Campus Sustainability Day Wrap Up

Cheers to the hundreds of campuses across the globe that celebrated Campus Sustainability Day last week! While SCUP, the Society for College and University Planning, officially designated October 24th as Campus Sustainability Day, some, like Santa Clara University, Grand Valley State University, and Virginia Tech, organized a full week of activities! Here is a sampling of how different campuses participated in Campus Sustainability Day (in addition to watching SCUP's webcast):

• University of Houston-Downtown's President Max Castillo signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment.

• University of Victoria announced it will switch all its bond paper supplies to 100 percent post-consumer waste content beginning January 1, 2008, becoming the first university in British Columbia to make that commitment.

• UNC Chapel Hill's Sustainability Office presented its 2007 report to Chancellor James Moeser. It's a beautiful report with terrific information about the University's sustainability efforts. Particularly valuable is the report's inclusion of the social dimensions of sustainability such as diversity and affordability.

• Similarly, University of Florida's President Bernie Machen presented UF's sustainability report card.

• UC Davis premiered a video titled "Sustaining UC Davis." The 19-minute-long video examines UC Davis' efforts to incorporate sustainable principles in the classroom, the greater community, and the design and day-to-day operation of the campus. UC Davis also organized a Farm to College Night, highlighting organic and locally grown ingredients, and a Sustainability Vendor's Fair.

• Emory University organized a mass bike ride, held bike and light bulb giveaways, gave "green" tours of campus, and presented awards for a freshman dorm energy competition.

• Boise State's series of events included a session introducing John Gardner, the University's new Associate Vice President for Energy Research, Policy and Campus Sustainability.

• A new campus group, the Sage Point Green Team, introduced themselves to the University of Utah. The group will focus on sustainability issues specific to the Residence Halls.

• Cuyahoga Community College organized "Earth Trek," a walk through a 22-foot detailed model of the planet that is one of only 19 in the world.

• Monroe Community College held a light bulb swap.

• Westfield State College organized a campus-wide "Green Fair." Everyone on campus was invited to wear green to be eligible for eco-prizes. The college also gave away reusable water bottles inscribed with the slogan "think green."

• Ithaca College held EarthCafé 2050, an interactive demonstration of "ecological footprinting," and a blind taste-test challenge, to see if tasters can tell the difference between bottled spring water, bottled purified water from public water sources, and local tap water.

• Santa Fe Community College kicked off an "Imagine a Sustainable Campus…." Contest in which participants are asked to submit writing, artwork, video, multimedia, photography, paintings, sculpture, or poetry sharing their ideas for creating a more sustainable campus.

• University of Kansas held an educational event where students and departments presented their sustainability efforts.

• At UT Austin, the UT Sustainability Network sponsored an outdoor festival.

• Cornell held a forum and expo for the various clubs and community organizations that are committed to sustainability.

• University of Michigan-Dearborn had a keynote address from Debra Rowe and screened The 11th Hour.

It's exciting to see schools use Campus Sustainability Day to engage their Presidents and other leaders to make new commitments. I hope we'll see more of this in future years. Congratulations to all the participants and organizers on another busy Campus Sustainability Day!

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