Even though you may think that the desert is no place for anything green, the students at California’s College of the Desert located in Palm Desert are determined to prove you wrong.

Working with the Riverside County Economic Development Agency, an organization aimed to enhance the economic growth of the surrounding county, and using $2 million in economic stimulus funds, the college will train students in several projects for renewable energy. These projects will focus on wind energy and solar energy.

Even though you may think that the desert is no place for anything green, the students at California’s College of the Desert located in Palm Desert are determined to prove you wrong.

Working with the Riverside County Economic Development Agency, an organization aimed to enhance the economic growth of the surrounding county, and using $2 million in economic stimulus funds, the college will train students in several projects for renewable energy. These projects will focus on wind energy and solar energy.

The renewable energy projects

What type of renewable energy projects will the students at California’s College of the Desert be working on? They will learn the ins and outs of large-scale solar energy plants, as well as how to build and safely climb wind turbines.

Some other facts about the renewable energy projects:

• Students can take a seven-week program to gain wind-turbine technician skills
• College hopes to train 120 solar techs to build solar energy plants within 18 months
• Students will learn electrical, pipefitting and mechanical skills for alternative energy jobs
• Students will learn how to climb on a wind-turbine’s 80-foot high tower
• Future plans for classes on solar panel rooftop installation

These renewable energy products are designed to not only prepare students for a future green career, but also to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our nation’s reliance on natural gas and oil imports.

Source: PE.com

This past September the University of Denver started a new on-campus bike sharing program that was created by the school’s sustainability committee. This new program allows current DU students, faculty and staff to rent high-tech bikes for free from a special bike-lending library…all with the swipe of their DU identification card.

The bike share program offered at the University of Denver is part of a citywide bike sharing program that is set to launch in April of 2010. By then, the city of Denver hopes to have 600 bikes offered at 50 solar powered kiosks around the city.

This past September the University of Denver started a new on-campus bike sharing program that was created by the school’s sustainability committee. This new program allows current DU students, faculty and staff to rent high-tech bikes for free from a special bike-lending library…all with the swipe of their DU identification card.

The bike share program offered at the University of Denver is part of a citywide bike sharing program that is set to launch in April of 2010. By then, the city of Denver hopes to have 600 bikes offered at 50 solar powered kiosks around the city.

More about the bike share program

So far the bike sharing program has been a success for the university. Students can rent the bikes for free and must return them by 7pm that same night. There is a late charge if the bike is returned after 7pm, and if it’s still not back after 3 days the student must pay the retail cost of the bike (which costs a pretty penny at several hundred dollars).

Here’s a video that explains more about the program:

Denver is already a green city, so this new bike share program is only making it greener and more sustainable in the long run.

You can check out these other blog posts on bike sharing programs:

Eco-Friendly Vehicles at the University of Miami

More Colleges Offering Bike Rentals to Students

Ripon College in Wisconsin Gives Away Free Bikes

Source: DUClarion.com

Middlebury College, which we have mentioned in previous 2008 Sustainability Report Card and Sierra Club’s Cool Schools posts, is considered to be one of the greenest colleges in our country. After switching a few years ago to burning wood chips in addition to oil to heat the campus, the college is now going for a cheaper and more eco-friendly alternative green energy fuel resource: willow shrubs.

The college currently buys 20,000 wood chips a year from local loggers to heat half of the campus, and the other half is heated by oil. By switching to willow shrubs as an alternative fuel source the school will save over $1.5 million a year in oil costs.

Middlebury College, which we have mentioned in previous 2008 Sustainability Report Card and Sierra Club’s Cool Schools posts, is considered to be one of the greenest colleges in our country. After switching a few years ago to burning wood chips in addition to oil to heat the campus, the college is now going for a cheaper and more eco-friendly alternative green energy fuel resource: willow shrubs.

The college currently buys 20,000 wood chips a year from local loggers to heat half of the campus, and the other half is heated by oil. By switching to willow shrubs as an alternative fuel source the school will save over $1.5 million a year in oil costs.

Why the Switch?

Middlebury College decided to test the willow shrub as an alternative fuel resource because it grows faster than other types of trees, can reach heights of up to 16 feet tall and can be harvested in the cold winters that are native to Vermont, which is where the college is located. Plus, Vermont has many open farm fields that are perfect for planting the willows.

Right now the first experimental crop of willow shrubs is planted and should be harvested in the winter of 2010-2011. So far they are growing well, but only time will tell if they will be the go-to alternative fuel source for the college!

Source: BurlingtonFreePress.com

As the world continues to face environmental and sustainability issues head-on, more college students are becoming interested in what they can do to be a part of the green future, and a large portion of these students are in New Jersey.

While these students follow sustainable practices on their own, like recycling, conserving energy and reducing their carbon footprint, they are also starting to incorporate these practices with what they learn from green classes that focus on science, technology and politics.

As the world continues to face environmental and sustainability issues head-on, more college students are becoming interested in what they can do to be a part of the green future, and a large portion of these students are in New Jersey.

While these students follow sustainable practices on their own, like recycling, conserving energy and reducing their carbon footprint, they are also starting to incorporate these practices with what they learn from green classes that focus on science, technology and politics.

NJ Colleges Going Greener

It is projected that there will be over 4.2 million green jobs in the U.S. by the year 2028, so here are a few New Jersey colleges that are starting to prepare their students for a green future by offering going green classes:

• Bergen Community College - Partnered with local electricians to teach students how to install solar energy panels, and introduced classes for energy-efficient home construction and sustainable design.
• New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark - Recently created a “green careers” database with over 100 college majors related to green careers, such as sustainability science studies.
• Ramapo in Mahwah - Hoping to open a new sustainability center on campus and to get approval for new Masters degree in sustainability issues.
• Kean University in Union - Has new bachelor’s degree in sustainability.
• Montclair State University in Little Falls - Developing undergrad and grad classes in sustainability science.

Although New Jersey students are becoming more interested in green classes, so are students from around the world. Issues concerning the environment are something that everyone can relate to, so we hope that more colleges will be inspired to offer green classes.

Source: NorthJersey.com

For the past 3 years the Sierra Club, one of the largest environmental organizations in the world, has put together a “Cool Schools” list of the top eco-friendly universities in America, and it has been published in the organization’s Sierra magazine.  These schools represent the best in green energy efficiency, waste management and food operations.

For the past 3 years the Sierra Club, one of the largest environmental organizations in the world, has put together a “Cool Schools” list of the top eco-friendly universities in America, and it has been published in the organization’s Sierra magazine.  These schools represent the best in green energy efficiency, waste management and food operations.

According to Princeton Review survey statistics on the SierraClub.org website, “two-thirds of university applicants say that a school’s environmental report card would influence whether they’d enroll.” A green campus is definitely a factor in the college application process, so the universities on this list offer both academics and environmentalism in their curriculum.

The Sierra Club Questionnaire

So, how did the Sierra Club calculate its Cool Schools list? Members of the organization sent emails to the sustainability directors of hundreds of schools with questions in these categories:

• Efficiency
• Energy
• Food
• Academics
• Purchasing
• Transportation
• Waste management
• Administration

Using the above criteria, schools could get 10 points for each category. In the end, the schools closest to the perfect 100 score would make the list.

Here are the top 10 eco-friendly universities:

• University of Colorado at Boulder
• University of Washington at Seattle
• Middlebury College
• University of Vermont
• College of the Atlantic
• Evergreen State College
• University of California at Santa Cruz
• University of California at Berkeley
• University of California at Los Angeles
• Oberlin College

You can see the entire Sierra Club Cool Schools list of 135 universities here.

The Cool Schools list is a great way to inform the public about green universities across America, and hopefully it will encourage students to become involved in the green movement. We hope that the Sierra Club keeps up the great work!

In an effort to inspire incoming freshmen students to go green, the University of Virginia Bookstore and Housing Division have filled demonstration green dorm rooms full of eco-friendly products.

These green dorm rooms, which have everything from Seventh Generation trash bags and paper towels to green energy efficient microwaves, will be an alternative to traditional dorm rooms, which usually ignore sustainability efforts.

In an effort to inspire incoming freshmen students to go green, the University of Virginia Bookstore and Housing Division have filled demonstration green dorm rooms full of eco-friendly products.

These green dorm rooms, which have everything from Seventh Generation trash bags and paper towels to green energy efficient microwaves, will be an alternative to traditional dorm rooms, which usually ignore sustainability efforts.

So, what are some of the eco-friendly products that will appear in the green dorm rooms? Here are a few:

• Fabric softener
• Trash bags
• Paper towels
• Multi-surface cleaners
• Computers
• Refrigerators
• Microwaves

Most importantly, all of the electronic products will be top-rated for energy efficiency, so the students will see firsthand the benefit of energy conservation. Plus, students can purchase all of the products displayed in the green dorm rooms at the UVA Bookstore.

This is a great way to get incoming students to realize the benefits of going green, so we hope that other college campuses will do the same thing! Oh, and as an added bonus, the UVA website also offers Green Move-in Tips for new students.

Check out these other blog posts on colleges that have also gone green:

• Bates College Turns Trash to Treasure with Annual Trashion Show
• California College Students Hope to Win Solar Decathlon
• Warren Wilson College EcoDorm Goes LEED Platinum
• Montana State University to Store CO2 Underground

Source: UVA Today

Bates College, a private liberal arts college located in Lewiston, Maine, was recently recognized as a top green school by the Princeton Review and ecoAmerica’s Green Honor Roll, which rated over 600 colleges on their environmental policies, practices and academic offerings.

Maybe Bates received the rave review because 82% of its entire campus food waste is composted, recycled, or sent to a food bank or pig farmer, or maybe it’s because of the annual trash to treasure Trashion Show, which showcases some of the coolest outfits made from trash that was once bound for the landfill.

Bates College, a private liberal arts college located in Lewiston, Maine, was recently recognized as a top green school by the Princeton Review and ecoAmerica’s Green Honor Roll, which rated over 600 colleges on their environmental policies, practices and academic offerings.

Maybe Bates received the rave review because 82% of its entire campus food waste is composted, recycled, or sent to a food bank or pig farmer, or maybe it’s because of the annual trash to treasure Trashion Show, which showcases some of the coolest outfits made from trash that was once bound for the landfill.

The Trashion Fashions

The Bates College annual Trashion Show was created in 2007 by the Dining Services and the school’s EcoReps, a group of students responsible for bringing recycling initiatives to the college. The event is basically a chance for students and staff to go “Project Runway” on the school by designing cool fashions made from recycled materials.

Some of the categories include:

• Most creative
• Most wearable
• Most fashionable
• Most unique
• Best overall

This year’s trash to treasure project winner (pictured above) was Sarah Dice-Goldberg of Highland Park, New Jersey. Her amazing dress was made primarily from recycled shopping bags.

Wow, the Trashion Fashion show is a huge hit at Bates College, and we think that it should be incorporated into every college’s sustainable initiatives. Students’ wearing their trash is way better than students letting it pile up in their dorm room!

They’re called “Team California,” and the team is made up of students from Santa Clara University and California College of the Arts. About 200 students from both of these California colleges have been working together to build a solar powered house for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2009.

The solar decathlon is a competition where college students across the world compete to build the best solar powered, renewable energy house. Right now there are 20 teams participating, and Team California is the only team from the U.S. west coast.

They’re called “Team California,” and the team is made up of students from Santa Clara University and California College of the Arts. About 200 students from both of these California colleges have been working together to build a solar powered house for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2009.

The solar decathlon is a competition where college students across the world compete to build the best solar powered, renewable energy house. Right now there are 20 teams participating, and Team California is the only team from the U.S. west coast.

The Refract House

Team California’s solar decathlon house is known as the Refract House. Unlike most houses, which are shaped like a box, this house is uniquely shaped as a bent tube.

Here are some green features of the home:

• A radiant water system that runs water throughout the house for heating and cooling
• Walls made of used billboards and covered with salvaged redwood
• Water circulation system for sinks and showers

At an estimated $1.3 million to make, the Refract House hopes to take home the solar decathlon prize in Washington DC this October.

Take a look at this video about the Refract House:

Santa Clara University won third place last year, so let’s see if Team California can take home a first place this year!

Source: LA Times

Warren Wilson College has officially become the first college campus to have a building with LEED Platinum certification as defined under the U.S. Green Building Council. That’s quite a feat considering that the U.S. Green Building Council sets the highest standards for green buildings.

The EcoDorm was built by a committee of Warren Wilson students, faculty and administrators, with the help of the Samsel Architects of Asheville, a North Carolina firm that strives to incorporate green building techniques into their designs.

Warren Wilson College has officially become the first college campus to have a building with LEED Platinum certification as defined under the U.S. Green Building Council. That’s quite a feat considering that the U.S. Green Building Council sets the highest standards for green buildings.

The EcoDorm was built by a committee of Warren Wilson students, faculty and administrators, with the help of the Samsel Architects of Asheville, a North Carolina firm that strives to incorporate green building techniques into their designs.

All About the LEED Certified EcoDorm

What’s great about this particular LEED certified building is that students were involved in the eco architecture and green energy practices, including the planning and design. So what gives the Warren Wilson EcoDorm latinum LEED certification?

• All of the wood for the EcoDorm came from the college
• Features a 10,000-gallon trainer tank that uses rainwater for flushing the toilets and irrigating the surrounding plants
• Uses solar energy for hot water and solar panels
• Radiant floor heating
• High-efficiency boilers
• Web-based energy monitoring system

The EcoDorm is the third LEED certified building at Warren Wilson College. The two other LEED buildings are the Orr Cottage (LEED Gold certified) and the Village Dorms (LEED Gold certified).

Read more about green buildings on college campuses:

• NC Community Colleges Go Green
• Sustainable and Eco Friendly College Programs
• Northwestern Freshmen Move to Green Dorm
• British Columbia’s Sewage Free Building

Source: Warren  Wilson College

The “freshman 15″ is something that all new college students want to avoid. So how can students protect their weight and the planet at the same time? Take away cafeteria trays.

According to the Sustainable Endowments Institute, a research organization that tracks the sustainable practices of 300 colleges and universities with the largest endowments, 126 of these schools currently have either cut out trays completely from their dining halls, or they have dedicated certain days as “trayless days.” This is all in an effort to reduce waste, conserve energy and water, and to save money at the schools.

The “freshman 15″ is something that all new college students want to avoid. So how can students protect their weight and the planet at the same time? Take away cafeteria trays.

According to the Sustainable Endowments Institute, a research organization that tracks the sustainable practices of 300 colleges and universities with the largest endowments, 126 of these schools currently have either cut out trays completely from their dining halls, or they have dedicated certain days as “trayless days.” This is all in an effort to reduce waste, conserve water and to save money at the schools.

So, is it working?

Here are a few schools that are reducing waste by eliminating trays:

• Williams College - College has saved 14,000 gallons of water a year by taking away the trays.
• Rochester Institute of Technology - School is dramatically reducing waste and has saved 10% on food spending.
• Cornell University - Faculty did not like the idea of going trayless in the beginning, but since the school has transformed its cafeterias to include slate-fireplaces and do-it-yourself food stations, everyone likes the waste reduction and energy conservation efforts.

So far the only downfall these schools have seen from using no trays has the increase in traffic. Since people have to get up multiple times to get food, dining hall time increases.

Oh, and the trays can’t be used for sledding in the winter.

But if this green initiative is adopted in all schools around the U.S., then faculty and students will eventually learn how to handle the transition and develop a better understanding of how to control their college trash.

Do you think that going trayless is a good green idea, or does it just make you frustrated because you can’t fit everything on your plate?

Source: The New York Times