U Albany Launches Sustainability Campaign
New green initiatives at the university began recently including an effort to reduce electricity use around the campus, provide water through a water refill station to students and faculty and the implementation of a new ZipCar service.
Colorado State U Get Solar Panels
In order to increase solar energy, the university recently installed panels to increase the amount of sustainable energy 6,600 kilowatts with the ability to power approximately 1,200 homes to benefit the institution and the surrounding community.
DePauw U Names New Senior Advisor to Promote Diversity
Renee Madison, attorney and associate director of enforcement for the National Collegiate Athletics Association, will now serve on the university’s Cabinet as Senior Advisor to the President for Diversity and Compliance, announced the university’s president this September. She will lead university efforts to promote a campus culture of respect and inclusion.
Indiana U Purdue U Indianapolis Repurposes Food Waste
The university’s new student-led food rescue and distribution operation will turn wasted food into meals for those in need while creating opportunities for student leadership and empowerment, service learning opportunities and additional community partnerships, to promote sustainability throughout the campus to community.
Institutions Boost Sustainability Movement
U.S. News: Colleges and universities lead the charge to increase renewable energy efforts such as green residency buildings, clean energy courses and upgrades to promote fuel efficiency.
North Carolina State U to Save Trees
To prevent cankerworms from damaging university trees, volunteers will wrap and attach polyfill fabric and special paper around tree trunks this fall, and later they will slather the bands with a sticky paste to prevent eggs being laid.
Portland State U Boosts Recycling Bin Locations
Thanks to a grant from Keep America Beautiful and The Coca-Cola Foundation, 1,000 new recycling bins designed specifically for placement in its residence halls were recently installed to increase waste diversion efforts.
Two Emory U Hospitals to Divert Waste
Starting in the operating rooms, Emory University Hospital Midtown and Emory University Hospital aim to reduce landfill waste by 65 percent by 2015 through recycling more and donating unused supplies.
U Louisiana Lafayette Works Toward Zero-Waste
The university recently piloted several programs to increase sustainability efforts in their zero-waste initiative around the campus that includes an increase in recycling bins, Goodwill donation bins to divert waste and the donation of leftover food.
Virginia Tech Pilots Green Project
On home game days, the university will now have additional recycling bins as part of a new test program to increase recycling efforts by 50 percent by 2050.
Wright State U Students Advocate for Fair Trade
In order to increase the variety of products and price points to consumers at the university, the Fair Trade Student Association will soon begin a campaign to increase the availability of eco-friendly products by laborers who were treated fairly and ethically.
Yale U Introduces New Sustainability Initiatives
In order to boost clean energy efforts, the university plans to invest funds to improve energy consumption, introduce carbon pricing to meet climate change objectives, install solar panels, adopt third-party verification of our campus greenhouse gas inventory, green innovation fellowships and the re-evaluation of the current university Sustainability Strategic Plan.
Albright College Opens Sustainability House
Five college undergrads will take part in green activities at a new affinity house focused on sustainability, such as recycling and tracking their energy use, developing a relevant event for students on campus, and writing a grant application for a capital item for the house, such as a solar panel.
Appalachian State U Welcomes Chief Diversity Officer
Bindu Kolli Jayne started as the chief diversity officer and associate vice chancellor for equity, diversity and compliance this past June. Jayne will be responsible for the university’s compliance with laws, regulations and guidelines related to affirmative action, equal opportunity and disability services.
California State U System Engages Local Business
With a new bill, California State University pledges to source 20 percent of its food purchases from local community based farms by 2020, while Sonoma State University supports local business and promotes sustainable practices within the university’s dining venues.
Frederick CC Increases Diversity
Minority students and faculty increased at the community college in the past year, which has spurred the need for a new Office of Diversity director to address this growing change at the campus.
Hastings College to Create Green Space
The college plans to create a pedestrian mall to replace a busy intersection located between residence halls and the student union by next summer to unite the campus and improve college experience while promoting an increase in green areas.
Joliet Junior College to Take on STARS
In order to promote a sustainable culture, economy and social environment, and to capture current sustainability efforts as a baseline for improvement, the college recently formed a committee to complete a STARS assessment as part of its strategic goals.
Lane CC Identifies Energy Efficient Projects
The Energy Carryover Fund, the college’s green revolving fund, was created in 2006 with an allocation of $165,585 from surplus funds in the utilities budget to help the college meet their sustainability goals and formalize a process to identify energy efficiency projects. The fund averages 22.9 percent and has achieved a total of $113,087 in savings to date.
Portland State U Studies Air Quality
Researchers recently found that an increase in urban forests led to a reduction in the amount of nitrogen dioxide, an air pollutant that can cause asthma, which can save approximately $6.5 million per year by avoiding missed school and work days, emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
Princeton U Starts Light Efficiency Upgrade
As part of its Facilities Organization project, the university started to convert over 100,000 light fixtures to light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs across the campus this past July, and is expected to be completed by December 2016 to contribute as much as a 15 percent reduction in carbon emissions as outlined by the Princeton Sustainability Plan to 1990 levels by 2020.
Southern Oregon U Sells Carbon Credits
In an effort to reduce the university’s carbon footprint at a rate of 10 percent by 2020 and 100 percent by 2050, carbon credits from a campus LEED building are being sold to Chevrolet in order to receive funding that will boost green building practices.
Triton College Installs Solar Panels
The college recently installed 54 panels to promote clean energy to supplement power to one of its buildings thanks to a grant from Illinois Green Economy Network and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
U Alaska Fairbanks Garden Installs Water System
A water system was installed this past spring to allow gardeners to water more efficiently with hoses, instead of hauling buckets and watering cans at the university garden which sells produce at a local market.
U Central Florida Patents Innovative Soil Media
A soil product recently created by the university to keep grass and plants firmly rooted and thriving while also providing significant filtration and reduction of storm water runoff is now on 50,000 square feet of roofs in Florida.
U.S. Department of Energy Boosts Clean Energy Research
In an effort to reduce dependence on foreign oil and transition to a clean energy economy, the Energy Department recently announced an approximate investment of $55 million for 31 new projects to accelerate research and development of critical vehicle technologies that will improve fuel efficiency and reduce costs. Approximately seven institutions will benefit from this.
U South Florida to Bring Local Food to Campus
This November the university plans to bring organic fruits and vegetables from a garden to the university for consumption and to increase convenience while reducing the need to travel for produce.
U Washington Educates Students on Diversity
Freshman orientation this fall was met with a new skit, “Our Names, Our Stories,” to educate university students about acceptance with a focus on race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic diversity and gender diversity.
Wells College Names Sustainability Director
The college recently welcomed Marian Brown as the director of the new Center for Sustainability and the Environment to address the increase in needs of an ecologically-conscious and sustainable approach to living.
Albright College Students Boost Garden Offerings
(U.S.): Students from the college’s garden project began growing herbs and and implemented a new rain barrel system this year, which bolstered ongoing efforts of the pesticide-free agriculture project.
Auburn U Bolsters Waste Diversion Efforts with Solar
(U.S.): Solar-powered trash cans and recycling bins have recently been installed on campus that will compact trash leading to a reduction in labor, fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions due to the reduced frequency with which the cans will need to be emptied.
California CC Boosts Clean Energy Projects through Tax Benefits
(U.S.): Clean energy tax benefits have spurred infrastructure upgrades, green job training efforts, and 313 additional projects that promote sustainability. Cumulatively, these efforts are estimated to save $4.6 million annually and reduce energy use by the equivalent of 2.9 million gallons of gasoline.
Concordia U Hosts Exchange Students
(Canada): An exchange student program between Fulda University of Applied Sciences in Germany and the university provided an opportunity for German students to explore sustainability through compost and edible garden site visits, conducting research and writing reports for three weeks this summer.
Concordia U St.Paul Implements Single Stream Recycling
(U.S.): In an effort to reduce waste, new recycling bins are currently being installed throughout campus to allow students, faculty and staff to recycle paper, cardboard, plastic, glass bottles and aluminum in a single container.
Everett CC Hires First Chief Diversity Officer
(U.S.): After 23 years at Peninsula College, Maria Peña has been hired to build a relationship with local tribes, collaborate with local partners and institutions, and bolster diversity initiatives listed in the strategic plan.
George Washington U Building Earns LEED Platinum
(U.S.): The building incorporates natural lighting with floor to ceiling windows, lighting controls, a green roof, recycled and renewable building materials, yoga and meditation rooms, desks that can be converted into standing workstations, and bike racks inside and outside the building.
Georgia State U Sparks Food Movement
(U.S.): University students have set out to close the gap between the food on the plate and where the food is grown in a new “Know Your Grower Atlanta” campaign sparking conversations and connections related to the local food process.
Government Model Engineering College Promotes Organic
(India): The college recently started a month-long campaign to spread awareness about the harmful effects of the use of pesticides and additives and to promote the use of purely organic farming methods by having students pass out organic kits and provide student access to an organic farm on campus.
Johnson County CC Receives Recycling Bins
(U.S.): Thanks to a grant from Keep America Beautiful and The Coca-Cola Foundation, 50 new recycling bins are being installed at the community college in advance of the upcoming semester to increase waste diversion efforts.
London U Freezes Fossil Fuel Investments
(U.K.): Following a recent campaign from more than 600 students, the university’s School of Oriental and African Studies has announced the hold on all future investments and is considering divesting all of its current holdings valued at 2 million pounds ($3.3 million).
