Find out what universities are doing to become more sustainable, and how you can get involved in environmental issues as a student.
If you look at the QS World University Rankings 2011/12, you’ll see that the University of Cambridge is ranked the number one university not just in the UK, but in the world. Yet according to another ranking, Cambridge is at number 68 – just in the UK.
That’s according to the Green League compiled by People and Planet (P&P), a coalition of UK students dedicated to holding universities to account on environmental and ethical issues. Green university rankings are growing in prominence, as both students and universities place more importance on environmental responsibility.
What difference can ‘green’ universities make to the environment?
Nowadays, everyone’s pretty clued up on what can be done to help build a more sustainable and environmentally friendly society. On a personal level, we know we should recycle, limit our energy use and do our best to buy products with low ‘carbon footprints’, from sustainable sources.
In turn, we expect businesses and other organizations to do their bit. Most now have sustainability policies, packed with terms such as ‘life cycle analysis’, ‘holistic management’ and ‘integrated bottom lines’.
Universities are no exception, and like everyone else are becoming increasingly proactive on green issues.
In 2010, there were 84 new solar energy installations at US campuses, according to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). In the same period AASHE reported 29 completed or ongoing campus energy overhauls in the US, each creating a potential US$50 million in savings over the next 10 years.
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.