Green College Spotlight: Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University sits nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Boone, North Carolina. This public liberal arts college, which has consistently been rated among the best public colleges in the nation, takes a cue from its stunning natural surroundings in its approach to sustainability. App State, as it’s known by locals, has a 15-year-old sustainable development program with 26 members across 11 departments and three colleges that allows students to explore sustainability concepts.

The “Goodnight Family Sustainable Development” program grants bachelor of science and bachelor of arts degrees drawing upon the United Nation’s vision of “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Students take classes focusing on biological, physical and social science as well as arts and humanities, assisting students in learning about existing practices in sustainable development and in identifying the potential for and obstacles to implementing such practices in the U.S. and throughout the world. ASU also has a new degree program in environmental science.

Appalachian State is also implementing a range of green initiatives on campus. ASU joined more than 500 universities, colleges and community colleges across the country in pledging to implement a comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by the year 2050. The university has a head start on this promise, having already completed three of the seven steps they’ve committed to: adoption of an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy, providing biodiesel-powered public transit and participating in waste management strategies.

Among recent sustainable initiatives is the REI-funded photovoltaic system installed near Raley Hall, which is capable of generating enough electricity annually to power an energy-efficient home. The Energy Center’s CommunityTIES “Trash Into Energy Savings” Project received $134,673 this year from the Golden LEAF Foundation and Z. Smith Reynolds to promote using landfill gas as an economic development engine in local communities, and the ASU library has been recognized for its green architecture.

The university’s plans for the future are even more impressive. ASU is currently installing a wind turbine for student and faculty research, which will generate enough energy to power 10-15 homes.  ASU researchers are also working with Catawba County to test biodiesel crops near the county’s landfill to determine which crops produce the best oils in the local climate.

Student-led organizations get a lot done at ASU. The Sustainable Energy Society, founded over 10 years ago, gives free weekly workshops on topics such as photovoltaics (solar electricity), passive solar building design, wind energy, micro-hydro, electric vehicles, energy efficiency, permaculture, fuel cells, solar cooking, solar food dehydration, and solar water heating. The Collaborative Biodiesel Project brews up the fuel that powers ASU’s fleet of buses and the Affordable Bioshelter Project is a student-directed project with the aim of developing solar greenhouses that pay for themselves within 5 years. And, finally, the ASU Renewable Energy Initiative is a student-led referendum to demonstrate ASU’s responsible stewardship of this mountain community with the installation of renewable energy production technology on campus to increase both awareness and use of clean energy.

We hope to see Appalachian State University continue growing its sustainability efforts on campus to prove just how green they can be in 2009.

Link [Appalachian State University]

Related Posts:

Green College Spotlight: Arizona State University at Tempe
Green College Spotlight: California State University at Chico
Green College Spotlight: Ohio State University
Green College Spotlight: Yale University
Green College Spotlight: University of Calgary