Sustainable Actions by Universities

Exit signs using incandescent lamps as seen here consume about 20 to 40 watts of electricity. Energy Star-labeled exit signs – many of which are LED – consume less than 5 watts per face, potentially yielding a 75- to 88-percent savings of energy. According to the Department of Energy, if all U.S. companies switched to ENERGY STAR qualified exit signs, they would save $75 million in electricity costs.

For several years now, I have been watching as schools become aware of sustainability. I have tried to do some things at EMU to make it sustainable: the Energy Awareness Week was a success, but trying to get something other than the very slight sustainable items in the new Student Union was unsuccessful. So we have a brand new building and it has nothing sustainable. It is embarrassing to me.

Here are a few things other schools did in April 2007:
1. Middlebury College (VT) committed to becoming a carbon neutral institution by 2016. Fifteen US schools have made this commitment, and 253 have signed the Presidents Climate Commitment— modeling ways to eliminate global warming emission and educating their students about climate neutrality and sustainability.
2. Stanford created a department of sustainability and energy management
3. Pacific Lutheran launched a pilot composting program. All paper and food waste from dining services will be composted. They have already been composing coffee grounds and yard waste clippings.
4. Washington University proclaimed that "energy and environmental issues represent the greatest challenges of this century," and called for universities to marshal their resources for a global effort for a sustainable future.
5. University of Main at Presque Isle announced plans to complete a $1.5 million campus wind turbine project in the next 18 months.
6. Duke University will offer full-time food service employees at least $10 per hour and basic health care coverage. All university employees are to receive at least $10 per hour.
7. University of New Mexico cut greenhouse gas emissions. Nitrous oxide was cut 86%, and carbon dioxide was cut 15% from 2000 and 2006. Many reductions were accomplished by replacing old and inefficient boilers and chillers.
8. Brock University announced a series of energy and water conservation initiatives.
9. Oberlin planned a”green commencement,” by cutting waste, replacing plastic ware with bioware. Twenty to 35% of food will be from local farmers and producers.
10. Furman “got trashed.” Students collected and sorted trash for recycling. Sorted trash and recyclables were put on display for students to see. About 40% of the trash was recyclable.
11. Cornell released its Green Report, which outlined the schools impact on the environment and its efforts to reduce that impact.
12. Several schools are hiring sustainable directors and directors of environmental studies.