Newswise — The University of Maryland is "Going for the Green" - determined to become one of the nation's most environmentally friendly institutions of higher education. That means leading environmental and climate research in many areas, joining other colleges and universities in reducing campus greenhouse gas emissions, embracing recycling and conservation, hosting "Green Campus" and climate information conferences and making many other environmentally friendly changes on campus. In this way, everyone at Maryland is increasingly taking a leadership role to protect the earth, its environment and people who live on it.
Cindy Felice, the associate director for the Department of Resident Life says annual on-campus events like RecycleMania "helps to strengthen awareness as well as helping change behaviors." Felice also says she's noticed "recycling on campus has been increasing each year. I see more and more students, faculty and staff being intentional about throwing cans, bottles, paper, etc. into recycling containers and not in the trash."
From University President C.D. "Dan" Mote, Jr., to Dining Services, the Department of Transportation Services, Resident Facilities, Facilities Management and Terrapin Trader, (the University of Maryland's surplus recycling operation), Maryland has embraced the idea of environmental sustainability whose basic message is "reduce, reuse and recycle."
President Mote helped kick the campaign into high gear when he signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment in March, 2007. The commitment promises Maryland will take significant steps reducing greenhouse gas emissions from campus, and move towards the goal of climate neutrality (zero net greenhouse gas emissions). More than 280 institutions across the nation have signed the pledge.
Mike Tidwell's The Ravaging Tide was Maryland's First Year Book for 2007-2008.The campus embraced the need for environmental change by selecting local author Mike Tidwell's The Ravaging Tide as the 2007-2008 First Year Book. The book provides "a shared intellectual experience for all new students along with the opportunity to discuss the book from a variety of disciplines." Many undergraduate courses on campus used the book, and there were lectures, programs and other sponsored events. Tidwell also spoke on campus.
Environmental research is a big part of efforts to Go for the Green. A good example of how the university applied research to reality could be seen earlier this fall, when the Solar Decathlon Team's Leafhouse entry won an overall second place in the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon competition in Washington, D.C. The Maryland team also won the BP Solar People's Choice Award.
Bart Hipple, an Assistant Director of Dining Services, says he thinks recycling is terrific. "We have worked hard to do our share." Hipple also says that as a part of their recycling efforts, Dining Services and the Department of Resident Life distributed 4,800 reusable mugs to campus residents during Community Involvement Week in October. He says there have been more than 7,600 refills in six weeks. He's especially proud of the program's success because the same give-away program in 2002 met with very limited response. "We've definitely seen an attitude change from when we did the program five years ago."
Dining Services now recycles packaging materials and requires vendors to reuse their shipping materials. More than 16 tons per month of food waste is composted monthly from the dining halls! During the last Maryland Day, visitors were given sugarcane-based biodegradable plates and utensils to use, and special containers they could be thrown into to help turn the materials into compost. 40, 50 gallon food containers were recycled, and there are plans to expand the program for Maryland Day 2008. Recycling efforts also include converting used cooking oil into biodiesel fuel. Dining Services' trucks use that fuel as does the Department of Transportation Service's shuttle bus system.
The use of biodiesel is just part of a DOT's comprehensive recycling program called BIODOTS. Working in concert with Resident Life, the Department of Transportation Services has taken a number of steps to help the environment - everything from encouraging alternative modes of transportation to keeping busses maintained so they operate efficiently and burn fuel cleanly.
Campus recycling efforts go even further. Toilets, showers, and faucets that use less water are replacing older fixtures in the residence halls. Facilities Management is working to conserve energy by testing motion sensors that automatically shut down computers and other office equipment and lights when they're not being used. Terrapin Trader - Maryland's surplus supply store - helps the university, University System of Maryland and colleges and universities in the region to recycle materials ranging from office supplies, to lab equipment and even automobiles. Maryland is a national leader in this recycling effort.
Maryland's success at Going for the Green was recognized last August when GRIST, an online environmental magazine based in Seattle, Washington said UM was one of the Top 15 Green Colleges and Universities in the nation. The publication pointed to the fact that 91% of undergraduate students voted to increase student fees to help pay for clean energy.
University officials also like to point out that recycling rates on campus have gone up from 17 percent in 2003 to 35 percent in 2006. Going for the Green means the University of Maryland is making steady progress to protect the campus environment - but is also taking a national leadership role to champion recycling nationwide.
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