Niles Barnes, AASHE project coordinator, says hundreds of universities have signed up to meeting commitments on energy use and greenhouse gases, and that many are also introducing sustainability into the teaching curriculum – offering both dedicated courses and individual modules.
However, Barnes says there is still considerable progress to be made, particularly in the area of sustainable purchasing. “Higher education institutions spend tens of billions of dollars annually on an extraordinary range of products and services. When sustainability criteria are incorporated into procurement decisions, it can drive the innovation of sustainable products and services in a profound way.”
He adds, however, that education and outreach schemes are equally important – a point which is echoed by Louise Hazan, P&P campaigns and communications manager for climate change.
P&P believes that around 80% of a university’s carbon footprint is related to the behaviour of staff and students – how they use energy, travel, what they consume and so on. In addition, as Hazan points out, “behaviour and values learnt at university have a long-lasting impact on graduates throughout their lives”.
So, while carbon reduction, renewable energy and recycling schemes are all important, getting the entire university community on board is absolutely essential.