an MBA Change the World?' Video Contest Winners Announced
A group of five students at Dartmouth College's (New Hampshire) Tuck School of Business have won the Global Business School Network's 2012 MBA Challenge Video Contest, which asked the question “Can an MBA Change the World?” The winning video describes the application of the students' business school skills to address the need for low-cost housing in Haiti. A team from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earned second place in the competition with a video about their work in Eastern Africa on sustainability-focused projects.
Clarkson U Students Initiate Energy-Efficient Campus Solutions
Student research, funded by the university's sustainability fund, has concluded that the university could save up to $600,000 annually on energy bills by installing motion sensor-controlled lighting in its residence halls. The student group installed motion sensor lighting on one of the school’s older residence halls and recorded the difference in the amount of energy used. Their research was recently singled out by the New York State Pollution Prevention Initiative in a contest among teams from partner universities throughout New York.
Mills College Students Launch Bike Co-Op
A group of students have created the Spokes Folks Bike Co-Op, providing a community support system, bike-repair seminars and maintenance tools. The co-op aims to provide access to bicycles to those who do not own bikes.
Thomas More College Turns Green Spaces into Art
The college's new Sculpting Spaces project encourages the campus community to transform the campus’ green spaces into outdoor studios, laboratory classrooms and student galleries. Students and faculty are working to create artistic spaces while learning about landscape design and sustainability practices.
U Louisville Students Install Recycled Solar Panels
Members of the university’s Renewable Energy and Efficiency Club are installing a small-scale solar energy project using recycled materials. Students purchased the solar cells from eBay and re-engineered the cell architecture to use a low-cost method. The panels will be used to power two fans that will ventilate a greenhouse.
Cornell U Students Create Low-Cost Light for Developing Countries
An idea that uses soda bottles to provide light to people in developing countries without electricity has won the $3,000 first-place prize at the university's Big Idea competition, open to all undergraduates. CapLight, created by Chris Dobyns '13 and Folajimi Fowose '13, replaces the cap of a standard soda bottle with an LED light assembly designed to provide low-cost, energy-efficient lighting. The prize money will be used to build more prototypes, which the students plan to distribute this summer.
U Calif Riverside Students Win Int'l Enviro Design Competition
A team of students from the university’s Bourns College of Engineering recently won the 2012 Intel Environmental Innovation Award for their reusable storm drain oil filter design. Constructed out of 100 percent recycled materials, "Sustain-a-Drain" is placed into storm drains to filter the oil carried in stormwater run-off. The students plan to patent their design and permanently install filters on campus.
U Michigan Students Establish Campus Farm Pilot
Four School of Natural Resources and Environment graduate students have established a 250-square-foot pilot farm for testing crops that will then be donated. Future plans include a larger farm and a centralized sustainable food program at the university. The students are currently seeking additional funding to hire a farm manager.
Fordham U Students Launch Campus Garden
Student group Fordham Urban Sustainability and Ecosystems and the United Student Government have created an agricultural garden and living classroom on campus. The purpose of the project is to raise awareness of healthy eating habits and to educate the campus community about the production of sustainable food. In alliance with a local farm, the two groups have also initiated a Community Supported Agriculture program.
