There’s a move afoot in academia to become more green, not only in the subjects that are taught and the research that is conducted, but in the operation of campuses as well.
A UK report on higher education titled, Greening Spires, put together by the lobby group for higher education, Universities UK, discusses the many ways in which higher education in the UK is becoming more green. The UK group Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC) has been a constant advocate for sustainable approaches for the past 12 years. There’s also a UK student organization called People and Planet that campaigns for environmental action, producing a Green League Table that rates universities according to their environmental awareness.
In the United States, 70 college presidents met in Washington in June of last year to pledge to make their campuses carbon neutral as soon as possible. Another 378 schools have since joined the movement, but there are 4,500 colleges in the United States.
Sustainable development is gaining ground in curriculum, and in the universities approach to their campuses. South Carolina began a Sustainable Universities Initiative in 1998, and have continued to develop programs and initiatives. Other schools and states have joined this cause.
As climate change and other environmental pressures become more prominent, I’m sure we can expect more change in academia to meet these crises.
