1. Univ. of Pennsylvania, Already Largest Campus Buyer of Wind Power, Triples Its Purchase
Under a new agreement, the University of Pennsylvania will now purchase nearly 30 percent of its energy needs from wind-generated power, nearly tripling its wind-energy purchase.  Following a previous wind-energy purchase of 40,000 megawatt-hours annually from Pennsylvania wind farms, Penn's new agreement to purchase 112,000 MWh each year for the next five years from wind farms across the country represents the largest retail purchase of green power in the nation by an institution of higher education.  Beyond being the largest campus purchaser of renewable energy, under the new commitment Penn will become the 8th largest US purchaser in any category, according to EPA figures.  In related news, Pennsylvania State University is also considering increasing its purchase of wind power.
http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/article.php?id=935
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/14228054.htm

2. US House Approves Proposal to Hold Sustainability Summit for Higher Education
The US House of Representatives recently approved an amendment to the Higher Education Act authored by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) and Rep. David Wu (D- OR) directing the U.S. Secretary of Education to convene within the next year a summit of higher education sustainability experts to identify best practices in sustainability education.  "The national summit called for in this legislation is an excellent opportunity to highlight the quiet revolution going on within higher education as colleges and universities across the country embrace and adopt sustainability in their curricula and campus operations, and to begin a dialogue with the federal government about how it can help this movement," said James Elder, Director of the Campaign for Environmental Literacy.
http://blumenauer.house.gov/newsroom/PressRelease.aspx?NewsID=1383
Campaign for Env. Literacy article

3. University of Kentucky Students Approve Fee Increase for Renewable Energy
Students at University of Kentucky have approved a proposal to raise student fees by $6 to $8 per semester to fund renewable energy initiatives on campus.  The initiative passed with 66.5 percent support.  The proposal now goes to University of Kentucky President Lee Todd's Sustainable Task Force, who will pass their own recommendations to Todd and the Board of Trustees.  The Task Force has previously expressed support for the proposal.
Campus newspaper article 1
Campus newspaper article 2

4. UC Berkeley Kitchen Receives Organic Certification, First for a US Campus
A side kitchen at University of California, Berkeley's Crossroads dining commons has achieved organic certification.  The designation means that the "organic integrity" of organic products has been maintained from the time the products arrive on the loading dock to the moment they are offered for consumption.  To achieve certification, Cal Dining developed a set of rules governing everything from how dishes are washed to how pests are controlled to how food is prepared (separate utensils and cutting boards are required).  The kitchen will supply produce for a full salad bar.  By spring 2007, all four of the dining halls managed by Cal Dining, one of the campus food services, will offer certified organic salad bars. According to CCOF, one of the oldest and largest organic certification organizations in US, while many campuses serve organic produce, the kitchen at UC Berkeley is the first certified organic kitchen on an American college campus.
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2006/04/03_organic.shtml
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/14255311.htm
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/ci_3670918
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/14246202.htm
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/14254696.htm

5. Johns Hopkins University Hires New Environmental Director
Johns Hopkins University has hired Davis Bookhart to oversee and coordinate green projects that will foster energy efficiency on campus.  His official title is of "Manager, Energy Management and Environmental Stewardship" and his position is housed within the Facilities Department.  Bookhart has an extensive professional background in energy efficiency and alternative energy and will launch new energy efficiency projects at the University and will also work to increase the visibility of existing green initiatives.
Campus newspaper article
Directory of full-time Campus Sustainability/Environmental Coordinators and Directors (AASHE members-only): http://www.aashe.org/resources/ftdirectory.php

6. Two Bowdoin College Residence Halls Receive LEED Silver Certification
Bowdoin College's two new residence halls - East and West Halls - have received LEED Silver certification.  The two 35,000-square-foot first-year residence halls are heated and cooled geothermally, allowing Bowdoin to save over 40% of the energy usually consumed in a residence hall.  In addition, the residence halls feature: a system that pumps collected rainwater to the toilets, saving on potable water; Energy Star rated white roofs, which necessitate less cooling for the building in hot weather; locally manufactured construction materials, composed of recycled content (including 99.9% recycled wallboard); individual thermostats in all rooms; large windows and skylights for maximum natural light; and indoor bicycle rooms and outdoor racks, to encourage students to bike to class and town.  The College is striving for any new construction projects to reach LEED certification.
http://www.bowdoin.edu/news/archives/1bowdoincampus/002922.shtml
http://orient.bowdoin.edu/orient/article.php?date=2006-03-31&section=1&id=9
Annotated listing of 45 additional green dorms (AASHE members only): http://www.aashe.org/resources/residence_halls1.php

7. University of Arizona Receives Grant for U.S.-Mexico Center for Environmental Science
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the University of Arizona a $1,750,815 grant to fund a U.S.-Mexico Binational Center for Environmental Science and Toxicology.  The center is designed to build Mexico’s academic capacity to address environmental and human health risks, particularly those associated with arsenic and other metals resulting from mining activities.  The first research project will investigate the relationship of arsenic and diabetes and breast cancer incidences along the U.S.-Mexico border, long-term effects of heavy metals on children's health, landfill leachate plumes, and mine tailings.  The center will also provide training fellowships for Mexican doctoral students of environmental science, engineering, and toxicology. It will also develop Spanish-language textbooks and information sheets addressing environmental legislation, environmental engineering and science, and environmental toxicology.
US EPA news release

8. Harvard Expands Financial Aid for Low- and Middle-Income Families
Harvard has announced that, beginning with the class admitted this spring, parents in families with incomes of less than $60,000 will no longer be expected to contribute to the cost of their children attending Harvard.  In addition, Harvard will reduce the contributions of families with incomes between $60,000 and $80,000.  The new income thresholds build on the program announced two years ago, which provided that families with incomes below $40,000 would not be expected to contribute to the cost of education, with a reduced contribution for families with incomes between $40,000 and $60,000.  The number of students enrolled at Harvard from these income brackets increased by 24 percent for the class entering this past fall - the first full year of the program.
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/daily/2006/03/30-finaid.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/31/education/31harvard.html
Boston Globe article

9. Ocean County College President Declares Support for Sustainability
Ocean County College President Jon H. Larson has published an article in a local newspaper describing the College's sustainability efforts.  In the article, President Larson states, " We have reached that time when every global citizen must understand and practice the principles of sustainability science, or we will bequeath a ruined garden to our grandchildren. … At Ocean County College, we have accepted responsibility for our part in this effort.  We must lead by example as a symbol of best practices and an information resource for our community."  The College's sustainability efforts focus on smart growth, resource conservation, and environmental scholarship.
(webpage no longer available)

10. Northland Students Purchase Hybrid Vehicle for Admissions Department
In 2001, students at Northland College voted to create the Renewable Energy Fund and pay an extra $40 annually to fund it.  This year, students are using the money to purchase a Toyota Prius for the admissions department to drive across the region and recruit new students.  In previous years, the students have purchased solar water heaters as well as a small-scale wind turbine for electricity.  In another year, the students helped pay for a geothermal heating/cooling system for the new campus center.
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/14235088.htm

11. Clarion University Students Save Local Businesses Over $34,000 in Energy Costs
As part of a service-learning project on electricity in a General Physics class, Clarion University students performed an energy lighting audit and cost-benefit analysis for their favorite local business.  Students studied the efficiency and costs of switching from normal light bulbs to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and discovered that the switch could save the local economy over $34,500 in electrical costs in just the businesses that agreed to make the change. The students found that typical Clarion business could save between a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars if they switched to CFLs.
http://news.clarion.edu/News/10687.html

12. Broward Community College Launches New Environmental Sustainability Website
The Broward Community College Committee on Environmental Sustainability recently launched a new website describing the College's environmental sustainability initiatives.  Specifically, the website describes the College's work in energy and water conservation, green building, green purchasing, recycling, education and outreach, and policy, among other things.  Broward Community College is also a new member of AASHE.
http://www.broward.edu/environmental/
Listing of over 200 campus sustainability websites (AASHE members-only): http://www.aashe.org/resources/campus_links.php

13. University of Denver Announces Energy Conservation Initiative
As part of an effort to reduce energy consumption on campus, the University of Denver has signed a three-year contract with Integrated Energy Solutions to create a resource conservation program aimed at reducing the University's energy bill.  The company will work with faculty, staff and students to raise environmental awareness and pinpoint ways to save energy.  Campus officials hope to reduce the annual energy bill by 10–15 percent in the first year of the program.
http://www.du.edu/facilities/energymanagement.html

14. Master Classes in Environmental Design Offered at Washington University of St. Louis
At Washington University of St. Louis, students and faculty in the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts have increasingly integrated environmental principles and techniques into the architecture curriculum, through required and elective courses as well as through special events and voluntary groups.  Over the next several weeks, the Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design will take on the issue with special intensity, through a series of intensive "Master Classes in Environmental Design." Each of the half-dozen one-credit workshops will be open to 12 graduate and undergraduate students.  Topics range from building technologies and sustainable building design to landscape design and urban and regional planning.
http://record.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/6878.html

15. Macalester College Students to Install Green Roof
MacCARES, Macalester College's student environmental group, has received permission to install a green roof on a link between two buildings known as the fishbowl.  If the project is successful, Macalester will likely install additional green roofs to other buildings.  The project is funded almost completely by outside donations. 
http://www.themacweekly.com/node/10520

New Resources

-- 
Julian Dautremont-Smith
Associate Director
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
(971) 544-1755
julian [AT] aashe.org
www.aashe.org