Topics: Sustainability/Environment, College of Sciences and Humanities
October 17, 2008
Kiwi magazine~~~s Green College Report names Ball State one of the nation~~~s top 75 green universities.
For the second year in a row, Ball State's reputation as a pioneer in campus sustainability and environmental stewardship has earned the university national honors from a parenting magazine.
Ball State has again found a spot on the list of the nation's top 75 green universities as outlined in Kiwi magazine's "Green College Report." The university is recognized for efforts that include its offering of classes in global climate change, environmental disruption, and policy analysis and environmental economics. The university also was cited for its ongoing campus reforestation project and its purchase of goods from local farmers markets.
"It's great to see Ball State again featured as one of the leading green schools in the country," said Robert Koester, director of the Center for Energy Research/Education/Service. Although Kiwi increased the number of schools featured in this year's report from 50 to 75, Koester said, it is still a major accomplishment for Ball State "to be recognized among those providing leadership in this arena."
The honor from Kiwi places Ball State in the company of Duke University, Cornell University, Northwestern University, the University of Michigan, the University of California, the University of North Carolina, and Yale University for exemplary leadership in making a significant commitment to the environment.
Koester said the university continues to move forward with its eco-minded efforts, including the requirement for all new campus construction to meet LEED certification, as outlined in "Education Redefined: Strategic Plan 2007-2012." LEED stands for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System, a certification that addresses such building standards as energy and water efficiency, indoor environmental quality and recycling.
President Jo Ann M. Gora's involvement as one of the 12 founding members of the leadership circle who signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment also positions Ball State to undertake climate action task force planning with a goal of climate neutrality, Koester noted.
A key effort for Ball State in its sustainability efforts has been its Greening of the Campus Conference Series. The seventh meeting was held in 2007, and plans are under way for an eighth conference to take place in fall 2009.
"The Greening of the Campus Conferences have been rewarding and successful," Koester said. "Proceedings from the most recent conference were the largest ever published by Ball State."
The recognition from Kiwi is another accolade Ball State has received in 2008 for its sustainability efforts. Other honors include being featured in a book about sustainability and being listed by the National Wildlife Federation among schools that "have taken the lead" to preserve the environment.