Syracuse U Prohibits Direct Fossil Fuel Investment
Syracuse University recently announced that it is formalizing its commitment to prohibit direct investment of endowment funds in coal mining and other fossil fuel companies. The university will also continue to seek additional investments through its endowment in companies that are developing new technology related to solar energy, biofuels and advanced recycling.
U California Merced Develops System to Report Water Leaks
New software developed at UC Merced allows anyone on campus with a smart phone to report water leaks to Facilities in a couple of easy steps. Facilities and Operations in mid-March installed quick-response-code stickers that contain two different QR codes, one for leaky sinks and the other for leaky toilets, individually programmed for each specific restroom.
St. Mary's U Receives Fair Trade University Status
The university's new designation signals the 28th institution of higher education in the nation to receive the designation by Fair Trade Colleges and Universities. The university has worked with its food service contractor to make fair trade-certified foods, beverages and items available in its dining facilities, convenience stores, and university-hosted catered meetings.
Southern Oregon U Named First Bee Campus USA
On April 8, 2015, the university and Bee City USA will announce the launch of the national Bee Campus USA program, designed to marshal the strengths of college campuses for the benefit of pollinators. The university collaborated with Bee City USA to develop the guidelines for certification after being inspired by early adopters of Bee City USA, such as SOU’s hometown of Ashland, Ore.
Cornell U Building Earns LEED Gold
The new 480,000-square-foot research facility features high-efficiency mechanical systems that enable it to consumer 18 percent less energy than a minimally code-compliant structure by employing energy-saving mechanical systems, including a high-efficiency HVAC system, energy conserving heat exchangers, and daylight-responsive lighting controls.
U Northern Iowa Hosts Regional Sustainability Conference
The University of Northern Iowa is hosting its second regional sustainability conference, "Environmental Equity and Resilience in the Cedar Valley and Beyond." This conference focuses on actions needed to envision a sustainable world and the transformation needed to create it. The conference includes a keynote speaker and a variety of breakout sessions focusing on food issues, policy concerns, natural energy, and resources and health topics.
U Kentucky Conducts Campus Clean-Up
A beautiful campus and a litter-free campus go hand-in-hand, and groups at the University of Kentucky will be able to care for their own piece of Wildcat country during the month of April. A new element of the Pick It Up campaign, the Adopt-a-Spot program encourages registered UK student organizations, UK offices and other groups to participate in weekly clean-ups to eliminate litter at UK.
St. Edward's U Buildings Earn Green Rating
St. Edward’s University is happy to report that the Austin Energy Green Building (AEGB) program has awarded its 3-star rating certificates to the John Brooks Williams Natural Science Center-South and the UFCU Alumni Gym. These buildings serve as yet another example of the university’s commitment to sustainability and the environment.
Loyola U Chicago Buildings Receive Green Designation
Loyola University Chicago has added five green-certified buildings to its list of high-efficiency constructions across its campuses. The United States Green Building Council recently granted Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) designations to the university buildings, including three Gold certifications.
Bluefield College Offers Half Off Tuition
In an effort to lower college student debt upon graduation, prospective students who qualify for the federal Pell grant, live at home, and attend a school within a 45-mile radius of the college will receive tuition at $12,000 instead of the current $23,000 cost.
Boston U Increases Recycling Rate
The newly installed dual-stream recycling system on every floor of one of the campus' largest residence halls was the result of the university's Student Government Department of Environmental Affairs goal to increase access and convenience.
Loyola U Chicago Supports Divestment in Fossil Fuel Holdings
The university's campus senate recently agreed to immediately freeze any new investment in fossil fuel companies and divest from direct ownership within 18 months. The decision also includes a five-year plan to divest from any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds, and recommends investments in renewable energy technology.
Maharishi U Offers Master's Program in Sustainable Living
During the first year of the program, beginning fall 2015, students will spend half their time in class and half in the community addressing challenges. The second year will be entirely devoted to a major community project, with one option being a 25-month hitch in the Peace Corps.
Northampton CC Plans Wind Turbine Project
The college is now acquiring bids for the installation of an on-campus 10-kilowatt wind turbine to sit atop a 73-foot monopole. The electricity-producing machine will be connected to the school’s electrical system in its electrical wiring laboratory.
Southern Oregon U Receives Seed Gift
The university's Center for Sustainability recently received the gift of seeds from Territorial Seed Company that will allow the university to grow fruits and vegetables to be distributed at a weekly low-cost farm stand to students, distributed to Dining facilities, and sold to faculty and staff through a community-supported agriculture program.
SUNY ESF Building Receives LEED Platinum
The building features a green roof used as a research and demonstration project, native plant species, solar panels, permeable pavement, rain gardens, and no-mow zones.
U Kentucky Breaks Ground on 30KW Solar Array
Tied into a campus building, the 30-kilowatt electricity-producing system, projected to produce approximately 1.5 percent of the buildings' needs, will provide a learning opportunity for students and the public through an online solar production tracking system.
U Kentucky Engages Students Through Sustainability Internship
A new partnership with the university's Office of Sustainability now allows up to six students in any academic program to participate in a year-long, 10-hour per week internship in the areas of energy, waste, transportation, food, urban forests, and water systems.
U Massachusetts Lowell Formally Opens Sustainability Office
The new office sprouted from the efforts of a private consulting firm contracted by the university to assist in completing the campus' first STARS and Princeton Review assessment. The office aims to be a centralized place to provide support, services and advancement to university sustainability.
U Nebraska-Lincoln Pilots Campus Energy Audit Course
The first-time class allows students to work with the university's energy projects engineer to interview building users, review energy usage data, and document building conditions during a series of walkthroughs. The collected information will be used to generate a final report that includes a list of possible improvements.
U Nebraska-Lincoln Students Vote in Favor of Green Fee
A recent survey showed nearly 4 out of 5 voting students said they were interested in paying $2 to a green fund that would be available for student-led sustainability projects. As a result, the Environmental Sustainability Committee is exploring two options for implementing the fee.
U North Carolina Chapel Hill Announces Campus Climate Dialogues
Inspired by the rising level of national and local discourse surrounding events and issues of equity and inclusion related to race, intellectual diversity, religion, identity and culture, the university recently began Carolina Conversations, a coordinated effort that gives the campus community an avenue to share thoughts and opinions with the administration. The campaign includes an interactive website, a calendar of all campus events related to diversity, equity and inclusion, and a series of ongoing events to encourage dialogue.
California State U Monterey Bay Adds EV to Police Fleet
(U.S.): The university's police commander recently received a grant from the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District to purchase the efficient, all electric Nissan Leaf, which will be used for civilian employees of the department.
Cambridge U Studies Plant-Powered Bus Shelter
(U.K.): The prototype hub at the university's botanical garden has walls of plants in pockets made of carbon fiber that receive electrons, produced as a byproduct of photosynthesis, that power a light in the shelter.
Colgate U Student Government Restricts Styrofoam Use
(U.S.): The university's Student Government Association unanimously passed a resolution and bill against styrene, the non-biodegradable substance that is used to make Styrofoam. The bill prohibits certain student group funding to go toward purchasing foam products, and the resolution informs all university offices and departments that the student body dissuades the use of Styrofoam and suggests action to reduce Styrofoam purchasing.
Curtin U Master Plan Receives Green Rating
(Australia): The Green Building Council of Australia recently awarded the campus a 5 Star Green Star - Communities rating for its master plan, which was assessed for best practice benchmarks for governance and innovation, design excellence, environmental sustainability, economic prosperity and live-ability. The master plan calls for 281 acres of the university campus transformed through urban regeneration over a 20-year period.
Fitchburg State U Removes Drinking Straw Option
(U.S.): In an attempt to improve waste reduction, recycling and composting, the university removed the straws, which are hard to spot when conducting post-consumer, dish room garbage separation.
GMR Institute of Tech Imposes Vehicle Restrictions on Campus
(India): In an effort to curb noise and air pollution at the institution, the university recently banned vehicles on campus every Thursday whereby all faculty, staff and students park their motorized vehicles in assigned locations and reach campus by foot.
Indiana U Students Call for More Sustainability Awareness
(U.S.): The university's Residence Hall Association recently passed a unanimous resolution that proposes a sustainability section be added to the A-Z Guide to Furnished Apartment and Residence Hall that will contain information pertaining to the university sustainability office, energy and water use, and recycling.
Leicestershire College to Install Biomass Boiler
(U.K.): In an effort to avoid 45,000 pounds ($66,000) in utility costs and reduce associated carbon emissions, the university's new boiler system will use wood chips in order to reduce its dependence on oil.
Michigan State U Bolsters Campus Sustainability Research
(U.S.): The new Sustainability Fellows Program funds research projects that investigate topics in energy, waste, water and campus member engagement for the purpose of creating a positive impact on the university's sustainability goals, build the university's reputation as a sustainable campus community, and to develop a greater connection between the sustainability department, campus operations, and academic units.
Missouri State U to Install Solar Bike Parking Canopy
(U.S.): The university's Student Government Association will be installing the new renewable energy electricity structure, funded through the green fund, to decrease the university's dependence on coal and provide a covered shelter for bicycles.
Six Vermont Schools Participate in Food System Tour
(U.S.): As part of an effort to study local and global food systems, students from around the U.S. will visit Green Mountain College, Middlebury College, Sterling College, University of Vermont, Vermont Law School, and Vermont Technical College. The 21-day tour explores urban food systems, the local dairy industry and carbon economy, food system advocacy in the context of genetically-modified food, conservation, and climate change and its impacts on global food system.
Skidmore College Attains MSC Chain of Custody Certification
(U.S.): Haddock, pollock and cod at certain on-campus dining locations are now Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Chain of Custody certified, which ensures that the seafood can be traced back to a fishery that has been certified as sustainable and well-managed against the global, science-based MSC standard.
Trent U Plows Student Operated Farm
(Canada): Spearheaded by the university's Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Society, the student-run, 3-acre plot will provide a variety of organic vegetables for use in cafeterias across campus.
U Alberta Bolsters Participation in Earth Hour
(Canada): The university is hosting an online platform that 13 schools participating in the 2015 Earth Hour will use to gauge the school with the highest percentage per capita of participation.
U Canterbury Students Launch Diversity Group
(Australia): At the launch of the university's inaugural diversity festival, the Students' Association recently initiated the Student Well-being Advisory Group, consisting of up to 14 students from a different groups, that aims to further develop diversity and inclusivity within the campus' decision-making.
