Colleges all over the US are trying to do their bit for the planet and for college hopefuls who are passionate about the environment, an institution's polices on sustainability might be a major factor when it comes to selecting where they would like to attend. Below are just some of they colleges trying to make the planet a better place and decrease global warming with a number of different Initiatives.
Arizona State University
In June 2018, Arizona State University launched a "Carbon Project," which involves mitigating its carbon emissions using a variety of approaches such as planting trees and supporting university schools and departments in a transition to car-sharing and electric vehicles. ASU also made a fair trade pledge in 2018 to sell and use products manufactured in an environmentally sustainable way by companies that have ethical labor practices.
University of South Florida
USF's eco-assets include America's first 20,000-watt solar charging station for electric vehicles; the Clean Energy Research Center, where students work on fuel-cell and solar technologies; and the Power Center for Utility Explorations, which builds smart grids. Campus buildings are designed to prevent water waste, and students voluntarily pay a fee that goes toward conservation initiatives.
University of California - Irvine
In 2008, UC Irvine vowed to improve its energy efficiency by 20 percent by 2020, then hit that target seven years early, making it the first U.S. school to achieve that goal. UC—Irvine converted its central plant to a system that utilizes more treated waste water than regular water to cool 65 buildings, conserving 80 million gallons of drinkable water per year.
Colorado State University
In order to minimise food waste and assist people on campus who lack access to healthy food, Colorado State University has implemented a Rams Against Hunger "Food Recovery Program" whereby students, faculty and staff can receive text messages whenever there are leftovers at catered school events, helping to reduce waste.
Florida Gulf Coast University
Undergraduates at Florida Gulf Coast University are required to take "University Colloquium," a semester-long course about various environmental concerns during which they discuss potential solutions to sustainability challenges.
University of Connecticut
In 2019, the University of Connecticut began requiring undergraduates to complete at least one three-credit course that relates to the environment. The university senate originally proposed and approved the general education requirement, which is aimed at improving environmental literacy through 36 qualifying courses.
University if North Carolina
University of NC is taken on major projects to make its campus more energy efficient. This includes construction of energy-efficient buildings, retrofitting more environmentally friendly hardware into older facilities, increasing green transportation options, and reducing water use. The ultimate aim of the campus is to meet the "Three Zeros Goals:" net zero water usage, zero waste to landfills, and net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
University of Pennsylvania
Penn is a member of the Green Power Leadership Club, and has won numerous awards for its institutional commitment to alternative power sources, Penn has been the largest non-government use of wind power, and operates a massive 12-turbine wind farm in Pennsylvania that is capable of producing 20 MW of power.
Northwestern University
Northwestern is one of the biggest purchasers of renewable energy in the Midwest, getting nearly half its energy from multiple sustainable sources, including wind, biomass, and landfill gas. As part of the EPA Green Power Partnership, Northwestern is also dedicated to public service and education in sustainability, including organisations like the student-run Engineers for a Sustainable World.
Ohio State University
OSU has made a major commitment to renewable energy through its partnership with an Ohio wind farm, generating nearly a fifth of its energy from wind and accounting for a large portion of the wind farm’s purchasing. But OSU is a leader in green initiatives for college campuses in many other ways, too, including student-led programs like INNOVATE-O-thon, and institutional policies like the Zero Waste Initiative.
