Colorado State University Pledges to be Carbon Neutral by 2020
September 23, 2008 · Print This Article
Colorado State University President Larry Edward Penley announced in his annual Fall Address that the school aims to be carbon neutral by 2020. Colorado State aims to prove their green power by reducing its greenhouse emissions through conservation and alternative energy sources. They’re hoping to serve as a role model for environmental stewardship, and plan to develop programs to train the growing green workforce as well as creating alternative energy solutions.
The university expects to find significant cost savings through additional conservation strategies, Penley said. Those efforts will begin with a comprehensive assessment of the university’s carbon footprint, already underway. The assessment will include a commuter survey posted today at https://www.fm.colostate.edu/survey and a greenhouse gas inventory.
“A premier research university is committed to the ideal that educated and motivated people can make a difference in the world, and CSU is the Green University, leading the way in research, education and practice associated with sustainable energy and the environment,” said Penley, who celebrated his fifth year as president of Colorado State in August. “We expect our graduates to be active, responsible citizens.”
Colorado State has already gained recognition for being environmentally responsible, making plenty of sustainability efforts on campus and in the school’s academic and research programs. Some of those efforts include creating a Clean Energy Supercluster, which is a new effort to speed technological renewable and clean energy innovations to the marketplace, and their new School of Global Environmental Sustainability, which properly prepares students to enter the green workforce. Colorado State was also named among the greenest universities in the country by Newsweek in August.
This is exactly what we need – more college students recognizing the need to be green! The youth – especially those aiming to nab green collar jobs – are the key to getting civilization on the right track so generations to come have a clean, healthy earth to enjoy. Nice going, Colorado State!
Link [Today at Colorado State] via [AASHE]
Related Posts:
Green College Spotlight: New York UniversityGreen College Spotlight: Western Washington University
Green College Spotlight: California State University at Chico
Green College Spotlight: University of British Columbia
Green College Spotlight: University of California at Santa Cruz
Haha, my university thinks letting the lawn die is “going green”… I think I have to disagree - considering, especially, that it was simply re-sodded… and the surrounding trees cut down in order to lower the water necessary to keep it the area green. Hm.