University of New Hampshire Recognized as Campus Sustainability Leader

The University of New Hampshire has been dubbed a Campus Sustainability Leader by the Sustainable Endowment Institute's College Sustainability Report Card 2008, according to a press release issued by the university this week. It was one of only 25 institutions of higher learning to achieve that status. The Report Card graded 200 American and Canadian colleges and universities with endowments over $230 million. UNH became a Campus Sustainability Leader by receiving an "A" in four areas of sustainability addressed by the Report Card. These areas included administration, climate change and energy, food and recycling, and transportation.

The Sustainable Endowment Institute has published a profile of UNH explaining its reasons for awarding the university Campus Sustainability Leader status. The university's administration was praised for signing on to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, establishing the oldest endowed university sustainability program in the U.S., and for creating an energy task force aimed at addressing issues related to energy and emissions at the campus level.

In the area of climate change and energy the university was recognized for receiving a high ranking for energy efficiency from the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. UNH was also praised for developing a system for tracking its greenhouse gas emissions in partnership with Clean Air-Cool Planet. The profile made note of a UNH project aimed at creating a landfill gas-to-energy system that will provide most of the schools power by 2008, setting it on track to become the first campus in the nation to achieve that goal. If successful that program would lower emissions from UNH to 57 percent of 1990 levels.

UNH also achieved an "A" grade for its sustainability efforts in the area of food and recycling as well. The school recycles or composts 90 percent of its organic waster and 85 percent of its recyclable water. Students at the university have created a successfully organic farming club, which sells food to dining halls and local shopper at weekly markets on campus. The UNH dining halls serve food purchased from 20 to 30 regional farms and other food producers. The menu at dining hall includes vegan and vegetarian fare, as well as cage free and fair trade products. The dining halls also host a popular annual Local Harvest Dinner, which features locally grown foods and is open to the public.

Finally, the university was given an "A" for sustainability practices incorporated into the school's transportation programs. The school offers a free bus service to students to help them get around campus. Student commuters living in the local communities of Dover, Newmarket, and Portsmouth also enjoy free bus service from UNH. In fact the school runs the state's largest public transportation system. Free buses also bring students to local malls and shopping centers. UNH boasts a fleet of alternative fueled vehicles, including eight bio-diesel buses. Students can also borrow bicycles from the University free of charge.

Officials at UNH were quick to express their pleasure at being recognized by the Sustainable Endowment Institute. "We have a long and proud history of sustainability here at UNH, and it's gratifying to gain national recognition for our efforts," said university president Mark Huddleston. "Sustainability is a core value at UNH and central to our mission and identity," added the head of the school's Office of Sustainability, Tom Kelly.