PAC Recognized for Environmental Efforts

Congratulations to PAC’s Go Green! ¡Viva Verde! Committee for their work in addressing environmental issues on campus!

Here is a LINK to San Antonio Express-News reporter Melissa Ludwig’s blog on PAC’s recognition by the National Wildlife Federation, followed by the actual news release below by NWF.

Texas schools recognized in Campus Environment 2008

National Wildlife Federation Reviews Sustainability in Higher Education

RESTON, VA (August, 21, 2008) - Fourteen Texas colleges and universities were recognized in the National Wildlife Federation's Campus Environment 2008 Report Card, a comprehensive look at nationwide trends in sustainability among America's institutions of higher learning.

"The 2008 report finds that campus leaders across the country value sustainability. They speak about it, plan for it, hire staff to support it, and the campuses they lead are steadily becoming greener models for the wider society," said Julian Keniry, NWF's senior director of campus and community leadership. "These schools in Texas are showing that you don't have to sacrifice your other goals to achieve broad-based sustainability."

The Campus Environment 2008 Report Card is the nation's largest study to date gauging trends and new developments in campus sustainability. Over 1000 colleges and universities responded, 27% of campuses nationwide. The survey was sent to presidents, administrators, and facilities and was conducted in partnership with Princeton Survey Research Associates International managers. It was the first study of its kind when originally conducted in 2001.

More than 240 individual schools nationwide were recognized for their sustainable initiatives.

The study reveals nationwide trends including:

The most prevalent environmental initiative is water conservation, versus recycling in 2001;
Conserving energy is 2008's most popular performance goal, versus the 2001 goal of upping environmental performance in new buildings;

The biggest green opportunity colleges are missing is adequate education about sustainability for their students;

Funding was cited as the biggest obstacle to expanding environmental and sustainability programming, versus the "other priorities" cited in 2001.

American colleges show stronger environmental leadership than they did in 2001 and efforts to green U.S. campuses shine most brightly in day-to-day operations. For example, since 2001, the number of campuses using clean renewable energy has grown significantly, and a new movement to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases has taken hold. However, little progress has been made in reducing the congestion, pollution and other environmental impacts associated with campus commuting.

Perhaps the most surprising result shows that academics still lag behind the operations vision of the campus-even more so than when this survey was first conducted in 2001. Sustainability-related education offerings and recruitment programs have declined, as have faculty doing environmental and sustainability research. Just over half of colleges and universities now offer either an undergraduate major or minor in environmental and sustainability studies, down from two-thirds in 2001.

"This Report Card tells us there is a widening gap between where higher education actually is on teaching sustainability versus where it should be," said Kevin Coyle, vice president of education for National Wildlife Federation. "Given the environmental challenges and opportunities this generation will face, I find this cause for deep concern and am committed to working with our partners to address this on both state and federal levels."

Campus Environment 2008 Report Card recognized the following Texas institutions for their sustainability programs:

--Baylor University, Waco: Plans to Do More with Recycling, Solid Waste & Materials, Plans to do More with Green Landscaping & Grounds
--Cedar Valley College, Lancaster: Interdisciplinary Degrees * Plans to do More with Green Landscaping & Grounds
--Concordia University, Austin: More than 80% of Energy from Off-Campus Renewables
--Eastfield College, Mesquite: Plans to Do More with Goal-Setting
--Grayson County College, Denison: Students Taking a Course on Ecology or Sustainability
--Huston-Tillotson University, Austin: Recycling More than 80% of Municipal Waste
--North Lake College, Irving: Environmental & Sustainability Personnel, Orientations * Supporting & Evaluating Faculty
--Palo Alto College, San Antonio: Plans to Do More with Goal-Setting
--Texas A & M University, Commerce: More than 80% of Energy from Off-Campus Renewables --Texas A & M University, Galveston: Environmental & Sustainability Personnel, Orientations
--University of Dallas, Irving: Plans to do More with Green Landscaping & Grounds
--University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston: Plans to Do More with Transportation Programs * Plans to Do More with Recycling, Solid Waste & Materials
--University of Texas, Arlington: Plans to Do More with Efficiency, Conservation & Renewables * Plans to Do More with Recycling, Solid Waste & Materials
--University of Texas, El Paso, El Paso: Plans to Do More with Transportation Programs

Since it was launched in 1989, the National Wildlife Federation's Campus Ecology Program has worked with the college campus community (students, faculty, administrators and staff) to promote sustainability and ecological stewardship on campuses and beyond. The full Campus Report Card, including a list of schools participating in the survey and a list of schools with exemplary programs can be found at www.campusecology.org.

The National Wildlife Federation is the nation's largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future.