Boise State U Opens Bicycle Center
Boise State University (ID) has unveiled its Cycle Learning Center. The center serves as the university’s centralized source for basic bicycle repair services, low-cost instructional clinics and alternative transportation information. Students will be able to rent a bike or a secure a storage spot.
Bridgewater College to Conduct Campus Energy Audit
Bridgewater College (VA) has scheduled a comprehensive campus energy audit to begin in October. The audit will evaluate energy and utility consumption in every structure on campus and prioritize energy uses. The college will then implement systems to conserve usage, save natural resources and educate students about energy conservation. Meters will also be installed in 13 major buildings. The college has received a $150,000 grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund to cover part of the $225,000 cost.
California Community Colleges Create Scholarship Fund
In the face of state funding cuts that have forced course reductions and prevented thousands of students from obtaining classes, reports a recent Los Angeles Times article, California's community colleges have created a $67.7 million scholarship fund to provide financial support for thousands of students annually. As fees for California community college students increase from $26 to $36 per unit this fall, the scholarship fund will provide $1,000 to qualified students for textbooks, lab fees and other expenses. An estimated 4,000 students annually will receive scholarships from the endowment, which is a culmination of a three-year fundraising campaign that began with a lead gift of $25 million from a foundation that promised to match a portion of the donations raised by the colleges. Since 2008, the state's 112 community colleges have raised $28.5 million, generating $14.2 million in matching dollars.
California State U San Marcos Develops Compost System
Using coffee grounds and raw fruit and vegetable trimmings, California State University, San Marcos has developed a low-maintenance compost system to provide nutrient-rich soil for campus landscaping. The new program is a result of waste diversion discussions with nearby campuses that participated in this year's RecycleMania.
California State U San Marcos Earns Second LEED Certification
California State University, San Marcos' new Social and Behavioral Sciences building has earned LEED Silver certification, the second LEED certification for the campus. Environmentally friendly features include a stormwater system that saves 60 percent of the water used for landscape irrigation, low-water use fixtures, high-efficiency lighting, automated ventilation systems and energy-efficient windows. Seventy-four percent of the project waste was diverted from the landfill.
Cleveland State U to Offer Car Sharing Service
Cleveland State University (OH) has partnered with Zipcar, Inc. to offer a car-sharing program on campus. The university will start with two vehicles that are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all students, faculty and staff members ages 18 and older.
Cornell U Students Design Garden that Cleans Toxic Waste
Featuring ferns, grasses and black elder trees that absorb lead and arsenic from fertilizers and lead arsenate from pesticides, five landscape architecture graduate students at Cornell University (NY) have designed a garden with plants capable of cleaning up hazardous waste sites. Focusing on plants that draw in, store, and in some cases convert, toxic materials into benign compounds, the students' garden includes more than 50 plant species including sunflowers, cabbage plants, rice and willows.
Hispanics Become Largest Campus Minority
With a 24 percent spike in college enrollment, Hispanic 18- to 24-year-olds have become the largest minority group attending college in the U.S., reports a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education. A report recently released by the Pew Hispanic Center says the number of young Hispanics enrolling in college grew by 349,000 from 2009 to 2010. The increase is attributed to data that revealed that more Hispanic young adults were eligible to attend college than ever before as nearly 73 percent had finished high school, and more college-eligible Hispanic youths enrolled in college than ever before. Much of the growth stems from Hispanic enrollment at community colleges. Young Hispanics are enrolling in community colleges at a much greater rate than are their peers, while young black students remain the largest minority group at the country's four-year colleges.
Liberal Arts Diversity Group Works to Diversify Faculty
A group known as the Liberal Arts Diversity Officers, which includes administrators from 24 liberal arts institutions, is planning a forum to share resources and discuss the continuing challenge of diversifying their faculties, reports a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Leaders of the group want the forum, to be held at Columbia University (NY), to encourage an exchange of strategies for attracting underrepresented students and staff members as well as faculty members. Presidents, chief academic officers and chief diversity officers from 16 colleges are expected to attend. Since its creation, the group has put in place a number of member ideas including the creation of a pipeline of diverse candidates for liberal arts faculty positions.
Macalester College Bans Bottled Water
Macalester College (MN) has eliminated the sale and provision of bottled water as part of its overall sustainability and climate neutrality initiatives. Bottled water will no longer be sold at the campus store, food concessions, athletic events or vending machines and will not be used for catering or purchased with college funds. The college is upgrading its water fountains and will continue to have jug water stations throughout campus.
Madison Area Technical College Receives Green Grant
Madison Area Technical College (WI) has received a $10,000 Thermo Fisher Scientific INSPIRE Grant to support student participation in its "Renewable Energy for International Development" course. The coursework examines energy and economics in developing countries with special consideration toward renewable sources. With eight weeks of online instruction and 10 days of hands-on work in Costa Rica, students design and implement renewable energy systems that can be applied to developing countries. The grant will provide six $1,500 scholarships and a $1,000 stipend.
Michigan State U to Address Farming and Climate Change
A team of researchers at Michigan State University are working to give farmers the necessary tools to help cope with climate variability and lessen its negative impact on agriculture. The five-year project is funded by a $5 million grant from the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Spanning 12 states from North Dakota to Ohio, the study will develop models to predict how climate scenarios could affect corn and soybean growth and profits. The study will also identify the best ways to deliver the information to farmers.
U Illinois at Chicago Renovation to Seek LEED Gold
The University of Illinois at Chicago has reopened Douglas Hall after a one-year, $11.7 million renovation that will seek LEED Gold certification. Now home to the College of Business Administration, the building features geothermal wells, solar panels, automated interior lights, water savers and automated cooling/heating. The project was funded by student fees and gifts from individual and corporate donors.
U Iowa Converts to Single Stream Recycling
The University of Iowa has phased in a new single-stream recycling program. The system integrates a user-friendly approach that will help colleges and departments meet the university’s 2020 Vision goal of 60 percent waste diversion. The university expects the new system to streamline the process, create efficiencies and improve the recycling efforts of the campus community.
U Montana Dining Services Receives Sustainability Recognition
The University of Montana's Dining Services was recently recognized by the Western Sustainability Exchange for meeting or exceeding the organization's sustainable business standards for restaurants. The university received a Certificate of Sustainability by purchasing more than $612,000 of local food this year. A significant portion of that money was spent on purchasing beef from eastern Montana through the university's Farm to College Program. The certificate also recognizes that the university spent 16 percent of its total budget on Montana foods, reduced food waste in the main dining room through its trayless program, and decreased solid food waste by 90 percent using a food pulper and waste dehydration system.
Unity College Receives $10 Mil Toward Sustainability Efforts
Unity College (ME) has received a $10 million gift from an anonymous donor toward its environmental and sustainable living mission, tripling the size of its endowment. "Climate change is probably the biggest challenge that...we'll be facing in the 21st century and beyond," says Robert Constantine, vice president for college advancement, who adds that the gift will allow the school to add more sustainability science student and faculty resources including field trip opportunities.
U North Carolina to Use Reserve Funds Toward Sustainability
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has announced plans to spend $500,000 from a reserve fund to improve sustainability and enhance energy conservation on campus. The university will focus on improving aging campus facilities to be more energy efficient. The funds can go toward any energy conservation projects, and university officials are currently working on project proposals.
USA Today Highlights 'Electric Avenue' at Portland State U
The grand opening of Portland State University's (OR) Electric Avenue, where students and visitors can plug in and charge electric cars, trucks, bicycles and motorcycles for free, was recently featured in USA Today. The collaborative, two-year project by the university, Portland General Electric and the City of Portland features seven electric vehicle charging stations from six manufacturers.
U South Alabama Debuts New Bike Program
The University of South Alabama has provided 500 bikes as part of the launch of its new bike sharing program, Jag Bikes. The program originated with a student idea that was promoted by the Faculty Senate and approved by university administrators.
U Toledo Purchases Biodiesel Buses
The University of Toledo (OH) has purchased four new biodiesel buses and one new hybrid bus in an effort to move toward a more environmentally friendly transportation fleet. The university spent almost $315,000 on the new additions, and plans to replace the oldest of the 14 campus buses.
Washington State U Faculty Project Promotes Sustainability
Washington State University has created the Palouse Project, an initiative that brings together faculty from across campus to raise interest in sustainability education. The project will encourage faculty to apply locally inspired lessons to their classes and hold a monthly series, open to the community, that will feature interdisciplinary conversations about sustainability related to research and teaching.
Washington U St. Louis Names Director of Sustainability
Phil Valko has been named director of sustainability at Washington University in St. Louis (MO). Valko will work with senior administrators, faculty, staff and students to incorporate and implement sustainable practices into the university's operational procedures, resource management and strategic planning, and provide leadership and support for the university's current sustainability initiatives and programs. Valko was previously the active living program manager for Trailnet, an organization that promotes walking, bicycling, hiking and conservation events throughout the St. Louis, Mo. region.
Antioch U New England Installs Permeable Walkways
With the aim of managing stormwater, Antioch University New England (NH) has started replacing walkways with permeable pavement. Rain and snowmelt seep down through the porous pavement into a stone base and percolate into the soil underneath. Less stormwater runs off to pollute nearby surface waters unlike conventional pavement, which sheds water. Research from the University of New Hampshire has shown that pervious pavement can eliminate the pooling of water and reduce the need for de-icing products by as much as 70 percent.
Centennial College Debuts Green Library
Centennial College (ON) has debuted its new environmentally conscious library and academic facility. The $52.5 million project was designed and built to LEED Gold certification standards. Sustainable features include a graywater recycling system, green roof and a biowall of live plants that can remove indoor airborne contaminants.
College of St. Benedict Bans Bottled Water
The College of St. Benedict (MN) has banned the sale of bottled water on campus. The ban prohibits the sale and purchase of all bottled water in vending machines, dining venues, the bookstore and at all athletic events. Campus offices will also no longer have traditional water coolers. The college has installed 31 hydration stations around campus with at least one in each building. The cost to install the stations is offset by the elimination of the water cooler contracts.
Colorado State U Research Center Earns LEED Gold
Colorado State University’s 60,000-square-foot Research Innovation Center has earned LEED Gold certification. The design incorporates solutions that increase the energy performance of the building and lower operating costs by 42 percent. Low-flow faucets and toilets reduce the building’s water use by 38 percent, native species cut irrigation water consumption by 90 percent and low-emitting carpets and paints were used to ensure a high standard of indoor air quality. The building also hosts a 54-kilowatt solar array that provides about 6 percent of its electrical load.
Earlham College Launches Center for Environmental Action
Earlham College (IN) has launched the Center for Environmental Action with the aim of enhancing teaching and learning in relation to environmental issues. The central focus of the center is to develop and promote experiential, field-based learning opportunities both on and off campus for students and faculty.
Florida Int'l U Recycles Discontinued Student ID Cards
To deter the potential waste caused by a switch to a new official on-campus identification card, Florida International University has announced that it will partner with a company that recycles old plastic cards into new cards for purchase by other companies. More than 50,000 obsolete Panther student identification cards will be saved from the landfill and in the future, the university will have the option to purchase cards from its recycled Panther cards.
Georgia Tech Reveals New Green Classroom Building
Georgia Institute of Technology has unveiled a new sustainably designed academic classroom facility. The 220,000-square-foot building features an underground cistern containing 700,000 gallons for graywater recirculation and irrigation, and 300,000 gallons for stormwater detention. Other sustainable design features include a solar photovoltaic farm and solar hot water system, green roof, passive solar design, locally sourced construction materials and radiant floor heating. More than 95 percent of construction waste was diverted from the landfill.
Humboldt State U to Divert 100% Organic Waste
Humboldt State University (CA) has partnered with the Humboldt Waste Management Authority and Environmental Science Associates to divert 100 percent of its organic waste by December 2012. Pre- and post-consumer organic waste created at the university will be collected from campus eateries and newly installed, wildlife-resistant compost bins around campus. Organic waste will be taken to a new anaerobic food waste digester where the treated waste will produce methane, to be used to create electricity to power a local wastewater treatment plant. The second product of biodigestion will create fertilizer.
Jefferson CC Offers Renewable Energy Management Certificate
Jefferson Community College (KY) has launched a renewable energy management certificate. The program is designed to serve students who want to enter into the alternative energy field and begin searching for employment options through the use of wind turbines and solar panels. The courses will also be offered to professionals who would like to further their growth in the renewable energy field. Five wind turbines and a solar panel have been installed on campus for the program.
New River CC Offers Solar Power Certification
New River Community College (VA) has been approved to offer the North American Board of Energy Practitioners Photovoltaic Entry Level Exam and will be able to offer solar power certification. The exam certifies basic knowledge for the application, design, installation and operation of grid-tied and stand-alone solar power systems. The exam will be an advantage for students participating in the college’s alternative energy career studies certificate. Within the certificate program, students study subjects such as electricity, industrial safety, wind turbine technology and photovoltaic energy systems. These subjects address many of the primary learning objectives for the exam.
Northern Kentucky U Unveils First Green Building
Northern Kentucky University is getting ready to open the doors of its first building designed to meet LEED certification. The Digitorium features efficient lighting and plumbing, local construction materials and a green roof that covers 23 percent of the total building roof area. The facility is scheduled to open in October.
NY Times Takes Stock of Campus Sustainability
In the rush to go green, colleges and universities across the country have primarily focused on the environment, largely ignoring the social and economic pillars of sustainability, reports a recent article in The New York Times. “In the U.S., unlike much of the world, the organizing paradigm of sustainability [began] with an environmental orientation and then added on environmental justice and ecological economics,” notes Paul Rowland, executive director of AASHE in the article. Oberlin College’s (OH) the Oberlin Project is highlighted as an example of a higher education project that aims to implement a vision of full-spectrum sustainability.
Oakland U Creates Energy Management Program
Oakland University’s (CA) School of Business Management and School of Engineering and Computer Sciences have partnered to create an energy management certificate program that focuses on innovative means of reducing energy costs. Students in the six-week course will learn to better understand energy usage, implement cost- and energy-saving strategies, apply sustainable principles and practices, and acquire practical skills to evaluate efficient energy choices. The program is geared toward engineers and technicians; facility, maintenance and energy managers; design professionals; green sales representatives; architects, contractors and subcontractors; and any business professional or individual interested or involved in the green energy field.
San Francisco State U Creates Guidelines for Green Campus Living
San Francisco State University (CA) has created guidelines for greener campus living. Geared toward for incoming students, the university issued a flyer, Top Ten Tips for a Sustainable Move-In and Life at SF State, which includes ways to curb energy use. Students can also take a survey to find out their carbon footprint.
SUNY ESF Opens New Environmentally Friendly Residence Hall
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry has constructed its first residence hall with a focus on sustainability. Centennial Hall, designed to meet LEED Silver standards, will reduce its impact on the environment through the use of stormwater management techniques, sustainable building materials, landscaping that includes native plants and a limited need to mow, extensive indoor bicycling storage facilities and a pedestrian-friendly design. The college also partnered with a local company that specifically designed furniture using red maple harvested from sustainably managed forests.
U Alaska Fairbanks to Create Living Laboratory
The University of Alaska Fairbanks has announced plans for a Sustainable Village, a dormitory that will serve as a living laboratory for students to study renewable energy, graywater recycling and elements of hyper-efficient design. In partnership with the Cold Climate Housing Research Center, the first phase of the project will house 16 students who will also serve as researchers. The 60-acre village will emphasize local building materials and environmentally sound land use. A community garden, shared open space and network of footpaths will be integrated among the buildings. Village rental fees are expected to pay off the university's initial $1 million investment.
U Arizona Expands Alternative Transportation Programs
The University of Arizona has expanded programs and resources in support of campus community members who use alternative transportation. The university completed renovations of a main campus route to include new curbs, asphalt, crosswalks, wheelchair ramps and bike lanes. Public Transportation Services has also extended the services of its Emergency Ride Home Program to students. The program offers students and faculty a free cab ride home in the event of an emergency. The university hopes the new additions will help promote alternative transportation.
U Louisville Builds Solar Energy Test Building
A group of University of Louisville (KY) students and a mechanical engineering professor have partnered with Green Building Group to construct a solar test building. The passive solar test building will use windows, walls and floors to reject solar heat in the summer and to collect, store and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter. The university’s Renewable Energy Applications Laboratory has a year’s worth of solar energy experiments planned and will begin by using one of the two rooms as a control and test a modification to the building’s passive solar design in the other room. The building was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
U New Hampshire, China Partner to Study Agriculture and Climate
The University of New Hampshire has partnered with the Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences for a project that could yield research valuable to understanding the environmental impact of large scale agricultural projection against the backdrop of global climate change. The new CAAS-UNH Joint Laboratory for Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems Research will conduct academic exchanges and cooperate in science and technology research. Graduate students and faculty will perform research and work together on problems related to better understanding the biogeochemistry of agricultural settings during climate change.
U Wisconsin Oshkosh Installs 120 Solar Thermal Panels
The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh has completed another wave of planned solar installations with 120 solar thermal panels on the roofs of four campus buildings. The $700,000 project was funded by Regenesis Solar, who owns the thermal system and sells the energy on a metered basis to the university. The solar thermal panels are expected to generate a natural gas savings of $10,000 annually. In addition, solar panels and photovoltaic panels are in the final phase of installation at the university’s new academic hall. The new building is expected to save $182,000 annually in energy costs.
100% Renewable Energy for Oregon Institute of Technology
A new field of solar panels combined with existing geothermal facilities will enable the Oregon Institute of Technology to operate 100 percent by on-site renewable energy. Part of the Solar by Degrees program and a recently announced state-wide initiative for public institutions to increase renewable energy production, the institute’s solar panels will produce an estimated 3.3 million kilowatt hours per year.
AP Reports on Growth of Sustainable Agriculture Curriculum
Graduate students studying sustainable and organic agriculture shouldn't have trouble finding jobs as the agriculture industry replaces aging farmers and farmers increasingly look to diversify their operations, according to a recent article by the Associated Press. A growing number of universities are offering courses, certificates or degree programs focused on organic and sustainable agriculture including Washington State University's online organic agriculture certificate and the University of California, Davis' new agriculture and food systems program debuting this fall. The article also mentions that some schools have shifted their focus from organic to sustainable agriculture, which takes into account global issues that are becoming increasingly important as food and agriculture is central to issues revolving around the environment, hunger and treatment of workers.
Ball State U Launches Sustainability Guide for Students
Ball State University (IN) has released "Students + Sustainability," a guide that provides recommendations for ways that students can implement sustainable practices into their everyday lifestyles in areas including home, class, traveling, eating and shopping. The guide includes a brief narrative illustrating the importance of sustainability in the campus community and highlights several key initiatives toward the university's goal of becoming sustainable. The initiative also features a Facebook page with weekly "green challenges."
Connecticut College Installs $1 Mil Geothermal System
Connecticut College has installed a new geothermal system to heat and cool its new science center. The system will circulate water through pipes hundreds of feet below ground, where the temperature is a constant 55 degrees, into the building and then back to the building for cooling. At $1 million, the college expects the geothermal system to pay for itself through energy cost reductions within six years.
Ecotech Institute Receives LEED Gold
The Ecotech Institute (CO), which opened its doors early this year, has received LEED Gold certification. The institute has 12 rooftop solar panels and eight small wind turbines. Other environmentally conscious features include energy-efficient lighting, monitoring of campus energy consumption and low-flow fixtures. The campus also includes four electric car-charging stations.
Elon U Graduates to Sport Recycled Plastic Gowns
Commencement apparel for Elon University (NC) graduates this month will be made of recycled plastic bottles. Each cap and gown, spun from molten plastic pellets, will keep 23 used plastic bottles from winding up in landfills. Using recycled plastic instead of virgin polyester cuts carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 55 percent.
Ferris State U Student Housing Receives LEED Gold
Ferris State University's (MI) East Campus Suites has received LEED Gold certification. The student housing buildings feature green design and construction efforts including a 30 percent reduction in water use, 18 percent reduction in energy use and the diversion of more than 90 percent of construction waste from landfills.
Green Mountain College Opens Community Co-Op
After several years of students talking about the need for a co-op market at Green Mountain College (VT), the Stone Valley Community Market has become a reality thanks to $50,000 from the college's president, according to a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Besides providing desired items that are lacking in local supermarkets like bulk dry legumes, probiotic soy yogurt, hemp milk, and vegetables and meat that come straight from the farmers near town, the university hopes that the market will bring value as a local hangout and provide real-world experience to students including store management. While the market may not have opened without the initial investment, it was a group effort among the community and students. For example, the college's student government gave the co-op $10,000 from student fees as collateral for a loan from the Cooperative Fund of New England for marketing and other business start-up efforts.
