As many environmental regulations in the United States are reconsidered and loosened, these colleges and universities are committed to cultivating sustainable campuses and future environmental leaders.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS; DAVIS, CALIF.
U.C. Davis is among the schools leading the way in emissions reduction and waste diversion. The university boasts the largest solar power plant on any campus and diverts 73 percent of its waste from landfills.
“We teach at least 180 courses a year with sustainability content,” says Camille Kirk, the school’s director of sustainability. “Our students are future leaders and active citizens, and they take their U.C. Davis training and go out and do great work in private, public and nonprofit settings.”
COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC, BAR HARBOR, MAINE
College of the Atlantic is a small school off the coast of Maine that has touted itself as a place “for idealists with elbow grease.”
It was the first school to achieve carbon neutrality, and nearly a decade ago, the school created one of the first sustainable enterprise incubators. Students have developed solar car charging stations, renewable power sources for local businesses and some of the early concepts of urban farms. About three-quarters of students continue to pursue these ventures after graduating, but according to sustainable development professor Jay Friedlander, that’s not the point. “It’s not about cranking out ventures,” he says. “It’s about students experiencing what it’s like to be a sustainable entrepreneur and to do that with a safety net.”
STANFORD UNIVERSITY, STANFORD, CALIF.
Stanford is a leader in two of California’s most critical measures of sustainability: transportation and water usage. In a state where transit is the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, 40 percent of campus cars are electric. Meanwhile, the university has reduced potable water use by 49 percent since 2000, helping to offset the effects of a three-year drought.
Stanford is not only building a sustainable community, but providing an open-source model for other institutions as well. “We very meticulously measure our performance,” says Fahmida Ahmed, director of sustainability. “So if there are any questions whenever others are inspired by Stanford and want to replicate that process for themselves, we can actually share that formula with them.”
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY, FORT COLLINS, COLO.
Colorado State University was the world’s first university to achieve a platinum ranking under the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s STARS rating system. But the school’s commitment to the environment extends beyond its four walls — research from C.S.U. has been used in massive infrastructure projects and E.P.A. emissions reports, and the university is developing a test site to help companies control their methane emissions. In 2011, the school launched the Center for the New Energy Economy, which works with legislators and regulators to promote clean energy policy.
GREEN MOUNTAIN COLLEGE, POULTNEY, VT.
This small liberal arts school in the mountains of Vermont was the second institution of higher learning in the country to become carbon neutral. It reportedly generates 85 percent of its heat from a biomass facility on campus that runs on local wood chips. G.M.C. also provides a compelling model in its spending and sourcing. “Where we spend our money matters for the environment and for social justice,” says the school’s sustainability page. The school was among the first American colleges to divest from fossil fuels, and purchases from suppliers that are local, transparent in their supply chain and ecologically responsible.
Tag: carbon neutral
This Professional League’s Goal: Be Carbon Neutral
Ice, sticks, screaming fans and the occasional fist fight may be what comes to mind when most of us hear about the National Hockey League (NHL). In between all that, though, the NHL has been focused on reducing its environmental skate print on the world.
Working with the energy-services firm Constellation, the NHL has developed a plan to cut its carbon emissions for all 30 teams and its main office. Starting the 2014-2015 season, Constellation will provide Renewable Energy Certificates to offset emissions and promote clean energy projects, which will total about 530,000 metric tons of carbon, an amount that’s equivalent to 50,182 homes and eliminating 115,000 cars.
According to the National Journal, the league’s emissions come from the upkeep of arenas and offices, the 2 million miles of airspace traversed by the teams, concessions, light and video displays, among many others. To reduce the NHL’s dependency on electricity, Constellation has developed a plan to target areas needing improvement, reports CleanTechnica.
Every year, the NHL files energy audits for every team and the main office, which Constellation will now review. Furthermore, the firm will look for ways to improve facility operations and create a streamlined, efficient energy plan. Acting as a consultant, Constellation will also advise the NHL on alternative transportation and eco-friendly materials and equipment.
Education and promotion is also a goal, and Constellation will work to spread the word about recycling and waste reduction.
“Our sport was born on frozen ponds and relies on winter weather,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman tells National Journal. “Everyone who loves our game will benefit by taking an active role in preserving the environment and the roots of the game.”
This isn’t the NHL’s first environmentally-friendly move. A sustainability report (the first ever by a sports’ league) was released in July outlining each team’s sustainable behavior and ways that the practices could be improved. All of these efforts are a continuation of the NHL’s Green Program which was launched back in 2010 promoting environmental awareness.
For president of Green Sports Alliance Allen Hershkowitz, it’s the sports world responsibility to use its influence to dive into green issues.
“Thirteen percent of the public follows science,” Hershkowitz tells The Guardian. “Seventy-one percent follow sports. It’s an enormously visible part of our society.”
MORE: Introducing the Country’s First Hospital System to Achieve Energy Independence
The United States’s First Carbon-Neutral City Is…
The Silicon Valley city of Palo Alto is already well-known for its tech startups and Stanford University, but did you know it’s also one of the greenest cities in the country?
According to Slate, the northern Californian city is officially the first city in America whose electricity supply is 100 percent carbon-neutral.
Carbon-neutral — which isn’t the same as carbon-free — means the city makes no net release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. About half of Palo Alto’s energy supply is hydroelectric power (which isn’t technically free of fossil fuels), but the city has also purchased renewable energy credits to offset this half of their energy supply, Grist notes. Think of it as offsetting emissions by planting trees.
MORE: This Is What Happens When a County Bands Together to Get Cleaner Power
Going carbon-neutral is not only better for the planet, it’s only costing residents about $3 more a year. Grist reports that Palo Alto will eventually be receiving power from a variety of renewable sources, hoping to meet 23 percent of its energy supply from solar, 11 percent from landfill methane recovery, and 12 percent from wind power by 2017.
So how did Palo Alto unplug itself from the grid? It’s a combination of forward-thinking Palo Altans and the fact that the town is the only one in California that owns all of its utilities. Unlike the rest of the state (that gets its juice from Big Power company PG&E), Palo Alto gets to decide how residents get their gas, water, power and other services, Slate reports.
Last March, the city’s leaders voted for Palo Alto to use only 100 percent carbon-free electricity. “Palo Alto has been a leader in reducing its carbon emissions,“ Mayor Greg Scharff said of the decision, “but when we realized we could achieve a carbon neutral electric supply right now, we were compelled to take action. Climate change is one of the critical challenges of our generation and we hope our actions will inspire others to follow suit.”
Palo Alto has been eco-minded for several years — eventually hoping to run entirely on green power. Slate writes that back in 2007 the city established its “Climate Action Plan” of achieving 33 percent renewable energy by 2015 and ultimately, a carbon neutral electricity supply. Currently, the city is on track to reach 48 percent renewable power by 2017.
DON’T MISS: Cheers to the Nation’s First Sustainable Wine Region