A New Course for Higher Education
Introduction

There are over 16 million students enrolled at over 4,000 institutions across the country. Higher education is a $300+ billion industry. The economic, social, health and environmental impacts of higher education in the U.S. is enormous. It's no surprise that students, faculty and administrators at these institutions are embracing the principles of sustainability.

What is higher education doing? Students are driving changes in curriculum, operations and relationships with broader communities. Faculty representing many disciplines is integrating sustainability within classrooms and across campus activities. Administrators and facility managers are "greening" the environmental footprint of their institutions.

Why is higher education doing this? One obvious reason is that it makes good economic sense to save costs on energy use, facility maintenance, purchasing and other business functions. There are health issues relating to everyone who works, studies and visits campuses, due to exposure to unhealthful substances and conditions on campuses. Many institutions cite a growing competitive student recruitment arena and public perception advantages of becoming sustainable communities. For others, it simply comes down to a moral and ethical decision as citizens of this country and models for tomorrow's leaders.

Learn more about sustainability trends, resources and achievements in higher education at the following Web sites:

Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)

Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC)

North American Alliance for Green Education

Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) and Campus Sustainability Day

U.S. Partnership for the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

University Leaders for a Sustainable Future

A New Course for Higher Education
Leadership

Leadership is about asking the right questions and establishing a call to action. What is the case for sustainability within the mission of colleges and universities? How can higher education integrate sustainability across the campus and beyond? How can curriculum in all disciplines be re-shaped to include the principles of sustainability? What is the best way to start greening a campus and the best way to identify opportunities? What are the costs and benefits of sustainability? Whose job is it to lead these efforts?

There are no simple, proven answers to these questions. But a growing number colleges and universities are accepting the challenge. They are examining their operations, research, curriculum, services and campus-wide policies and actions. Higher education is all about change, so it's only natural that they assume a leadership role in addressing all aspects of sustainability.

A current example of leadership in higher education is the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment. This is an effort to address climate change by campuses becoming climate neutral and "providing the education and research necessary for society to re-stablize the world's climate." The number of presidents signing this commitment is nearing 200.

Learn more about the topics discussed and institutions featured in this segment at the following Web sites:

American College and University President's Climate Commitment

Carleton College

Focus the Nation

International Standards Organization (ISO) 14001 Environmental Management Standards

Presidio School of Management

The Sustainable Endowments Institute's College Sustainability Report Card

The Talloires Declaration

Tufts University

A New Course for Higher Education
Recycling

"Reduce. Reuse. Recycle." isn't just a feel-good slogan at many campuses. It's an operational mandate and mindset. Innovative strategies are reducing consumption and waste, plus they are saving students and institutions money. Additionally, these programs serve as models and living laboratories that engage students inside and outside the classroom.

University of Colorado at Boulder -- CU Recycling is one of the oldest campus recycling programs in the country. It operates as a partnership between students (UC Student Union) and facilities management (administration). A campus guide details locations to recycle everything from paper to office products and a Green Products Guide helps students and staff in finding recycled and environmentally friendly products. The UCSU Environmental Center conducts training and promotions, processes collected recyclables and oversees contracts for the marketing of recyclables. Recycling statistics are monitored and evaluated to drive improvements in the program. Students learn the recycling business through volunteer work, work-study employment, or while earning academic credit. For example, over 17 tons of computers and peripherals were collected during the first campus "Computer Round-Up." An additional 2.9 tons were tested, secured and bundled for donation to national and international community development organizations. Also, CU is installing recycling kiosks to serve as collection sites for old cell phones, with money raised to benefit student organizations.

West Chester University -- The Recycling Department and the "THREE-CYCLE" PROGRAM encourage campus-wide recycling. Collections of various materials exceed 260 tons per year, as indicated in the University Recycling Report. All organic waste from grounds maintenance is composted on-site. Surplus property, ranging from electronics to furniture, is recycled or donated. Sensitive documents are shredded by a local vendor, then composted and used by local farmers as animal bedding and as a soil amendment. The institution has committed to sustainable design efforts and LEED certification. For example, construction waste such as concrete and rebar are recycled for campus projects or use elsewhere.

Middlebury College -- One of the most extensive recycling programs at Middlebury College focuses on composting. The on-campus passively aerated windrow system diverts about 75% (300 tons per year) of food waste from the landfill, producing a valuable soil amendment and avoiding tipping fees. The program also serves as a vehicle for education and research. The recycling program collects almost 60% of the college's waste stream for processing at the campus Material Recovery Facility and other centers. A goal has been to make it simple to recycle everything from paper products and plastics to electronics and hazardous materials – even clothing. When upgrading furniture in campus buildings, the College worked with the Institutional Recycling Network to redistribute 1,100 pieces of furniture to needy villages in Jamaica and to the victims of the tsunami in Asia. Construction materials are recycled and green certified and recycled materials are used in new construction. For example, crushed concrete from the former science building was used as a road base leading to the facility and as fill under the building foundation. A barn was framed with recycled steel and sided with green certified red spruce lumber harvested from the College's forest land in Ripton.

Michigan State University -- A comprehensive recycling program with an emphasis on paper products and reduction of waste. The Office of Campus Sustainability serves as a central resource for campus conservation and recycling programs. About 89% (356 cubic yards per game) of waste produced from football games is recyclable, so efforts are underway to capture those materials before they end up in landfills. The "Pack Up Pitch In" program encourages students to donate usable items or recycle materials at the end of school years. The MSU Surplus Store is an elaborate product re-use center, providing the opportunity to acquire everything from Spartan Stadium bricks to campus vehicles.

Tufts University -- The Tufts Recycles! program drives collection of paper products, electronics, office supplies, containers and hazardous materials. Recycling bins are located throughout the campuses. Due to lack of storage space on the Boston campus, recyclable materials are packed into trailers for off-site processing. For example, over 80 tons of paper and cardboard is recycled annually from this campus. Food waste and yard debris are composted at the Medford campus. This program reduced the annual solid food and non-food waste sent to the dumpsite by 62% by composting about one-half ton of waste daily. Over 400 tons of yard waste is composted annually. Every year, 75 to 80 old mattresses from dorms are recycled or, if in acceptable condition, donated to a local organization for free distribution to low-income households in the Boston area. Tufts has implemented innovative recycling programs proposed by students. For example, "Jumbo Drop" has been a way to deal with items left behind in dorms by outgoing students. Instead of throwing away these books, clothes and linens, they are sold to students at a Labor Day yard sale or donated to local non-profits. Proceeds help fund the recycling program.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill -- Due to an aggressive recycling program, around 40% of the total daily trash is recycled. That saves the university hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in landfill tipping fees and waste hauling. Even with enrollment numbers climbing, per capita landfilled waste is decreasing. Food waste from dining halls and events is collected for composting through a contract with a local company. Sporting events on campus produce enormous amounts of waste, so a recycling program was designed to divert a large portion of the materials from landfills. Vendors are encouraged to recycle all cardboard. A recent boom in campus construction resulted in an examination of material and waste management to develop design guidelines. Working with contractors, the recovery rates for construction and demolition range up to 80%. Each year, the university produces a recycling report that contains detailed results of the program. All students and employees are made aware of campus recycling maps, guides and resources. "Green Games" competitions among residence halls educate students about recycling and conservation. Participants earn points and cash prizes for the best art work, essays, photos, oratory, promotional item design and conservation ideas.

A New Course for Higher Education
Buildings and Grounds

The largest construction sector in the U.S., by value, is education construction. McGraw-Hill Construction SmartMarket Report (TM) estimates spending to be $53 billion in 2007. And green building is growing rapidly. There are over 200 institutions of higher education that are members of the U.S. Green Building Council. The number of LEED certified campus buildings is over 70, with over 150 indicated with the intent to register. A large number of buildings would qualify for certification but institutions have chosen not to use the somewhat costly and labor-intensive certification process. Colleges and universities now consider green building prudent due to significant long-term operational cost savings, reduced maintenance, better internal environmental conditions for users, reduced construction waste, support for local suppliers of materials, improved environmental footprints for the institutions, and attractive public relations benefits.

Juniata College -- Shuster Hall was Juniata College's first building completed in their research complex at the Raystown Field Station. This LEED certified building is intended to function as a teaching and learning tool for the college's state-of-the-art environmental monitoring system. Students and faculty can monitor water usage, energy consumption and other environmental data within the building. With respect to construction materials used, the cypress siding and maple flooring for were obtained from regionally grown forests. Efforts were made to secure many locally or regionally manufactured materials.

Lewis & Clark College -- Howard Hall is a three-story, 50,000 square foot, LEED Gold certified building. This building was designed to have a smaller footprint than the buildings it replaced but resulted in a net gain of 25 offices and 14 classrooms. It's also meant to function as a learning tool on sustainable building practices. The first two floors feature 25 state-of-the-art classrooms, designed with the help of students, staff and faculty from disciplines both inside and outside the social sciences. In fact, the design process and planning involved four distinct committees: building design, classroom design, program planning and steering with committee members representing administration, faculty and staff, and the student body.

Middlebury College -- This institution has a long history of integrating sustainability across the campus, especially when it comes to material sourcing and green building. Atwater Dining Hall employs extensive day lighting, FSC certified wood and a green roof planted with native species of herbaceous plants and groundcover shrubs. For construction of Bicentennial Hall, the college developed a partnership with Vermont Family Forests, a non-profit organization that promotes the cultivation of local family forests for economic and social benefits while protecting ecological integrity of the forest community as a whole. Seventy percent of the FSC certified wood for Bicentennial Hall came from Vermont Family Forests member woodlots within thirty-three miles of campus.

Oberlin College -- The Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies was conceived as a demonstration project, testing ground, educational venue and catalyst for ecological design. A key in the design process of the building and grounds was extensive collaboration, especially with students. An elaborate Web site serves as an educational tool about the project. Over 150 environmental sensors are installed throughout the building and landscape, so the data monitoring and display system on the Web site presents real-time flows of energy and cycling of matter that are necessary to support the built environment. Oberlin's goal is to make interactions between the built and natural environments visible and easy to interpret.

University of California at Santa Barbara -- The Bren School of Environmental Science and Management's Bren Hall is one of the greenest science laboratory facilities in the nation. The $26 million building earned a LEED Platinum designation by meeting requirements for energy efficiency, site and construction management, use of recycled materials, water conservation, us of non-toxic chemicals and incorporation of educational tools about the building. Following the rigorous green building standards for materials and systems added only two percent to the overall costs, an amount easily recovered through energy savings over time. A "Sustainability Design Feasibility Study" details all aspects of the building and green features.

University of Florida -- Since 2003, every major structure at the university -- close to 20 -- that has been built or renovated is a green building. Rinker Hall is a 47,300 square foot, LEED Gold rating leadership facility that incorporates a range of green building features. A unique aspect was that the building design process included examination of material selection, assembly and detailing to facilitate disassembly of the structure to address building lifecycle issues.

University of Portland -- Rapidly growing science programs provided the catalyst for a new and updated space with laboratories, research facilities, classrooms and office space. Swindells Hall was designed to be the greenest building on campus. Planners used recycled materials, such as wall tiles and counter tops made from automobile windshields, fly ash in the concrete foundation, a recycled brick exterior and recycled-material carpets attached with odorless adhesives. Also they considered the energy costs to manufacture and transport the construction materials to the campus when choosing building materials for the hall. Just one of the payoffs has been that they estimate $50,000 in savings per year due to the energy efficient design.

University of Washington at Tacoma -- Two downtown historic buildings comprise the Mattress Factory and Cherry Parkes that house a student center, classrooms and offices. It's an example of urban redesign and preservation, with wide use of environmentally friendly construction and operations systems. The LEED Silver project incorporated extensive use of signage throughout the buildings and key features are highlighted in a brochure. A tour was designed to function as an educational tool in the spirit of a scavenger hunt that takes visitors through the buildings in search of various sustainable design aspects.

West Chester University -- The Swope Music Building and the Performing Arts Center is a new 90,000 square foot academic and performance space on campus. It achieved a LEED Silver rating due to features including use of products made from recycled materials, locally manufactured or harvested wood products from a sustainably managed forest, materials with low or no volatile organic compounds, and energy efficient mechanical and electrical systems.

A New Course for Higher Education
Curriculum

Many colleges and universities are seizing the opportunity to build green and address a broad range of sustainability issues on campus. However, it has been more challenging for institutions to integrate sustainability across undergraduate curriculum. After all, how to you connect sustainability to art, music, literature, education and other subjects? The result is that sustainability related studies are often isolated in environmental studies programs -- and, even there, minimal attention is given to the social, economic and health aspects. Some faculty and departments have taken the initiative, though. They've found creative ways to incorporate sustainability into business, urban studies, communications, agriculture, international studies, political science and other areas.

There are a growing number of graduate degree and certificate programs with a sustainability focus. For example, MBA programs have come a long way in embracing sustainability as a core business concept instead of just as corporate philanthropy. Institutions have committed to preparing students to work in and build enterprises that are financially successful, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. Case studies abound that show how sustainability can drive competitive success, innovation and profitability.

Presidio School of Management -- With a deep focus on sustainability, Presidio MBA program has developed curriculum based on the following core competencies: communications skills, sustainability, numbers, markets, people and leadership. The conceptual framework of sustainable management means "leadership that views the earth's resources as a valuable shared asset for all, requiring stewardship for all." This translates into strands of the curriculum that address the human experience, skills and talent, financial capital, and natural capital.

Bainbridge Graduate Institute -- Rather than learning to view sustainability as a peripheral issue, MBA program and certificate graduates learn how to succeed by integrating sustainability into all aspects of their organizations. Even the campus setting, a 255-acre outdoor learning center called IslandWood, serves to reinforce connections among students, the environment and the community. There are concentrations titled Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems, Sustainable Community Economic Development, Sustainable Energy Solutions, Sustainable Green Building and Sustainable Outdoor Industry.

Ithaca College -- Ithaca has taken a cross-discipline approach to incorporating sustainability for many years. The environmental studies major and degree program in environmental science both include scientific, cultural, economic, historical and even philosophical curriculum. Over 100 courses explore issues related to sustainable development from a variety of perspectives. One of the more innovative efforts has been the ongoing academic relationship between EcoVillage and Ithaca. To foster education and research, EcoVillage serves as a "living laboratory." It's an intentional community and a non-profit educational organization that aims to develop an alternative model for suburban living, which provides a satisfying, healthy, socially rich lifestyle while minimizing ecological impacts. The village currently includes two 30-home co-housing neighborhoods, an organic CSA vegetable farm, an organic berry farm, office spaces for cottage industry, an education office, a neighborhood root cellar, a warm-season grasses ecosystem restoration project, a sheep pasture and varied natural areas.

Emory University -- The Piedmont Project draws together cohorts of roughly 20 faculty and graduate students from diverse fields across the university to learn about environmental issues and sustainability. As a result, over 75 percent of participating faculty changed more than one course to include elements focusing on sustainability. This effort also has encouraged a cross-discipline approach to help integrate sustainability in the curriculum.

Ball State University -- A major challenge in higher education is to increase the environmental literacy of all students. A university-wide Clustered Minors in Environmentally Sustainable Practices program was developed to address this need. It's a group of interdepartmental minors designed to offer new interdisciplinary opportunities for students to study environmentally sustainable practices. For example, a cluster of academic minors in environmentally sustainable practices has been developed that presently includes five minors: Environmental Policy, The Environmental Context for Business, Environmental Contexts in Health Care, Sustainable Land Systems, and Technology & the Environment. To increase awareness of opportunities for including environmental literacy among other institutions, the university hosts the Greening of the Campus annual conference. This event is designed to bridge the culture and practices that support the environmental commitment of colleges and universities. It covers curricular transformation and integration of sustainability in students' educational experience.

Northern Arizona University -- A groundbreaking approach to integrating sustainability through faculty education is called the Ponderosa Project. This is an interdisciplinary faculty group effort to incorporate environmental sustainability issues into a broad range of university courses. As a result, the university has incorporated environmental courses in 31 departments/units, taught by 188 professors who collectively offer 262 undergraduate courses, 116 liberal studies courses and 97 graduate courses. Notable programs include the Environmental Communication Resource Center that is a resource center for information, research and discussion concerning environmental communication. Also, the Eco House/Sustainability LC is a residence hall that connects about 20 freshmen of various majors with other environmentally-minded students. The goal is to live and promote sustainable and environmentally-sensitive living within the university setting.

Ursinus College -- Environmental studies programs don't have to be limited to scientific and technical areas. Ursinus' curriculum in this department provides students an opportunity to study and experience environmental issues from cultural, philosophical, ethical and aesthetic perspectives as well as the scientific, economic and political ones. The value of this approach is that students grow to understand the direct and indirect impacts of seemingly narrow issues regarding sustainability.

University of Washington -- The Program on the Environment was established to foster and promote interdisciplinary environmental education at the University of Washington. This program isn't a traditional academic department and doesn't have its own faculty. Instead, it plays a networking role, bringing together faculty and students from across the university to augment existing programs and offer integrated, interdisciplinary programs that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. This way, degree programs span the breadth of the physical, natural and social sciences, as well as the humanities. The university also draws a connection between environmental curriculum and future employment by coordinating environmental career fairs. Organizations that have current or future career positions and paid internships visit the campus to recruit students as potential employees or interns.

A New Course for Higher Education
Energy

Oberlin College -- Oberlin's commitment to energy conservation is reflected in the use of solar energy and green power purchasing. The Adam Joseph Lewis Center features more than 4,000 sq. ft. of monocrystalline photovoltaic panels covering the south-facing roof. Ongoing efforts are made to educate all building users on energy conservation strategies and to optimize the building systems. The Oberlin College Campus Resource Monitoring System Web site helps staff and students understand energy use of this building and campus-wide. Energy reduction also is achieved through other design measures such as extensive use of daylighting. Oberlin is one of the EPA's top higher education sector Green Power Partners. This is due to a voluntary purchase of 12,872 megawatt-hours of green power in the form of solar, biogas and small hydro-generated electricity from the Oberlin Municipal Light and Power System (OMLPS).

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill -- In 2005, 85 percent of the voting student body voted for a $4 per semester energy fee that supports renewable energy projects on campus for an additional four years. The energy fee will collect $1.2 million over six years. Projects funded include: a solar hot water system on top of the Morrison Residence Hall, the first year of biodiesel fuel use in the campus bus system and geothermal wells at the NC Botanical Garden Visitor Education. Another innovative project is the 5 million gallon thermal energy storage system that helps to reduce campus energy costs. Storing chilled water at night to cool buildings during the day reduces the size and cost of the cooling equipment that would otherwise be required. Additionally, the UNC Chapel Hill Cogeneration Facility produces electricity and steam simultaneously. The steam drives a 28 megawatt generator, is extracted and used for heating, cooling and other energy needs. To increase awareness and understanding about energy conservation, student and administration sponsored educational efforts and promotions are common across the campus.

Cornell University -- Cornell has two solar photovoltaic electricity generating systems on campus, at Day Hall (15 kilowatt peak output) and The Cornell Store (2.2 kilowatt peak output). These installations have been driven jointly by students, staff and the administration. The Store features information about the system and their energy conservation efforts on large display screens and Web site, along with the Day Hall system, for promotion of conservation and renewable energy. The Lake Source Cooling project is a replacement and upgrade of the central campus chilled water system with a more environmentally sound design that conserves energy and utilizes a renewable resource, the deep cold waters of nearby Cayuga Lake. It is providing the university with a method of cooling that eliminates refrigeration equipment and its associated energy use, impacts on the environment from energy use, and any future problems with the new generation of non-CFC refrigerants. Numerous energy conservation projects are underway within existing buildings as part of the Energy Conservation Initiative. Cornell maintains significant research through the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences to develop renewable, clean energy and economically sustainable systems that reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Duke University -- To support efforts to switch to renewable energy, the Duke Green Power Challenge successfully signed-up 500 students, faculty and staff to purchase 1,250 kwh blocks of wind power at $25 a piece. During the Challenge, there was a successful campaign to switch the campus buses to biodiesel as well. Each year as the freshman class arrives on campus, Duke Facilities Management purchases compact fluorescent light bulbs that Environmental Alliance members provide free to students for their personal lamps in their dorm rooms. The Light Bulb Exchange usually results in switching out 900 bulbs. Duke is one of the EPA's top higher education sector Green Power Partners at 54,075,000 kilowatt-hours usage.  This means that 31 percent of their purchase is green electricity, from small hydro and Wind.

Carleton College – In 2004, Carleton dedicated its 1.65 megawatt wind turbine, the first utility grade wind turbine in the country to be owned by a college. They also use this project as an educational opportunity for students. A computer interface relays data about the turbine's performance, so the kilowatt-hours can be translated into the reduction of greenhouse gases and help in calculations of the campus' environmental footprint. In a grassroots effort, Carleton's students join other institutions across Minnesota in a competition called Campus Wars. They battle for a month to see which school can save the most energy. Last year at Carleton, which led the Dorm Wars effort in Minnesota, underclassmen dorms reduced energy consumption by 16.3 percent. Students encourage one another to alter their energy consumption habits by making simple changes in their daily lives.

A New Course for Higher Education
Food

Duke University -- In 2005, students began a study to explore purchasing local and sustainably grown food for the campus. This culminated in an inventory of the environmental impacts of Duke's eateries. It lead to the "What’s for Dinner?" program and series of events that asked campus community members to consider how their food is grown, processed and prepared. This resulting Green Dining program has been active ever since. And due to the interest in this ongoing program, some students produced the documentary "Fieldwork." It focuses on the fieldworkers, farmers, distributors and food preparers that provide food to Duke. The documentary is intended to encourage the campus community to ask questions to ensure that the food they eat comes through a process that is consistent with their values. Much of this overall effort has been the systematic implementation of best practices across campus through the Performance Assessment for Culinary Excellence rating system developed by the campus Dining Services Director.

Middlebury College -- A dynamic green dining program has resulted in wide ranging efforts to buy locally produced and organic food, grow food on-campus, and involve students at every level. The college is part of the new Terra Madre University Network which is linked with the Slow Food University Network. The network is exploring collaborative initiatives such as developing more explicit food purchasing principles, establishing a stance on GMOs, creating an exchange program for students, developing purchasing relationships with local and regional food cooperatives, and working with others in the network on the First National American Slow Food University conference. Events and demonstration projects are used to implement these efforts to connect the campus community with initiatives and regional agriculture. For example, Dining Services hosts a Thanksgiving feast featuring fresh turkey, chicken sausage, braised venison, potatoes, carrots, buttermilk, cider and porter from Vermont food growers and producers. On a biweekly basis, the Campus Sustainability Coordinator creates table tents focusing on a specific environmental issue or upcoming event that are placed every table in the dining hall. Also, the college also maintains a student managed organic garden.

University of British Columbia -- Food Services is deeply involved with green dining and support for sustainable food production. They are connect with food and agriculture related academic programs, composting, campus farm, a sustainable seafood project, fair traded and organic coffee, biodiesel production from cooking oils and other campus efforts. The UBC Farm is a 24 hectare teaching, research, and community farm located on the urban campus. One of the central roles of the farm is to provide experientially based environmental education opportunities. They have integrated educational elements into all of their program offerings, including community outreach efforts. On-farm programs range from agroecology to food, nutrition and health. The market farm is a community sponsored agriculture program and market, with proceeds funding operations and student labor. The Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC farm hosts FarmWonders Summer Camp. It's an innovative, educational and fun summer day camp for children aged 6 to 11. The camp is a student-run community education initiative committed to promoting environmental awareness through science-based farm learning.

A New Course for Higher Education
Transportation

Cornell University -- Cornell transportation policies highly discourage the use of cars and encourage alternatives, such as bicycles. The university provides thousands of free bus passes, maintains an extensive shuttle service and limits on-campus parking. There are 2,600 fewer cars on campus today than in 1990. A growing number of biodiesel and electric vehicles are used on-campus. The Transportation Generic Environmental Impact Statement is a study that investigates what the demands and impacts of transportation are likely to be 10 years from now and environmentally sound ways to prepare for them.

Duke University -- Duke encourages the use of mass transit, carpooling and bicycles. Campus buses run on biodiesel. The soy bean oil based fuel also provides an economic boost to the state's soy bean growers. Students and employees can use their "On Points" Flex accounts to pay for private taxi services throughout Durham and the Triangle area.

Middlebury College -- Through promotion of Yellow Bikes Cooperative, MiddRides, the Snow Bowl shuttle bus and online ride board, Middlebury strives to reduce the environmental impact of transportation needs. Yellow Bikes is an on-campus loaner bike program for students. The Middlebury Bike Shop is a student-run, college-owned facility open to all members of the Middlebury College community and dedicated to promoting cycling on campus and teaching bicycle maintenance. MiddRides is an evening shuttle transportation service. The online ride share board connects the campus community to coordinate shared rides near or far from campus.

University of Colorado -- The university promotes bike, bus, walk and ski alternatives to cars in and around campus. For example, Buff Bikes is a free bike loan service for faculty, staff and students. After a successful pilot project in Spring 2003, CU has committed to shifting a majority of its diesel fuel use to biodiesel. The university's Blueprint for a Green Campus details environmentally friendly transportation options. Students have produced a wide array of sustainable transportation promotions including videos and print pieces.

Tufts University -- The Green Fleet, shuttles, bicycles, public transportation and ridesharing all are part of Tufts' green transportation efforts. Electric vehicles are being used by mail services, public safety and grounds departments. In 2004, Tufts purchased an electric tractor mower called the "Electric Ox" that releases only about 3 pounds of CO2 per hour mowing with very little noise pollution, compared to a traditional mower which releases about 22 pounds of CO2 loudly. Some staff members drive university-owned Toyota Priuses as part of the Tufts Climate Initiative.

A New Course for Higher Education
Outreach

Allegheny College -- Students at Allegheny participate in a variety of sustainability efforts, ranging from energy conservation to artistic promotions of green living. For example, students worked with the Meadville community to create Signs & Flowers, a series of enormous roadside art displays made from used road signs. It was part of the Allegheny's Arts & Environment Initiative as a sustainability awareness and artistic endeavor.

Humboldt State University -- Economics majors learn how to make a difference in the community through our many research and service learning opportunities. Students have researched and published papers with faculty on the local gasoline market, local fisheries market, sustainable energy and sustainable real estate development. Beyond the region, Humboldt students may participate in the Costa Rica Earth Education International program. The experience cover conservation practices, sustainability field work and involvement in local Earth friendly projects.

University of North Carolina -- The Kenan-Flagler Business School's Center for Sustainable Enterprise fosters connects among academia, businesses, NGOs and government agencies locally and globally. Practicum projects offer students the opportunity to gain hands-on business experience. To advance our missions in undergraduate education, environmental research and community outreach, the Institute for the Environment has established a network of field sites with locations in North Carolina and abroad, including Thailand, the US Virgin Islands and Russia. Challenges facing host communities help shape the curriculum at each site and provide students the chance to work on real-world issues.

Oberlin College -- Oberlin's Environmental Studies curriculum offers students the opportunity to pursue a wide variety of interests to apply sustainability within and outside the campus. Students may participate in outreach programs with local youth and have even translated the principles of sustainability into art exhibits. The EnviroAlums affiliate group allows graduates to continue their involvement in the Oberlin community's sustainability efforts. The college also reaches out to higher education and others on an international level through the work of David W. Orr, Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics.

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