Sustainability Improvements for Failing Colleges

Posted on July 23, 2008
Filed Under News, The Daily Prereq | By Mike Dang

As we’ve mentioned before, many colleges have already received their green report cards. But what can colleges do if they’ve gotten a few bad grades? Plenty, says Mark J. O’Gorman, an associate professor of political science and environmental studies at Maryville College in Tennessee. At a college planning conference in Montreal, O’Gorman discussed the successes and failures of colleges on the sustainability front. O’Gorman said that colleges are doing a good job of raising green awareness on their campuses, but they’re having having a few issues on implementing some practices. Some campuses have taken great strides by putting biodiesel in campus shuttles, making sure that new buildings are LEED-certified, and promoting local food. Then there are the failures such as cutting budgets so that recycling programs disappear and not managing campus waste properly.

Many colleges are already taking note. According to USA Today, several colleges have already abolished food trays from campus dining halls, which prevents students from piling on food and then throwing much of it out. Some colleges are reporting that food wastes have declined by up to 50%. Energy savings are also high because there no trays to be washed. UNC-Chapel Hill went sans trays in two of its dining halls last October and has reported that it has saved thousands of gallons of water by not having to wash them. New York University plans to be 50% trayless by the end of the next semester. Going tray-less may have another perk. Students used to piling on food may find that they don’t eat as much they used to, meaning less time having to be spent at the gym.

(Source: Inside Higher Ed)

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