A study of 891 campus environments highlights the U and 13 other schools as nationwide leaders in energy efficiency and conservation.
However, the U was not recognized in the other areas, such as environmentally friendly campus transportation, academic environmental disciplines, recycling, landscape conservation and environmental management policy.
“We first had the idea to do this survey in 1992 after some campus environment groups and others thought something should be done to emphasize campus conservency,” said Julian Keniry, senior manager for the study at the National Wildlife Federation.
Survey questions asked if campuses implemented water efficiency upgrades with new toilets, showerheads and faucets, energy-efficient lighting and even asked if building design plans retained heat. Other questions asked if universities evaluate those energy saving appliances, not only in monetary savings, but in terms of the long-term environmental impact.
Keniry said she wasn’t sure why the U wasn’t recognized in the category of ‘leading schools for doing more with energy conservency and efficiency,’ especially since they were found to be a leader in the original category.
“I wonder if [the U] is reluctant to say whether or not there are big future [environmental] plans, so it may be that they’re just not willing to admit those plans for one reason or another,” Keniry said. “It was very disappointing that out of most universities across the board only 20 percent indicated they had plans to do something to improve energy conservation.”
But the U should still feel good about what it’s doing in energy efficiency, Keniry said, especially since only a handful of schools out of the nearly 900 surveyed were considered leaders. Participation in the study was voluntary.
“We sent out 3,200 surveys and only 891 were sent back. We wondered ‘are these schools that just want to toot their own horns?’?even so, I believe it’s a pretty good sample of universities nationwide.”
“I’m pleasantly surprised that we seem to be that much of a leader,” said Aaron Titus, assembly member for the U’s department of architecture, “but obviously we’re far from our potential.”
Although the U’s energy conservation efforts are now nationally recognized, the U lags behind in recycling, Titus said. “The [environmental] awareness is there, but I don’t think the infrastructure is.”
Titus is the principle sponsor for the student recycling initiative, a bill that may lay the foundation for the U’s first major recycling program by creating a campus recycling committee.
The General Assembly passed the bill in November; if it passes the Student Senate, the proposal will be sent to U administrators.
“Change is going to happen as we get steady momentum, push things forward and actually get something done. We’ll need the help of any student organization that would like to help,” Titus said.
Student Body President Ben Lowe said the U is already promoting conservation efforts.
“Just in our office we’ve received multiple emails from the U to conserve energy, and we’ve been doing that,” Lowe said. “We know that green space is important to our campus. I’ve been to many universities and I think we’re lucky. The U has an incredibly beautiful campus. The landscaping really creates wonderful ambience.”
Keniry said another NWF survey is tentatively scheduled for 2005. An online version of the current report is available at the NWF Web site www.nwf.org/campusecology/.
“Our mission is to conserve,” Keniry said. “If colleges and universities aren’t echoing environmental responsibility, they’re sending a mixed message to the public. That’s why [environmental] college programs are so important, so they can practice what they’re preaching.”