Harvard's New Responsible Investing Guidelines do not Include Divestment from Fossil Fuels

The exclusion of divestment from fossil fuels is an important contradictory caveat in Harvard University's newly adopted code of investment principles. Harvard's investment policies are far more than symbolic as the university oversees the world’s largest college endowment valued at $33 billion.

Shortly after hiring Jameela Pedicini as Harvard’s first vice president for sustainable investment in 2013, the university announced that it would not divest from fossil fuels despite a groundswell of protest both on and off campus.

Harvard is ignoring a trend that is sweeping across institutes of higher learning in much of the western world. A total of 500 university campuses and other institutions across America and Europe have divested from fossil fuels. While the new Harvard investment code will address a wide range of environmental and social issues, it does not oblige the school to sell off its existing fossil fuel investments.

Event - Smart and Sustainable Campuses Conference

The Smart and Sustainable Campuses Conference will take place on March 3 - 4, 2014, in Baltimore, MD. The sharing economy: no place is this more evident than on our campuses. Students are rethinking vehicle ownership, swapping clothes, trading books, and participating in MOOCs. In other words, finding ways to make their limited funds go further. Campuses must also find opportunities to conserve limited resources, make college more affordable, and make our communities more resilient to economic and environmental change. A sharing economy is leading to more sustainable consumption, operations, services, and lifestyles in our communities and on our campuses.

Green Buildings of the Future at UC Irvine (Video)

Join Green Schools Designer Wendy Rogers as she interviews guests at the LPA Sustainable Office and Energy Showcase, in UC Irvine's University Research Park - LPA Irvine. The 15,000-square-foot expansion is tracking LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council - it's the next generation of collaborative, open office design.

Best Green Colleges: Sierra's Cool Schools 2012 (Video)

SIERRA magazine released its sixth annual ranking of the nation's "Coolest Schools," a salute to U.S. colleges that are helping solve climate problems and making significant efforts to operate sustainably. Watch and see what it takes to become a Cool Schools at top pick UC Davis.

Best Green Colleges: Princeton Review 2013 (Video)

Written for students or parents mystified by the confusing college admissions process, The Best 377 Colleges provides the facts and information needed to make a smart decision about which of the country's best schools to consider. Our new enhanced iBooks Author edition is designed for effortless digital reading with easy, linked navigation, colorful profiles, videos and school photos.

Princeton Review 2013 Green Honor Roll Ranking of US Colleges

In this years Princeton Honor Roll, 21 colleges earned the highest score (99). The Princeton Review's fifth annual "Green Ratings" of colleges is a measure of how environmentally friendly the institutions are on a scale of 60 to 99. The Company tallied the rating for 806 institutions based on its institutional surveys of colleges in 2011-12 concerning their environmentally related practices, policies and academic offerings.

The "Green Rating" scores appear in the Princeton Review profiles of the colleges on www.PrincetonReview.com and in the new 2013 editions of two Princeton Review guidebooks published by Random House, Inc: "The Complete Book of Colleges" published August 7, and "The Best 377 Colleges" which went on sale August 21 in a print edition and a new enhanced eBook edition.

EPA's Green Power Partnerships Top 20 Colleges & Universities

The Green Power Partnership works with a wide variety of leading organizations — from Fortune 500® companies to local, state and federal governments, and a growing number of colleges and universities. The following Top Partner Rankings highlight the annual green power use of leading organizations within the United States and across individual industry sectors.

Using green power helps reduce the environmental impacts of electricity use and supports the development of new renewable generation capacity nationwide. Usage amounts reflect U.S. operations only and are sourced from U.S.-based green power resources. Organizations can meet EPA Partnership requirements using any combination of three different product options: (1) Renewable Energy Certificates, (2) On-site generation, and (3) Utility green power products.

Antioch University's Masters Degree in Urban Sustainability

In response to the challenges of global environmental, social, and economic inequality, Antioch University Los Angeles has created a revolutionary new M.A. program to train the next generation of urban problem-solvers. The Urban Sustainability program prepares students for leadership positions in public policy, corporate accountability, social justice organizing, and ecological practice.

Ball State is Building the Largest Geothermal System in the US

Ball State is building the largest geothermal system in the US. The geothermal system under construction will replace coal boilers for heating and cooling. Eradicating fossil fuel power for renewable sources of energy will reduce the university’s carbon footprint by nearly half while saving $2 million a year in operating costs. The system will connect to all buildings on campus providing heating and cooling to 5.5 million square feet.

This decision was made based on a cost comparison of new fossil fuel based boilers and renewable energy options. The more efficient geothermal-based heating and cooling system was found to be the best for the school.

International Society of Sustainability Professionals Educational Programs

The International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) offers courses and programs. Their flexible structure allows you to shape your learning experience to suit your needs. Live webinars and workshops can be taken individually and credited towards the ISSP Sustainability Professionals Certificate. Self-study options are also available (although not for credit). These study options are ideal for those with multiple areas of expertise and are doing sustainability auditing and/or planning. The courses are designed to provide a broad spectrum approach that enables participants to put together disparate skill sets.

Second Nature's Financing Sustainability on Campus Book

The book Financing Sustainability on Campus, provides higher education leaders with a comprehensive handbook to financing sustainability with real world examples, creative strategies, and clear explanations of a wide variety of financial tools and programs. This book offers a first-of-its-kind look at how colleges and universities are responding to the challenges of financing sustainability efforts. How can institutions blend financing options? How can a campus utilize a tax-exempt lease purchase contract? What tax incentives are available? When is bond financing your best option? What new liabilities will institutions need to recognize on their balance sheets? Geared to both newcomers and experienced practitioners, this guide walks you through the process—from identifying and analyzing the economics of proposed projects to execution—with examples from numerous individual campuses.

Second Nature's Advancing Green Building in Higher Education Program

Second Nature is advancing green building in higher education, by focusing on some of the challenges faced by under-resourced colleges and universities to ‘build green’ on their campuses. With a $1,242,000 three-year grant from the Kresge Foundation, Second Nature is helping under-resourced schools learn about and use the financial and technical resources available to construct and renovate campus buildings in ways that save money, reduce environmental and health impacts, serve as educational tools, and increase student enrollment.

Second Nature's Education for Sustainability Innovation Program

The "Education for Sustainability" (EFS) innovation program works with minority-serving institutions to advance the goal of creating a sustainable society. The program was launched by Second Nature in 2011 with the generous support of The Kresge Foundation. This multi-year program promotes innovation and leadership among financially strained and minority-serving colleges and universities.

Early History of Sustainability at Queens College

Queens College began many of their sustainability initiatives during the three years between 2004 through 2007. They began participation in the peak load management program with Con Ed. They decreased their power use on certain summer days of peak demand of electricity and reduced energy load on our buildings. They have purchased only Energy Star rated air conditioners. They began replacing inefficient window units with split air conditioning systems. In the 1990s, they had installed light sensors in all of our offices and classrooms. We continued to maintain those sensors and they are operational. Beginning in 2005, we purchased electric utility vehicles for use on campus. By 2007, they had purchased 10 electric vehicles.

Queens College Sustainability Plan

Queens College Sustainability Plan sets goals in each of the seven pillars of sustainability and the steps to be taken to achieve those goals. These seven pillars are comprised of Energy, Water, Transportation, Recycling/Source Reduction, Procurement, Sustainable Nutrition, Education and Outreach.

1. Energy: A sustainable student residence and an addition to Remsen that incorporated energy efficiency measures. They are currently engaged in several studies of their buildings that will provide recommendations for energy efficient retrofits for building upgrades. They are working towards to have a solar project and a green roof. They are also working on a menu of energy savings projects in their energy audit of their facilities and they plan to implement any that are financially feasible. New equipment is evaluated in terms of its energy-efficiency. With adequate funding, their goal is to replace all of their outdoor lighting with either LED or induction lighting.

Queens College Sustainability Mission

As reviewed in Queens College Mission statement, the school is serious about being green. Their campus is steeped in the culture of sustainability making them a model for the community. The school follows the well accepted approach outlined in the 1987 Brundtland Report (“development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.) They have a Sustainability Council that oversees the execution their Strategic Plan to be carbon neutral.

Queens College is committed to energy reduction through efficiency. Their construction and renovation projects are environmentally sound and they make extensive use of recycled materials. They are reducing the overall waste and they have a robust recycling program. Further, they are becoming a “paperless” campus which uses only “green” products.

Campus Sustainability Day Summary of Events

On October 26th many college campuses across North America celebrated the 9th annual Campus Sustainability Day (CSD). Campus Sustainability Day highlights the green accomplishments and initiatives of staff, faculty and students.

Penn State's Online B.A. in Energy and Sustainability Policy

A new Penn State online degree is preparing students for clean energy jobs. The program provides students with an understanding of policy implementation and planning for energy and sustainability. Penn State's online bachelor of arts degree in Energy and Sustainability Policy, prepares students for a role in policy making and communications.

This degree enables students to meet the growing demand for individuals who understand the key ingredients of energy markets and environmental issues.

Students can develop energy industry knowledge, a sustainability ethic, analytical and communication skills and a global perspective. The program focuses on client-stakeholder relations, integrative design and decision making for energy solutions, market and nonmarket business strategies in the energy field, and data visualization techniques. Seven new courses are being developed for the program.

The Energy and Sustainability Policy program is offered by the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Dutton e-Education Institute and Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering and delivered online by Penn State’s World Campus.

For information on the online B.A. in Energy and Sustainability Policy, visit the World Campus or call 800-252-3592.
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