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

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.

The University of Denver recently 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.

Dickinson College, a distinguished leader in global education and sustainability is offering students the opportunity to explore complex issues and increase their awareness on issues related to sustainability in a global setting. The program, Environmental Sustainability in the Middle East: Challenges in the Southern Arava, will be led by Dickinson experts and faculty from their abroad partner institutions including the University of Bremen in Germany, University of Yaoundé in Cameroon, and the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Israel.

Dickinson College, a distinguished leader in global education and sustainability is offering students the opportunity to explore complex issues and increase their awareness on issues related to sustainability in a global setting. The program, Environmental Sustainability in the Middle East: Challenges in the Southern Arava, will be led by Dickinson experts and faculty from their abroad partner institutions including the University of Bremen in Germany, University of Yaoundé in Cameroon, and the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Israel.

This four week, summer program is a combination of classroom lectures, field-based research and academic excursions which bring students face to face with social, economic and environmental issues facing the Middle East today.

The program will take place in the Negev desert, creating the perfect backdrop for understanding energy depletion and responsible water consumption. Topics of focus will include:

• Desert Ecology and Biodiversity
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Desert Geology and Geomorphology
• Archaeology of the Southern Negev
• Water Issues and Management
• Sustainable Development in Arid Environments
• Eco-Building and Organic Gardening
• Environmental Ethics and Justice
• Peace Building and Environmental Leadership

Our world today needs individuals with a passion for sustainability and a global knowledge of the workings of multiple economies and environmental issues. Dickinson College’s, Environmental Sustainability in the Middle East: Challenges in the Southern Arava Program, offers students the opportunity to understand the complexities of sustainability in the region.

For more information about the Environmental Sustainability in the Middle East program, click here.

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

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!

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

We’ve shared a lot of PNC Bank’s green efforts with our readers, such as our posts PNC: A Green Bank with Eco-Friendly Service and PNC Bank Expands Green Initiatives, but PNC has really gone to where the grass is greener with its new easy green living wall.

The bank debuted plans last week to build a 2,380 sq. ft. soil-based Green Living Wall, which will appear on the side of its Pittsburgh headquarters.It will also feature a variety of other plants embedded in the green living wall that will make it into living art.

We’ve shared a lot of PNC Bank’s green efforts with our readers, such as our posts PNC: A Green Bank with Eco-Friendly Service and PNC Bank Expands Green Initiatives, but PNC has really gone to where the grass is greener with its new easy green living wall.

The bank debuted plans last week to build a 2,380 sq. ft. soil-based Green Living Wall, which will appear on the side of its Pittsburgh headquarters. It will also feature a variety of other plants embedded in the green living wall that will make it into living art.

Is This For Real?

Yes, this green living wall is for real, and it was created by Green Living Technologies, a New York green roof and wall manufacturer, and designed by Mingo Design.

Here are some cool green aspects of the green living wall:

• All hardware, plants, materials and installers were from within a 500 mile radius in Pittsburgh
• The  wall will use 602 panels of soil-based growth medium
• It will weigh 24 tons when fully watered
• Will require 15 minutes of watering at least once a week

Studies even show that a green living wall that faces south can make surrounding surfaces at least 70 to 80 degrees cooler!

PNC has done it again with this green idea. The bank was the first U.S. branch to build a green branch, and it will be the first U.S. branch to build the largest green living wall in North America.

The only thing we’re wondering is, “What happens when a rainstorm comes into Pittsburgh and causes the wall to weight more than 24 tons?”

Source: PR Web

Visiting the zoo has always been a favorite pastime for Americans because they get to see exotic animals from other countries. In fact, over 80% of the cities in the U.S. have their very own zoo complete with animals, rides, refreshments, and….animal waste?

It’s true. Zoos create millions of pounds of animal waste each day, and one of those zoos is the Miami Metrozoo. But the zoo has come up with a “zoo doo” recycling waste plan that takes the waste from animals and composts it into fertilizer.

Visiting the zoo has always been a favorite pastime for Americans because they get to see exotic animals from other countries. In fact, over 80% of the cities in the U.S. have their very own zoo complete with animals, rides, refreshments, and….animal waste?

It’s true. Zoos create millions of pounds of animal waste each day, and one of those zoos is the Miami Metrozoo. But the zoo has come up with a “zoo doo” recycling waste plan that takes the waste from animals and composts it into fertilizer.

Miami Metro’s Biggest Contributor

The Metrozoo says it produces about 4,000 pounds of animal waste per day, and all of that is composted into fertilizer that is used to grow food for the zoo animals.

It’s not a surprise that one of the zoo’s biggest producers of animal waste is the Asian elephant Dollop, who creates about 500 pounds of waste a day!  Other animals that contribute to the “zoo doo” are giraffes, rhinos and zebras.

This is a great way to recycle animal waste into organic and all-natural fertilizer. The zoo says that it might even start selling its fertilizer to South Florida farms.

Maybe before long we’ll all be seeing “zoo doo” in a Home Depot near us.

Source:  Just News