Sustainability

Students, faculty and staff will have an opportunity this week to provide feedback on Elon University’s draft Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years by setting goals for energy conservation, energy production and commuting.

Annie Leonard, the activist behind the short film “The Story of Stuff,” comes to Elon University for an April 22 evening lecture on the costs associated with the nation’s consumer-driven culture. Leonard’s appearance in McKinnon Hall, which is free and open to the public, coincides with Earth Day 2010.

Elon’s commitment to sustainability has earned the university the distinction of being named one of the “greenest” schools in the country. The university’s profile is included in The Princeton Review's Guide to 286 Green Colleges, which was released April 20 and profiles the nation’s most environmentally-responsible campuses.

Final results were announced Tuesday for two spring competitions that encourage faculty, staff and students to make lifestyle improvements for maintaining a healthier planet. Read this note for a message from Elon University President Leo M. Lambert on the importance of both contests.

In week five of the POWERless Energy Competition, nearly all (95 percent) of the residential buildings taking part in this year's event showed a reduction in energy use. The top building of the week in Division I was Oaks A, which showed a 53.2 percent reduction. In Division II, the distinction goes to the Kenan Pavilion in the Academic Village with a 60 percent reduction.

Oaks A and the Isabella Cannon Pavilion in the Academic Village led the way in the fourth week of Elon's POWERless Energy Competition. In the competition's Division I, Oaks A saw a 40.4 percent reduction in energy use in week four, while the Cannon Pavilion led Division II with a 44.6 percent reduction.

After the third week of RecycleMania 2010, Elon University ranked fourth among North Carolina and first among Southern Conference institutions in cumulative pounds recycled (per capita), putting the university well ahead of its 2009 pace. RecycleMania, a 10-week competition taking part on campuses nationwide, challenges colleges and universities to reduce waste and raise awareness about recycling.

After the fourth week of RecycleMania 2010, Elon continues to run ahead of last year's total in cumulative pounds of waste recycled (per capita) across campus. RecycleMania is a 10-week competition among campuses across the country to reduce waste and raise awareness about recycling.

After the fifth week of RecycleMania 2010, Elon remains ahead of the cumulative pounds recycled (per capita) it recorded in last year's contest. Read this post for more details about Elon's participation in RecycleMania Week Five.

More than three-quarters of the 41 campus buildings taking part in the 2010 POWERless Energy Competition showed a reduction in energy consumption for the first week of the contest. Each residential area, except one which reported no change in energy usage, reported a decline in consumption.