Sustainability Colloquiums at Ohio Wesleyan, U Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island's Fall 2008 Honors Colloquium, "People and Planet – Global Environmental Change," will explore human-caused global change, its consequences and potential responses through a series of lectures, films, exhibits and a cabaret. The series of free, weekly events featuring international experts and URI faculty members will run throughout the fall semester. In collaboration with public libraries throughout Rhode Island, URI’s Honors Colloquium will partner with book clubs to recom
U Minnesota Organic Farm Receives USDA Certification
The University of Minnesota's campus organic farm has received USDA certification. The garden, now in its fourth year, is maintained by students in the College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences.
U Tennessee Partners to Build Cellulosic Ethanol Pilot Facility
The University of Tennessee Research Foundation has partnered with DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC to construct a pilot-scale biorefinery and research and development facility for cellulosic ethanol in Vonore, Tennessee. The pilot-scale biorefinery will develop the commercial package for DDCE's cellulosic ethanol technology. The project will utilize UT's expertise in cellulosic feedstock production and co-product research, as well as its work with Tennessee farmers to develop the first dedicated cellulosic energy crop supply chain for cellulosic biorefineries utilizing switchgrass. The facility design will incorporate the flexibility to operate on two different non-food biomass feedstocks: corn stover, cobs and fiber, and switchgrass. The plant capacity will be 250,000 gallons of cellulosic ethanol annually. Site preparations are scheduled to begin this fall, and ethanol should be available from the pilot plant by December 2009.
Indiana U Releases Guide to Sustainable Student Living
The Indiana University Task Force on Campus Sustainability has released the "Indiana Sustainable Student," a guide to sustainable living practices for students that features such issues as water and energy conservation, alternative transportation, and sustainable food. The guide was produced by an IU senior who participated in the IU Summer Program in Sustainability, a summer sustainability internship program. In addition to providing concrete tips for sustainable living, the "Indiana Sustainable Student"
Montana State U to Host Wind Applications Center
Montana State University has been named by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory as the home for the state's Wind Applications Center. As part of the project, MSU will incorporate more wind-specific topics into existing engineering courses for students, help educate the public about wind energy and provide support for Montana's growing wind industry. The wind applications center contract, which was awarded in April, provides the University with $40,000 a year for three years. MSU will begin offering wind-related coursework this fall.
UC San Diego Students Help University Cool Buildings
A group of University of California, San Diego undergraduate students have designed, built, and deployed a network of five weather-monitoring stations as a key step toward helping the University use ocean breezes to cool buildings, identify the sunniest rooftops to expand its solar-electric system, and use water more efficiently in irrigation and in other ways. The network, which will be expanded to 20 stations in 2008, includes stations on San Diego-area schools and businesses.
U Florida Football Goes Carbon Neutral
The University of Florida has announced that the 2008 Florida Gators home football season will be carbon neutral. The initiative, named Neutral Gator, aims to offset carbon emissions produced from game day activities including automobile travel, flights, hotel stays, and stadium energy usage. UFL will be the first college to host a carbon neutral football season. Neutral Gator has also partnered with a local utility company to provide compact fluorescent light-blubs to low income neighborhoods and is working to install solar panels on the UFL campus. Neutral Gator is a result of a partnership between the UFL Office of Sustainability, the University Athletic Association, and the Florida based non-profit Earth Givers Inc.
Villanova U Announces Year of Sustainability, Sustainability Eng. Prgm
Villanova University (PA) has announced that its 2008-2009 academic year has been designated as the "Year of Sustainability." As part of this theme, VU has also developed an interdisciplinary Master's of Science in Sustainable Engineering, available for enrollment in 2009. Open to engineers from all different fields, this program introduces students to the broader issues of sustainability through a series of core courses and then allows them to pursue one of three specialty tracks: alternative energy, sus
Yale U Student Builds Sustainable House
Yale University (CT) graduate student, Elizabeth Turnbull, with the help of family and friends, has designed and constructed a sustainable house to live in while attending graduate school. The 144 square feet Tiny House, as she calls it, features a composting toilet, solar panels, and recycled sailboat sails for ceilings. Turnbull decided to build the house after she realized that building the structure would actually save her money on housing and greatly reduce her carbon footprint while at Yale.
Green Mountain College to Hold Green Freshman Orientation
Green Mountain College (VT) has announced plans to hold an environmentally friendly freshman orientation this year. As part of the initiative, GMC reduced the amount of paper to be used during the event and will hold several workshops and public campaigns aimed at teaching students how to reduce their carbon footprint. The College has also encouraged students to bring their own utensils and travel mugs to orientation and will offer a locally produced breakfast one day during the event.
Ithaca College Opens Academic Year with Green Picnic
Ithaca College's (NY) annual zero-waste convocation ceremony and community picnic featured for the first time local seasonal foods, examples of solar- and bicycle-powered activities, and the distribution of reusable mugs made from 100% recycled plastic. Additionally, participants were asked to sign a “commitment to change” pledge to make more sustainable choices.
Maryville College Holds Green Freshman Move-in Day
Maryville College (TN) held a green move-in day for freshman. The event, entitled Green Grand Opening, featured cardboard recycling and green goodie bags containing compact fluorescent bulbs, eco-pencils, and reusable shopping bags.
17 Schools Selected to Participate in EcoCAR Competition
The U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors, and Natural Resources Canada has announced the 17 teams selected to participate in EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge, a collegiate vehicle engineering competition set to begin in the Fall of 2008. EcoCAR will challenge university engineering students across North America to reengineer a Saturn VUE to achieve improved fuel economy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, while retaining the vehicle’s performance and consumer appeal. Participating schools include Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (FL), Georgia Tech, Howard University (DC), Michigan Technological University, Mississippi State University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, North Carolina State University, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (IN), Texas Tech University, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, University of Victoria, University of Waterloo, University of Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia University.
Benedictine U to Celebrate 3 Years for the Environment
Benedictine University (IL) has announced plans to launch a three-year program entitled, "Years for the Environment," aimed at moving the campus from education and conversation into action. The effort will incorporate curriculum, speakers, events and community outreach. An array of environmentally-themed courses will be offered each semester. Many existing courses, particularly those in biology, humanities, religious studies, and anthropology, will incorporate environmental topics into their curriculum. Th
UC San Diego Increases Green Curriculum
The University of California San Diego has announced plans to offer more than 80 green seminars, workshops, and courses that cover sustainability issues this fall. Course topics will include global warming, consumerism, alternative energy, climate change and society, and corporate social responsibility. Nearly 200 courses with sustainability related content will be offered in total.
15 Colleges Complete North American Solar Challenge
15 colleges and universities have completed the 2008 North American Solar Challenge in which they designed and built solar cars that traveled 2,400 miles from Texas to Canada in 10 days. The University of Michigan finished in first place completing the race in 51 hours and 41 minutes. Principia College (IL) came in second followed by Bochum University of Applied Sciences (Germany), the University of Waterloo (ON), the University of Minnesota, the University of Calgary (AB), Missouri University of Science and Technology, Iowa State University, Red River College (MB), University of Arizona, University of Kentucky, Queen's University (ON), and Northwestern University (IL). Durham University and Oregon State University did not meet the required number of laps for qualifying, but were permitted to finish the race as non-competitive entries. 24 schools created their own cars, and 15 were able to finish.
Colorado Mountain College Fuses Sustainability into the Curriculum
Colorado Mountain College will offer several environmentally focused classes in its overall curriculum this fall. The College aims to embed environmental awareness into a wide range of subjects such as political science, philosophy, business, and English. So far, the school has identified 17 courses that will incorporate sustainability into the focus.
Colorado State U to Establish School of Global Env'l Sustainability
Colorado State University has unveiled plans for the state's first School of Global Environmental Sustainability. The School of Global Environmental Sustainability will be an umbrella organization that encompasses all environmental education and research at the university. Diana Wall will serve as founding director of the school. Over the next year, Wall will form advisory committees to help create curriculum and programs for the school, which could start offering new courses as early as 2010. The curriculum will include courses from eight different colleges in areas such as atmospheric science, environmental politics, wind engineering, agricultural economics, green building, wildlife biology, ecotourism, forestry, ecology, sustainable entrepreneurship and public policy. Students will have the opportunity to complement their majors with environmental courses.
Culinary School of the Rockies Launches Farm to Table Externship
The Culinary School of the Rockies (CO) has launched a Farm to Table Externship. The off-campus Externship takes students to work on farms and ranches in Colorado's North Fork Valley and in Boulder County, allowing students to learn firsthand how to source local ingredients from farmers, growers, and producers. Students also have an apprenticeship with Colorado chefs that cook with local and organic food.
Simon Fraser U to Establish Faculty of the Environment
Simon Fraser University (BC) has announced plans to establish the Faculty of the Environment. The new department will bring together SFU’s Department of Geography, the School of Resource and Environmental Management, the Centre for Sustainable Community Development, the SFU Environmental Science Program, and the Graduate Certificate Program in Development Studies. The new faculty will begin accepting new students for the fall of 2009.
Arizona State U to Establish Solar Power Laboratory
Arizona State University has announced plans to establish the Solar Power Laboratory to advance solar energy research, education, and technology. The goal of the lab is to improve the efficiency of solar electric power systems while making them more economically feasible. The laboratory will be a collaboration between the University’s Global Institute of Sustainability and the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. The initiative is a response to the Arizona Board of Regents’ Solar Energy Initiative.
BCSEA Launches Canadian Clean Energy Academic Program Directory
The BC Sustainable Energy Association, a non-profit organization committed to promoting sustainable energy and energy efficiency, has launched its "Clean Energy Classrooms" project. The initiative includes an online portal that features a directory to all of Canada's currently available training and education options in renewable energy. The Clean Energy Classrooms resource guide is meant to provide comprehensive information to prospective students, help schools ensure strong enrollment for their renewabl
Michigan Tech, Michigan State U to Develop Ethanol Plant
Michigan Technological University has been selected to partner with Michigan State University and the Mascoma Corporation in Michigan’s first Center of Energy Excellence. The three institutions will develop the state's first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant. Michigan Tech will contribute its knowledge of sustainable forestry management practices and access to its automotive engineering labs for analysis of the biofuels produced. MSU will provide expertise in pretreatment technology for cellulosic ethanol production and assistance with renewable energy crops that can be used by the bio-refinery. The universities will each receive an estimated $1 million to analyze issues related to the availability and cost of supplying the wood fiber and other plant materials to produce cellulosic ethanol.
St. Lawrence U Sends Green Shopping List to Freshmen
St. Lawrence University (NY) has sent a list of suggested green dorm room items to freshman, offering advice to students about what "green" shopping means and what to look for. The Green Shopping List begins by encouraging students to share items with their roommates rather than to buy new items, and suggests Energy Star products and used products as well. The list also encourages students not to bring items such as TVs and refrigerators, which are already provided in common areas.
U Central Florida Students Build Biodiesel Reactor
A group of University of Central Florida Mechanical Engineering students have designed and constructed a system that converts restaurants' used vegetable oil into biodiesel fuel. The system, which can produce about 60 gallons of biodiesel every two days, is the result of a Senior Design class project. The University uses the biodiesel fuel produced to power its lawn mowers and heavy equipment. The students involved in the project have since graduated and started a company that will use the design for the biodiesel reactor that they constructed. Future UCF Mechanical Engineering students will be tasked with improving the current system.
Community College Times Covers Sustainability
The Community College Times has published an article on how community colleges are continuing to implement sustainability curriculum and other initiatives despite their tightening budgets. The article mentions Northeast Wisconsin Technical College's use of grants, Lane Community College's (OR) use of a revolving loan fund, Cape Cod Community College's (MA) green landscaping initiatives, Delta College's (MI) green cleaning initiatives, and Santa Fe Community College's (FL) installation of new cooling towers. Energy service companies are also mentioned as a way to implement energy saving initiatives without expensive upfront costs since they allow institutions to pay for the installation of energy-efficient technology through future savings in utility costs rather than up-front payments.
Michigan State U Student Organic Farm Sells Produce on Campus
Michigan State University students from the Institute of Agricultural Technology have started selling organic produce at a farm stand on campus. The food is grown and sold by students in the organic farming certificate program, which consists of 44 credits of on-campus coursework and hands-on practical farm training at the 10-acre Student Organic Farm.
U Florida Chooses Environmental Book for Common Reading Prgm
The University of Florida has chosen When the Rivers Run Dry: Water – the Defining Crisis of the Twenty-First Century , by Fred Pearce, as this year's Common Reading Program book. The program is geared not only to first-year students but it is also marketed to the entire campus to stimulate discussion about an important global topic and encourage a sense of community among students, faculty and staff. All incoming students will receive a copy of the book at orientation and are expected to read it by the start of their first semester of college. Each year the book is chosen by a 20-person committee comprised of faculty, administrators, and students. This committee is charged with finding a non-fiction book that is interdisciplinary, global, recently published, and relatable to both first-year students and the campus community. Additionally, faculty members who teach classes of primarily first-year students are highly encouraged to use the book in their classes.
Wilfrid Laurier U Launches Institute for Water Science
Wilfrid Laurier University (ON) has launched the Laurier Institute for Water Science (LIWS), an institute that will develop solutions-based research and policy recommendations to protect and sustain Canada’s water supply. Researchers at the LIWS will examine the competition for water access within Canada, the effects of changing climate on water resources, and the sustainability of healthy aquatic and coastal ecosystems. In addition to its research activities, the LIWS will issue a bi-annual research newsletter and hold seminar series, conferences and symposia.
MIT Announces Energy Research Collaboration
The MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) and Bosch have announced an energy research collaboration aimed at exploring new materials and concepts for efficient energy-conversion and energy-storage systems. As a Sustaining Member, Bosch will contribute $5 million to MITEI over a five-year period that will fund a research portfolio at the Institute focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy research projects.
Princeton U to Establish Professorship in Energy & Environment
Princeton University (NJ) has announced plans to establish the Anderson Family Professorship in Energy and the Environment. The professorship, which will support a tenured faculty member in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, will aid in developing solutions for societal problems associated with energy and the environment and is a result of a gift from alumnus Dwight Anderson. In related news, Princeton has also received $1 million dollars to establish the Paul A. Maeder '75 Fund for Innovation in Energy and the Environment. The endowment will be used at the discretion of the dean of engineering to provide seed funding to faculty members engaging in risk-taking research that would not typically be supported by government grants and the conventional peer review process.
U Guelph, Ridgetown Receives Fed Funding for Biodiesel Plant
The University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus (ON) has announced plans by the Government of Canada to develop a functional, farm-scale oilseed processing and biodiesel plant on campus. The new plant will be used for technology demonstrations, education, and applied research. In partnership with local soybean and pork producers, the “real-life” operation of this plant will help determine the optimum model and scale of an economically viable on-farm biodiesel facility. The facility will provide an independent evaluation platform for the economic structure and feasibility of a small-scale, closed-loop system of biodiesel production. Another objective of this five-year project is to investigate alternate feedstock such as waste and residues, unmarketable crops, and agri-processing by-products that may be used as energy crops while assessing environmental considerations.
U Michigan Partners with Ford to Develop Transportation Solutions
The University of Michigan Sustainable Mobility and Accessibility Research and Transformation (SMART) program has announced a partnership with Ford Motor Company to develop long-term strategies to confront growing transportation and personal mobility challenges in large and increasingly congested metropolitan areas. U-M and Ford are working together to develop “Ford Urban Mobility Networks,” a new program that is designed to efficiently connect individuals to a variety of transportation options – buses, trains, taxis, car-share fleets, mopeds and bicycles – in urban areas where population growth is beginning to affect access to affordable personal mobility. These transportation options would be available through a transfer point or ‘hub’ where various modes of transportation and services come together. U-M and Ford have also been working together to link businesses related to sustainable transportation, municipalities, academic institutions, transportation providers, information technology companies and other entities that are increasingly turning their focus to the transportation needs of tomorrow’s urban regions.
U Nevada, Reno Students Create Community Farm
The University of Nevada, Reno Environmental Action Team (EnAcT) has created a new organic community farm on campus. The initiative is the result of an idea from two students in an environmental citizenship class project. A horticulturalist at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension (UNCE), the Assistant Director of the Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, and UNCE's Master Gardeners program have provided the students with the guidance and supplies needed to be able to plant their first crop in mid-July.
Clemson U Awarded for Commitment to Green Buildings
Clemson University’s (SC) Habitat for Humanity chapter has been named Campus Chapter of the Year by Habitat for Humanity International. Its campus chapter was selected for being a leader in green building practices. Last year the chapter sponsored a design contest with Clemson’s Emerging Green Builders as a service-learning project for architecture, landscape architecture and construction science students. Students designed environmentally friendly houses, and the winning design, named “Green House,” was constructed nearby. The chapter now is working on a house that will apply for LEED certification.
Colorado State U Pilots Smart Grid Technology
Colorado State University, in partnership with Spirae Inc, has developed the InteGrid Laboratory, which seeks to address challenges of taking intermittent wind power and turning it into a stable and reliable renewable resource. This "smart grid" project is being implemented in Denmark.
U Waterloo Establishes Green Bus. Practices Research Chair
The University of Waterloo (ON) and Export Development Canada (EDC) have announced the creation of a new research chair, funded by EDC, to identify financial products and practices that will help companies engage in business practices such as socially responsible investing and integrate social and environmental performance measures into their business activities. The new chair will seek to identify tools companies can use to address environmental issues such as climate change and environmental sustainability in emerging markets. The EDC Chair in Environmental Finance, based in the University’s Centre for Environment and Business, will also help businesses identify new ways to commercialize "green" technologies and services as well as explore carbon financing and clean energy funds. The University will also hire an additional professor in a related field, to further expand its Centre for Environment and Business.
Michigan's Univ Research Corridor Announces Energy Seed Grants
The University Research Corridor, an alliance of Michigan’s three research universities, has announced its first seed fund grants to provide startup support for two “revolutionary but feasible” energy projects. The seed investments will help launch two collaborations for efficient development of cheaper forms of electricity and fuel, one involving the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University and the other involving MSU and U-M. The U-M, MSU, and WSU project will work to develop more efficient and low-cost thermoelectric materials to be used for power generation and environmentally friendly heating and cooling systems. The MSU and U-M project will work to develop nano-biocarriers to rapidly and efficiently produce low-cost ethanol from switchgrass or corn stover (the leaves and stalks that make up about half of a corn crop).
Colorado State U Awards Renewable Energy Grants
The Colorado State University Clean Energy Supercluster has distributed its first set of seed grants to fund research in renewable energy sources and the policies and implications of these sources. 18 grants averaging about $20,000 each were awarded to more than 100 researches across the CSU campus. Grant winning project topics include: Developing and Sponsoring a Workshop/Conference on Cultivating Clean Renewable Energy from Understanding and Using Synthetic Biology; Development of Oilseed Crops for Biofuel Production in Colorado; The Impact of Improved Cook Stoves on Pollution Levels, Health Status, and Global Warming Potential in Nicaragua; and more.
Rowan U Students Green Pharmaceutical Process
A team of Rowan University (NJ) chemical engineering students have begun working with Pfizer, Inc. to improve the environmental profile of the manufacturing process for the active ingredient in the arthritis pain medication Celebrex® (celecoxib). The project is one of several Rowan engineering clinic projects in which students are exploring green manufacturing strategies for pharmaceutical companies in the region. Started with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2005, the Rowan "green"
University of Toledo Establishes Wetlands on Campus
The University of Toledo (OH) has established the Environmental Remediation and Restoration Experimental Park to support research on phytoremediation, the use of plants for the treatment of environmental contaminants. Researchers will use the site to test the effectiveness of constructed wetlands in removing pollution. The Park was made possible with nearly $4 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Community College Times Highlights Renewable Energy Curricula
The Community College Times has published an article on how community colleges across the U.S. are beginning to offer courses focused on training renewable energy technicians and installers. The article mentions sustainability across the curriculum initiatives at Butte College (CA); a green building certification program at Cuyahoga Community College (OH); and solar and wind energy, sustainable design, sustainable food supply and biofuels online programs at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.
Mississippi State Students Win Sustainable Vehicle Competition
Mississippi State University has won the 2008 General Motors and U.S. Department of Energy Challenge X: Crossover to Sustainability student engineering competition. The competition challenged 17 university teams from the U.S. and Canada to reengineer a Chevrolet Equinox that employs advanced powertrain technologies. The goal is to produce a vehicle that has improved fuel economy and lower emissions, all while maintaining driver comfort and vehicle performance. University teams have followed a real world vehicle development process and integrated their advanced technology solutions into their Equinox vehicles. The Mississippi State team designed a through-the-road parallel hybrid electric vehicle powered by a 1.9L GM direct injection turbo diesel engine fueled by bio diesel (B20). It achieved a 38 percent increase in fuel economy over the production vehicle on a modified urban test cycle. The second place vehicle, engineered by students at the University of Wisconsin, is a through-the-road parallel hybrid electric vehicle with a 1.9L GM direct injection turbo diesel engine fueled by B20. Ohio State University was awarded third place for its powersplit hybrid electric vehicle powered by a 1.9L GM direct injection turbo diesel engine and fueled by B20. Other participants included Michigan Technological University, Pennsylvania State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (IN), San Diego State University (CA), Texas Tech University, University of Akron (OH), University of California, Davis, University of Michigan, University of Tennessee, University of Texas at Austin, University of Tulsa (OK), University of Waterloo (ON), Virginia Tech, and West Virginia University.
Stanford Awards Energy Grants to Faculty
Stanford University's (CA) Precourt Institute for Energy Efficiency has awarded its first three grants for research to faculty members, totaling $358,000 over the next year to 18 months. The three grants were awarded to: engineering professor Curtis Frank and civil and environmental engineering professor Sarah Billington to develop energy-efficient biodegradable foam materials for structural insulated panels to improve heating and cooling efficiency in homes and commercial buildings; civil and environmental engineering professor Mark Jacobson to assess how weather and increased demand from plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2020 will impact the ability of California to deliver a consistent supply of electricity from renewable sources; and associate professor of mechanical engineering Chris Edwards to develop a practical method for quantifying the environmental impacts of diesel and ethanol fuels.
Texas Christian U to Hold Sustainability-Themed Semester
Texas Christian University has named sustainability as the theme for its fall 2008 semester. The “Think Purple, Live Green” semester will consist of presentations by well-known personalities in sustainability, special classes, symposia and workshops discussing how to make human economic systems last longer and have less impact on ecological systems. The goal of the fall 2008 theme is to encourage members of the TCU community to participate in sustainable activities and learn how to lower their carbon footprint.
U Regina to Test Greywater Reclamation Plant
The University of Regina (SK) has received funding for a project to reclaim greywater and protect vital aquatic ecosystems in Saskatchewan and beyond. Over the next three years, Dr. Stephanie Young of the University of Regina will design and test a self-contained, portable, greywater reclamation plant for small community applications. The design of the portable plant is intended to work with a community's existing water treatment facilities. The project will be lead by the University of Regina in collaboration with Communities of Tomorrow. The goal of the applied research and demonstration project is to commercialize the portable plant, increase efficiency of water reuse, and reduce fresh water demand and the corresponding wastewater load.
Wilkes U Establishes Organic Farm on Campus
Wilkes University (PA) recently held a Small Plot Intensive (SPIN) farming workshop for more than 25 people from across the world. The participants established and built a farm on the Wilkes campus by forming and shaping the beds, seeding and installing pathways, and planting natural insect repellants. SPIN farming is a commercial organic-based farming system for land areas under an acre in size. It takes the challenges posed by urbanization and turns them into the farmer’s advantage by capitalizing on limited space and resources.
Williams College Holds Green Commencement
Williams College (MA) held a green commencement that featured reusable dinnerware, local food, fair trade coffee and chocolate, and a ban on bottled and canned beverages. The College also purchased carbon offsets for the attendees' travels. After the ceremony, the college held "Give it Up," a collection drive for clothing, books, and other items as students moved out of their residences.
George Washington U Holds Green Commencement
George Washington University (DC) recently held a green commencement ceremony. Green features included attendance tickets printed on Green Seal certified recycled paper containing 30 percent post-consumer waste, recycling containers for paper and plastic, and GW staff members wearing organic cotton hats. Additionally, graduating seniors were encouraged to sign the "Green Graduation Pledge," in which graduates promise to explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of any job the
Portland State U Offers Course on Reducing Campus Carbon Emissions
Portland State University (OR) recently offered a new senior capstone course entitled, "Towards Carbon Neutrality at Portland State University." The course, which is open to all majors, was designed to teach students about climate change, to let them be directly involved in the process towards carbon neutrality, and to get students involved with campus decision making around sustainability practices. The students were tasked with gathering information for a campus emissions report, which will be presented
