GreenYour.com

Student activism on campus is invaluable to getting the powers that be on the green track. When change does occur, you can trust that its impacts reach much farther than the boundaries of campus. Colleges and universities look to each other for inspiration and example. If your university is at the cutting edge of all that is green, other institutions will soon follow suit.

Colleges and universities spend $6 billion each year on electricity. Through greater energy efficiency, the US Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that American colleges and universities could save over 25% on electricity costs—some $1.5 billion.[1] Though these institutions of higher learning account for only 3 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States,[2] there are numerous ways that colleges and universities can assume a leading role in the green movement.

In 2006, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) chronicled 629 individual acts by colleges and universities to go green, an increase from only 250 in 2005.[3] As of October 2007, more than 415 American institutions have signed the Presidents Climate Commitment, pledging to reduce their carbon emissions and integrate sustainability into course curricula.[4]

The role of student groups

Student environmental and sustainability groups often play a crucial role in any campus-wide effort to make their school a place of higher—and greener—learning. Student groups are an excellent way for a new student to get tapped in to the "green scene" on campus, as they often spearhead innovative efforts to save energy on campus and change university habits for the greener. At Penn State University, for example, a student group created a volunteer initiative in which students traverse the main campus on Friday nights and turn off lights in public spaces. The students estimate that they shut off 1,500 to 2,500 lights each weekend.[5] Other examples of student environmental initiatives include: passing out CFL bulbs to incoming freshmen, lobbying for local and/or organic food in the cafeteria, turning down thermostats campus-wide a couple of degrees, performing waste audits, and switching over to paper with recycled content.[6]

If your campus lacks a prominent environmental group, feel encouraged to start one of your own. There's a lot of support around these efforts, as many schools provide funding for such student activities. For more guidance, check out the Sierra Club's Student Climate Campaign Action Guide. Having the support of a group of like-minded students can make all the difference when thinking about initiatives to make your campus a greener place to live and learn.

The faculty as a valuable resource

Environmental science and other departments related to the environment and sustainability are growing on college campuses nationwide. This is in part due to a growing recognition of the importance of ecology and climate change as academic disciplines. Professors who teach classes related to the environment can be a valuable resource to students looking to make their campus more sustainable. These professors often have years of experience, both in and out of academics, and can help you organize a lecture series on campus through their contacts, devise more effective campus sustainability campaigns, and assist in your efforts to make the administration go green through their own advocacy.

External links

• The Eco League
• Sierra Student Coalition
• Sierra Club - 10 Coolest Schools
• Inside Higher Ed - At Colleges, the Environment is Hot
• US Environmental Protection Agency - Colleges and Universities
• Sustainability Investment News - Are Colleges Only Green Skin Deep?
• Sustainable Campuses - Colleges & Universities: Transitioning to a More Sustainable Campus
• Sierra Student Coalition - Campus Climate Challenge Campaign Planning Guide A useful resource for founding or maintaining student groups
• The Campus Climate Challenge A nationwide effort to reduce the carbon footprint on college campuses. Over 500 universities and 30 independent groups are involved in this joint effort.