While education is vital, most educational facilities from kindergarten to college may be costing the earth a significant amount of energy and waste. Large amounts of air pollution and solid waste are byproducts of buildings that offer continual services like constant computer usage, lighting and WiFi.
The importance of energy efficiency in colleges stems from how extensive their energy use is — from dorm rooms to coffee shops. These institutions are the future, so how they handle the environment will set the stage for the earth's endurance.
Universities and colleges have recognized their consumption practices and an energy-efficient movement has begun to change many higher education facilities. When schools introduce sustainability, they use much less energy than other campuses.
The efforts toward energy efficiency come in many forms. Here are five ways that colleges and universities are becoming more energy-efficient.
1. They’re implementing green campus initiatives
As students are catching on to the problem of waste and inefficiency, they're beginning to form groups to focus on solutions and awareness.
Many student-run green campus initiatives have started campaigns at their universities to bike to class, spread the word to other students, use composting stations and make responsible food choices.
Other green campus initiatives have a fund for green projects and even staff members to lead these efforts. Especially with roles devoted to energy-efficient changes, green campus initiatives give substantial focus to the wasteful habits and harmful actions of their colleges.
2. They’re aiming for "net zero" campuses
Several campuses are doing more than reducing their energy consumption — some are becoming independent of non-renewable energy sources altogether. The New Buildings Institute's Getting to Zero list shows an increase in the educational facilities concentrating on their "net zero" status.
Campuses will also save money by joining the clean energy endeavor. Maui College is one example of a "net zero" campus movement — they're aiming to generate all of their energy use via battery and solar sources.
3. Students are getting access to the NWF’s campus ecology resources
Through the efforts of the National Wildlife Foundation, college students have access to necessary resources to bring green practices to their schools and to continue pursuing sustainability beyond college.
With their many guides on how to alter their campus' behaviors, their resource center can inform interested students about paper recycling, climate action and wildlife.
Case studies give students the background to decide the next steps in eco-friendly strategies. Career-oriented tools can assist students in finding jobs in an energy-conscious field, too. Interested students can get involved in the EcoLeader program to dedicate their careers to the green movement.
4. They’re competing against other campuses to see who can be more green
When schools introduce sustainability, they use 20 percent less energy than other institutions and in the context of colleges, this could be even greater. So, for a few weeks each year, universities compete to channel efficiency and reduce waste on their campus.
Concentrated on electricity reduction, the event helps building residents accept the challenge to limit their use of lights, water and power.
Lucid hosts the event and they encourage separate buildings to participate. Dorms can compete against other dorms on the same campus and participants simply need to reach the highest percentage of energy cutback.
5. They’re making greenhouse gas reduction strategies
Carbon footprints are a top priority for university energy efforts and campus shuttles and buses are decreasing their use of greenhouse gases.
Commuters and on-campus rides are restraining overuse, so the vehicles don't shoot up the impact of greenhouse gas. Vanderbilt, Harvard, MIT and Yale are a few leading universities in their efforts to control their emissions.
Promote energy efficiency on your campus!
You can start the change on your campus by beginning a green campus initiative or talking to your school's administration about how much your college consumes.
Don't sit back and contribute to the waste but get serious about transforming your campus into a sustainable place
