2008 Woodie Awards
College continues green legacy
Alexander Richards
Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: News
During the 2007-2008 year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tracked collegiate green energy purchasing and usage on a conference-by-conference basis as part of its College and University Green Power Challenge. The College was declared this year's challenge champion for the New England Small College Athletic Conference.
EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson lauded the College for its green initiatives, stating that "by switching to green power sources, [the College] is proving that doing what's good for the environment is also good for education."
Paramount to the College's challenge victory is its current listing by the EPA as using 115 percent green electricity. This percentage, which is the highest among the 40 colleges and universities that participated in the challenge, is the result of the College purchasing low-impact hydro and biomass power within the state of Maine, as well as using Green-E certified wind power, which provides energy for LEED certified buildings such as the Schair-Swenson-Watson Alumni Center and the Diamond Building. Ten percent of the College's energy is generated by the steam co-generation plant, whose turbine is operated using heating exhaust.
The College's commitment to green power extends beyond the confines of campus. The College's green energy projects have resulted in carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to taking 2,000 passenger motor vehicles off the road, according to an EPA estimate.
The College is also slated to become a signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, effective May 15. In an e-mail sent to the campus population early last week, President William D. Adams outlined the Commitment's goals of "[integrating] sustainability into campus operations, [reducing] greenhouse gas emissions, and [providing] students with the knowledge they need to work toward climate neutrality."
According to Adams, the Environmental Advisory Group will serve as "an advisory group for the plan's implementation here on campus," and will "support the development of a comprehensive action plan for review by the board by fall 2009." To comply with the Commitment's stipulations, the College must adhere to a level of transparency, and make "the action plan, inventory, and progress reports publicly available."
Other signatories include the presidents and chancellors of Middlebury College, Connecticut College and Bates College, who also participated in the EPA's Green Power Challenge.
EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson lauded the College for its green initiatives, stating that "by switching to green power sources, [the College] is proving that doing what's good for the environment is also good for education."
Paramount to the College's challenge victory is its current listing by the EPA as using 115 percent green electricity. This percentage, which is the highest among the 40 colleges and universities that participated in the challenge, is the result of the College purchasing low-impact hydro and biomass power within the state of Maine, as well as using Green-E certified wind power, which provides energy for LEED certified buildings such as the Schair-Swenson-Watson Alumni Center and the Diamond Building. Ten percent of the College's energy is generated by the steam co-generation plant, whose turbine is operated using heating exhaust.
The College's commitment to green power extends beyond the confines of campus. The College's green energy projects have resulted in carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to taking 2,000 passenger motor vehicles off the road, according to an EPA estimate.
The College is also slated to become a signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, effective May 15. In an e-mail sent to the campus population early last week, President William D. Adams outlined the Commitment's goals of "[integrating] sustainability into campus operations, [reducing] greenhouse gas emissions, and [providing] students with the knowledge they need to work toward climate neutrality."
According to Adams, the Environmental Advisory Group will serve as "an advisory group for the plan's implementation here on campus," and will "support the development of a comprehensive action plan for review by the board by fall 2009." To comply with the Commitment's stipulations, the College must adhere to a level of transparency, and make "the action plan, inventory, and progress reports publicly available."
Other signatories include the presidents and chancellors of Middlebury College, Connecticut College and Bates College, who also participated in the EPA's Green Power Challenge.
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