Going green

Due to increasing concerns over environmental sustainability, Northwestern administration and student groups are working to promote "green" practices and behavior.

In November 2004, University President Henry Bienen shared a written commitment to environmental sustainability. "Sustainability is an important global issue and we are committed to taking appropriate steps to minimize Northwestern's impact on the natural environment," Bienen wrote in a campus-wide e-mail.

In the past few years, a growing number of college campuses are pursuing green building projects, renewable energy purchases, and extensive recycling practices.

"The sustainability movement is really seeping into the consciousness of people and higher education is responding," said Michelle McKay, vice president of Second Nature, an organization dedicated to furthering environmental movements on campuses. "Colleges and universities want to produce knowledge in graduates that will prepare them to lead society in a sustainable direction. Once people get that, it's a no-brainer."

In addition to annual events like the Green Cup, a competition to save energy in dorms sponsored by Students for Ecological and Environmental Development, many groups have also embarked on new projects this year.

SEED worked with administrators to purchase new outdoor recycling units to be placed in 28 different locations on campus. Engineers for a Sustainable World are currently working on converting at least one campus shuttle bus to run on wasted vegetable oil from university dining services.

Administrators have also made efforts to create a sustainable campus. NU's 2004 sustainability commitment outlined several plans to conserve energy and water. Projects listed included the installation of occupancy sensors that automatically turn off lights in a room when empty and replacing incandescent lights with more energy efficient lighting.

University students will have the option this fall to live in a new environmentally sustainable residential college, known as the Group Residence for Environmental Engagement at Northwestern, or GREEN house.

"We have done a lot of what we said we would do (in 2004)," said Ronald Nayler, Director of Facilities Management.

NU also promised to ensure that all new buildings and renovation projects meet certification by the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Design. LEED certification verifies that a building is designed to be sustainable in ways that help reduce pollution and depletion of resources.

"Constructing a LEED certified building means years of using energy, water and everything else a building needs more efficiently," said Julie Calihanne, NU's manager of refuse and recycling. "It isn't just a one time thing, it contributes to a long term impact."

Many sustainable projects were underway prior to 2004. "There are a lot of schools that are ahead of us, but there are also a lot that are significantly behind us," Cahilanne said. "A lot of projects have been thought about but it takes administrative support to make any of those things happen. They are definitely open in moving forward with a lot of these ideas."

Since 2006, the university has purchased renewable energy certificates that account for 20 percent of electricity usage. In April 2008, NU was listed as one of the top ten universities that purchase renewable energy by the Environmental Protection Agency.

"Buying renewable energy was a big thing to do and I give the university a lot of credit for that," said engineering professor Randall Snurr.

In the past year, several environmental student groups and representatives from different administrative departments on campus have formed the Sustainability Working Group to discuss and identify future environmentally friendly projects.

"From what I've seen, the university has been responsive to students," said Snurr, who is also an ESW faculty advisor.

Despite the efforts already being made, students and faculty say there is still room for improving environmental measures. A mandatory green fee for students can also help fund projects on campus, Schiller said.

While NU only began to publicize its sustainability goals in 2004, many other colleges pursued the green trend long before.

Tufts University has been working on sustainability initiatives since 1990, said Sarah Creighton, director of Tufts' Office of Sustainability. Tufts students also participate in "Do it in the Dark," an annual competition similar to NU's Green Cup.

The Green Campus Initiative at Harvard University was created in 2000 and employs a full time staff to improve sustainable practices on campus. The university-wide initiative also administers a $12 million revolving loan fund for environmental projects.

While many university departments are stepping up, there is no office solely dedicated to sustainability on campus aside from NU's Office of Refuse and Recycling.

"It's difficult to achieve inside change in an institution when you're only there for a short term," said Jesse Sleamaker, co-President of SEED. "Some campuses got on the bandwagon early, but from what I've seen, there's a lot of willingness to cooperate between student group leaders and administrators."

The Sustainable Endowments Institute gave NU a C+ on its College Sustainability Green Report Card. Although NU received top marks in green building and investment priorities, it received a C for administration efforts and failing marks in endowment transparency and shareholder engagement.

To supplement existing efforts, an outside firm is leading a comprehensive audit of all academic and administrative buildings on NU's campuses. The audit, which is expected to be completed in 2008, will examine all aspects of environmental sustainability that can be improved within each building.

"On both campuses we are probably going to spend millions in the next few years just for sustainability projects," Nayler said.

Adopting sustainable practices would reduce consumption and "result in cost savings for the university," Bienen wrote in 2004.

Although NU has not calculated how much money it has saved, projects in water conservation, the removal of incandescent lamps and recycling initiatives are the areas that have saved the most money, Nayler said. "There are some projects where we're not saving money, but it's still the right thing to do."

After the audit's completion, the university plans to begin more drastic improvements starting in 2008.

"We've made a lot of progress, but there is still a lot we can do," Nayler said.

nathalietadena2007@u.northwestern.edu

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