U.S. Group Lists Top 15 Sustainable Universities

Elise Mulder OsengaEducation, Original, Quick Looks, Sustainability

Image of a factoid box telling that University of Louisville works to source 24%of their campus food locally. Credit ACUPCC
Image of a factoid box telling that University of Louisville works to source 24%of their campus food locally. Credit ACUPCC

Via ACUPCC, information about the University of Louisville.

The American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) is honoring ongoing Earth Day efforts by recognizing colleges and universities who have excelled in attempts to further the field of ecological sustainability.
The ACUPCC is a support system for colleges and universities pledging to pursue climate neutrality (as opposed to climate change). Launched in 2007, the ACUPCC has grown to nearly 700 colleges and universities across the United States. Each participating organization has committed to creating an inventory of its greenhouse gas emissions, taking action to reduce those emissions, offering sustainability concepts as part of their curriculums, and designing a publically available action plan.
The ACUPCC recognized the work of 15 leading institutions during April, when Earth Day occurs, with a Celebrating Sustainability series.
Factoid box telling that the solar photovoltaic project on arizona state university reduces the school's carbon foorprint by 16,000 metric tons. Credit ACUPCC

Via ACUPCC, information about Arizona State University.

Schools who received recognition boast a diversity of accomplishments. For example, the University of Louisville recently implemented a plan to serve a greater proportion of local food on its campus. Louisville has its own sustainability council helping to drive such decisions and a vision of “creat[ing] a university that is itself a living laboratory for sustainability and a campus community that leads by example and educates as much by what we do as by what we say.”
Another school, Arizona State University drew the attention of the ACUPCC with its initiative to fuel energy needs by relying increasingly on solar power.
The 15 colleges and universities recognized under Celebrating Sustainability are as follows:

Allegheny College (PA)
Arizona State University (AZ)
Austin Community College (TX)
Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
Haywood Community College (NC)
Pratt Institute (NY)
Luther College (IA)
Montgomery County Community College (PA)
Mount Wachusett Community College (MA)
SUNY Upstate Medical University (NY)
University of California–Irvine (CA)
University of Central Missouri (MO)
University of Louisville (KY)
Weber State University (UT)
William Paterson University (NJ)

For more information, including summaries of various achievements by school, see presidentsclimatecommitment.org/signatories/spotlight.