Campuses Celebrate Holidays with Green Initiatives

Submitted by Andrea Webster on December 21, 2009 - 12:05pm

Although campuses usually go on break over the holidays, several of them still find ways to continue their sustainability efforts. Saint Michael's College (VT) draped three of its evergreens with LED lights, which consume 225 watts per tree, as compared to 3,938 watts per tree with old-style lights. McDaniel College (MD) also used LEDs this year, and Appalachian State Univeristy (NC) lit one of its pine trees with LED energy efficiency lights using photovoltaics to harness the sun's energy.

Western Michigan University took an educational approach this year. It encouraged its employees who chose to decroate their offices to use LED holiday lights.

Of course, these are just a few examples. We'd love to hear about others - particularly from campuses that celebrated the winter solstice, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, New Year's or other recent holidays in an eco-friendly way. You can share them with us by commenting below.

-Andrea Webster, Publications and Education Coordinator, AASHE Bulletin Editor