Campus Green Builder

by Van H. Du, on behalf of Second Nature team

At many colleges and universities, students often choose to live off campus after their first year in school, and as a result, it becomes challenging for schools to manage their carbon footprint.  Additionally, the students' decision to reside in the neighboring communities also impacts those local communities and their infrastructure.  Thus, an institution’s responsibility to reduce its carbon footprint is not limited to the campus, as the environmental impacts of off-campus housing are just as significant as the impacts of on-campus dormitories.

Both University of Maryland and Monmouth University show that dealing with these issues beyond the campus boundaries is necessary when the majority of students either commutes to the campus or lives in local neighborhoods.  Monmouth University recognizes and addresses its off-campus carbon footprint by dedicating a web page to “greening” off-campus living.  In addition, the University has been sending out weekly email updates to its off-campus and commuter population informing them about the best practices on water conservation, energy-efficiency practices, recycling, carpooling to campuses, etc.  Similarly, the University of Maryland has developed a Guide to Living Green Off Campus to encourage off-campus students to green their lifestyle while living outside the campus properties.

The Green House Project
Photo Credit: Ohio University

The Green House Project at Ohio University is another example of how an institution deals with its off-campus carbon footprint.   Besides its objective to offset the University’s carbon footprint, as mandated by the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), the project is also part of the City of Athens’ greenhouse gas reduction goal directed by the Cool Cities Initiative.  Project participants receive a professional whole-house efficiency audit, utility billing analysis and recommendations, and up to $500 cash refund for improvements.  The great collaborative efforts between the University and the City of Athens not only help strengthen the relationship between the two communities but also create a safer, healthier, and more sustainable environment for both the students and the city residents.

Greening off-campus living could be small but a vital step toward achieving holistic climate neutrality.  It is imperative for institutions of higher learning to be cognizant of their impact inside and outside of their campus spaces.  And, it is great to see that several colleges and universities are taking their pledge of climate neutrality a step further by addressing their performance and progress on campus as well as in their neighboring communities!