By Nicole Villamizar, Environmental Protection Specialist, U.S. EPA Office of Resource Conservation & Recovery

As colleges and universities across the US are making commitments to become more environmentally friendly, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can serve as a partner to help institutions reach their goals.

EPA’s partnership programs and initiatives offer free, non-regulatory guidance, technical support, and resources that can help American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) signatories achieve their climate goals. More specifically, as signatories work to achieve their Tangible Actions requirements, partnering with EPA’s ENERGY STAR, Green Power Partnership, and WasteWise programs can lead to efficient, cost effective solutions. As the signatories expand their sustainability and green building goals, EPA offers many partnership programs with components specific to colleges and universities, including energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, resource conservation, and toxics reduction. A comprehensive overview of all of EPA’s partnership programs is available at www.epa.gov/partners. For EPA programs specific to green building, visit: www.epa.gov/greenbuilding.

EPA Partnership Programs and ACUPCC Tangible Actions

As all ACUPCC signatories know, within two months of the implementation start date, a signatory is required to select a minimum of two of the seven Tangible Actions options identified in the ACUPCC Implementation Guide. Tangible Actions must be completed while schools develop their long-term climate action plans. EPA’s programs can be of service in achieving the following Tangible Actions:

• Adopting an ENERGY STAR procurement policy;
• Beginning to purchase or produce at least 15% of the institution’s electricity consumption from renewable sources within one year of signing the ACUPCC; and
• Participating in the Waste Minimization component of the national RecycleMania competition and adopting 3 or more measures to reduce waste.

Below are descriptions of EPA’s ENERGY STAR, Green Power Partnership, and WasteWise programs, which can help ACUPCC signatories achieve these actions. Examples of successful university efforts are offered to illustrate how schools are partnering with EPA to achieve environmental results.

ENERGY STAR
A joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, ENERGY STAR promotes energy savings through energy-efficient products and practices. Adopting a strategic approach to energy management saves schools money and benefits the environment. ACUPCC signatories can join as an ENERGY STAR partner and receive assistance in making smart purchasing decisions by using the purchasing and procurement resources and calculators for ENERGY STAR qualified products, including computers, furnaces, and lighting. In addition to purchasing and procurement support, ENERGY STAR provides a Menu of Offerings for Higher Education, which includes training and resources on benchmarking and tracking energy use, building upgrades, new construction, outreach campaigns, and involving students in saving energy. Many of the resources can support other aspects of a signatory’s Commitment, such as making energy efficiency a part of a student’s educational experience. For example, signatories can create an ENERGY STAR Showcase Dorm Room to show students the environmental value of saving energy. Colleges and universities can join ENERGY STAR under the “Buildings and Plants” category at www.energystar.gov/join.

Green Power Partnership
EPA’s Green Power Partnership works with organizations interested in purchasing green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity use. Green power is electricity generated from environmentally-preferable renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact small hydroelectric sources. Green Power partners range from Fortune 500 companies to local governments, to the most recent driver in today’s green power market - colleges and universities.

EPA’s Green Power Partnership can provide the technical support, tools, and resources an ACUPCC signatory needs to begin purchasing or producing green power. Signatories who join EPA’s Green Power Partnership can take advantage of the following benefits:

• Expert advice – EPA works with Partners to identify the types of green power products that best meet their goals, saving the schools time and money.
• Tools and resources – Partners can take advantage of the tools and resources available on the Partnership Web site, communication support to promote the environmental benefits of a green power purchase.
• Credibility – Partnering with EPA signifies that an organization’s purchase meets nationally accepted standards in terms of size, content, and resource base.
• Publicity and recognition – The Green Power Partnership actively promotes and recognizes Partners as environmental leaders. For instance, the Partnership’s Top 20 College & University Purchasers list lets stakeholders see the colleges and universities that are setting the bar for green power in the U.S.

EPA tracks green power purchasing among collegiate athletic conferences through the Green Power Partnership’s College & University Green Power Challenge. The 2008-2009 College & University Challenge concluded in April 2009 with 44 competing institutions representing 22 different conferences nationwide. The 2009-2010 Green Power Challenge, going on now, will conclude in the spring of 2010. For more information on the Green Power Partnership and on the College and University Green Power Challenge, contact Blaine Collison, Collison.Blaine@epa.gov, (202) 343-9139 or visit www.epa.gov/greenpower

WasteWise & RecycleMania
ACUPCC signatories may choose to undertake three or more associated measures to reduce waste as part of Tangible Action 7 and EPA’s WasteWise program can help. EPA offers colleges and universities tools and resources through its WasteWise College and University Campaign. By partnering with WasteWise, schools gain access to guidance and technical assistance focused on achieving the institution’s waste reduction goals. Colleges and Universities that join WasteWise receive:

• Assistance with waste reduction efforts through access to WasteWise publications, tip sheets, case studies, and an account representative;
• Eligibility for the WasteWise College and University Award;
• Access to standardized goals and objectives for colleges and universities; and,
• Coordinated enrollment process with RecycleMania.

The Waste Minimization Tangible Action option also requires participation in the Waste Minimization component of RecycleMania. An annual competition, RecycleMania challenges colleges and universities to collect more recyclables than their counterparts over a 10-week period. The Waste Minimization component of RecycleMania rewards the institution that produces the least amount of municipal solid waste per person. RecycleMania is supported by EPA’s WasteWise program.

To join the College and University Campaign, visit the WasteWise Web site at www.epa.gov/wastewise or call (800) EPA-WISE (372-9473). For more information or to sign up for RecycleMania, visit www.recyclemania.org.

Universities Partnering with EPA

The work by the following universities demonstrates the range of environmental results that can be achieved by partnering with EPA.

Montclair State University
In June 2008, Montclair State University became the first educational institution to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with EPA Region 2 to formalize their commitment to greening all aspects of the construction and operation of their institution. As part of that agreement, Montclair State will challenge students, faculty and staff to increase the range of environmental activities taking place on campus. Current goals include increasing organic food waste recycling, using green products, and utilizing industrial materials recycling in construction projects when possible. The school participated in the 2009 RecycleMania challenge and plans to join EPA’s ENERGY STAR and WasteWise programs. For more information on Montclair State University’s commitment, visit: www.montclair.edu/news/article.php?ArticleID=2338

Penn State University
On Earth Day, April 22, 2009, Penn State University (PSU) became the first university in the nation to join EPA’s Sustainability Partnerships Program (SPP). A new initiative to promote environmental sustainability to organizational leaders, SPP is unique to EPA’s Region 3 (Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia). SPP is a one-stop-shop for organizations looking to reduce waste generation, resource usage, and energy consumption. The program utilizes expertise from many of EPA’s voluntary programs, including WasteWise, WaterSense, and ENERGY STAR, to help its partners positively impact their environmental footprint, while achieving cost savings. PSU’s partnership with SPP signifies the University’s commitment to reduced energy usage, with an initial focus on stadium and athletic events, and in the campus residence halls, home to more than 14,000 students. The University has also committed to increasing its recycling rate, currently at 53 percent. For more information on EPA Region 3’s SPP, contact David Iacono at (215) 814-3231 or at Iacono.David@epa.gov

Resources for More Information

Should you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Nicole Villamizar, Environmental Protection Specialist at the U.S. EPA, Villamizar.Nicole@epa.gov, (703) 347-8952.