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A List
10/29/07
ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY EARNS HIGH 'GREEN' GRADE
CANTON - St. Lawrence University has earned a high grade for its "green" practices, as
evaluated by an independent organization's "report card" on sustainability.
The Sustainable Endowments Institute has issued its second College Sustainability
Report Card for 200 public and private universities with the largest endowments,
ranging from $230 million to nearly $35 billion. The Report Card is the only
independent sustainability evaluation of campus operations and endowment investments.
St. Lawrence earned an overall grade of B-, placing in the top third of all schools
evaluated. The cumulative grade distribution for the 200 schools was A, 3 percent;
B, 28 percent; C, 42 percent; D, 25 percent; and F, 2 percent. Grades were
determined by reviewing publicly available information, conducting surveys of
appropriate school officials, and then assessing performance across 39 indicators
in eight main categories.
Initiatives at St. Lawrence that contributed to its high evaluation include:
- The Environmental Resolution approved by the Board of Trustees in 2006,
declaring a commitment to the environment as a core University value.
- On-going development of an environmental action plan.
- Joining other American colleges and universities in committing to "carbon
neutrality" in its campus operations, with President Daniel F. Sullivan signing
the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.
- The purchase of energy from renewable sources for the Student Center and
Johnson Hall of Science.
- The Green Bikes bicycle-loan program, run through the University's libraries.
The report states, "The results clearly show a 'green groundswell' on campuses,
with nearly 45 percent of colleges committing to fight climate change through
cutting carbon emissions. High-performance green building standards guide new
construction at 59 percent of schools, while 42 percent are using hybrid or electric
vehicles in transportation fleets. Notably, 37 percent of schools purchase
renewable energy and 30 percent produce their own wind or solar energy. A
substantial 70 percent buy food from local farms and 64 percent serve fair
trade coffee."
Louise Gava, coordinator of sustainability projects at St. Lawrence, said that
she was extremely pleased with the University's grade, and finds the report
useful. "The report is very helpful," Gava noted, "because we can see what
other institutions are doing, how we compare in those efforts and what we
need to do to improve our efforts even further."
The College Sustainability Report Card 2008 is published as part of the
Institute's broader effort to encourage discussion on sustainability in higher
education. The Institute, a special project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors,
receives funding from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, V. Kann Rasmussen
Foundation and the Nathan Cummings Foundation, among others.
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More: St. Lawrence University's Green Pages
College Sustainability Report Card 2008 Web site
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