TCU wants folks to know about their green initiatives

by PegNews wire

Regardless of their purple and white school colors, the Texas Christian University folks want everyone to know how green they are.

To this end they've just published a list of their environmental initiatives that could easily be considered "comprehensive" - since it covers five general areas of green goodness and lists over 40 individual action items.

* Under the heading of campus-wide initiatives the TCU Office of Communications lists a retrofitting of lighting systems (incorporating energy efficient bulbs and motion sensor activators); infrared surveys to detect leakage; state-of-the-art, 24/7 energy management control systems; utilization of low-flow fixtures to minimize water use; reduction of the campus carbon footprint through installation of cabon-dioxide sensing temperature controls; solar water heating for the university swimming pool (under development); high-efficiency chiller plants designed to produce ice overnight when utility rates are lower; downsizing of campus vehicles, specifically re. the Physical Plant truck fleet; extended use of existing vehicles (i.e., only upgrade when the old ones begin to break down); and an upgrade to the sprinkler system, which is programmed to stop spraying water when - for instance - it's raining.

* In the green buildings category, we're hearing about LEED certification (for new buildings and major retrofits), as demonstrated by the new Scharbauer Hall and Brown-Lupton University Union buildings; and the LEED certification of staff engineers and architects.

* Recycling: in the area of dining, horned frogs tout their use of (disposable) SpudWare, made from 80% potato starch and 20% soy oil (which biodegrades in about 180 days); recycling of paper waste is approaching 75%; paperless initiatives have been kicked into gear in financial services, financial aid, human resources and residential areas; grounds refuse reuse (in re. to grass clippings, tree trimmings and construction debris); recycling of old building materials (by handing out fixtures from demolished buildings to local charities and churches who can make use of them); and facility energy audits to identify areas where consumption might be better controlled.

* Academic initiatives and student activities, to wit: Energy Institute and Institute for Environmental Studies are working on research projects involving the Barnett Shale, solar and wind power; in the cloud forests of Costa Rica, the Institute for Environmental Studies serves as base for students brainstorming sustainability in Latin America; on Earth Day, students put on a fundraising concert to save the green macaws (in Costa Rica, coincidentally enough); Energy Futures Conferences - the first one held in 2007 and another scheduled for 2009 - are designed to explore the ever-changing energy situation; for four days this summer, some freshmen attended a four-day Eco Frog Camp, emphasizing the importance of sustainable living and community involvement; free public transportation for students, faculty and staff (via Fort Worth/Dallas public transportation); the Purple Bike Program, making community use of a number of bicycles for intra-campus transport; the Green Roof program (nods to Environmental Sciences students Jon Kinder and David Williams), promoting the growing of plants atop the Botanical Research Institute of Texas; a Green Living-Learning Community, dubbed "Green House," will house 42 students this fall as they hold recycling contests and and harvest produce from an organic garden community; the Environmental Club adopted 27 acres in Fort Worth's Trinity Park where members collect litter, recycling cans and bottles as possible; the President's Climate Commitment, signed by university administrators, promises that the school will address climatic challenges by eliminating greenhouse gas emissions and work to integrate sustainability into the curriculum; the Environmental Council was instituted to develop ways of implementing Climate Commitment promises and overseeing campus green initiatives; the Center for Applied Psychology is delving into the mindset behind easing individuals and organizations into green lifestyles; a club called the Society of Sustainability focuses on - you guessed it - sustainability issues and collaborates with other TCU organizations in re. to programming and events; the Green Tree Ring is a program whose mission involves nurturing and celebrating trees; and finally there was the Green Theme semester, whose motto was "think purple, live green."

Specific eco-friendly course offerings include:

* Sustainability class. At TCU, about a hundred students enroll each semester in the Sociology class “Sustainability is Sexy,” where the homework assignments include producing a youtube.com video showcasing the university’s various green initiatives.

* Environmental Stewardship. Offered each year in Environmental Sciences.

* Chasing Carbon. An applied projects course offered for multiple consecutive semesters in Environmental Sciences to support the Presidents’ Climate Commitment.

* Sustainability and Education. A masters’ level course taught in the College of Education.

* Environmental Justice, Human Rights & Agriculture. Offered by the Anthropology department.

* Anthropological Approaches to Nature & the Sacred. Offered by the Anthropology department.

* Special Problems in Geography. Offered in Fall 2008, it researched building 25 miles of alternative transportation in Dallas.

posted by JM / source: TCU