sustainability@BU
Boston University is making significant strides in sustainability on campus. President Robert A. Brown has called the entire academic community to action and announced a major Boston University Sustainability Initiative “focused on reducing our energy consumption and decreasing waste across our campus.” He requested students, faculty and staff, contribute innovative ideas to ensure the best, most cost effective approaches towards energy conservation.
“The reality of gasoline at four dollars per gallon, and growing concerns over the impact of carbon fuels on the atmosphere, must inspire all of us to action,” Brown declared. “We have an opportunity to play a key role in examining how changes in our way of life and in how we operate the university, can contribute to greater energy efficiency and an environmentally sustainable future for all of us.”
Part of the president’s initiative included the creation of a Campus Sustainability Steering Committee comprised of students, faculty, staff and administration. The Campus Sustainability Steering Committee provides strategic guidance to the working groups established in four critical areas:
- Recycling and Waste Management
- Energy Efficiency
- Sustainable Building Development and Operations
- Communications, Education and Outreach
President Brown allocated one million dollars to a Sustainable Revolving Loan Fund that will finance new projects judged to “have the highest impact and shortest economic payback” in the areas of energy conservation, waste management and sustainable building design construction and operation.
Later this fall, a new website will launch to connect the entire University to these efforts and keep the community appraised of the University’s progress in the broad spectrum of sustainability.
Be an active participant in greening the campus. Do the simple things: turn off the lights, take shorter showers, and power down computers in an effort to reduce your environmental footprint.
