College leaders fight for air

by Cassie Kornblau

Tuesday, February 20, 2007 00:00

College presidents and chancellors across the country recently signed an agreement pledging to limit carbon emissions on their respective campuses.

Seventy colleges nationwide signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment proposal, including the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, UW-Oshkosh and UW-River Falls.

However, as of Monday, UW-Madison has not signed the commitment.

Among other things, institutions that sign the proposal agree to launch a comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gases and achieve "climate neutrality." University campuses would also have to make periodic progress reports publicly available by providing them to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

UW-River Falls Chancellor Donald Betz said he is in the midst of a strategic planning process to address environmental issues on his campus and is working to develop more energy-efficient policies.

"We are the second most energy-efficient campus in the state," Betz said. "We are a footprint as an institution."

Betz said UW-River Falls' new university center is just one example of his campus's energy-efficient initiatives.

The center uses 40 percent less energy than other buildings and uses 50 percent of its water supply from rain water, Betz said, and added the glass on a significant portion of the building allows for increased lighting and warmth, which helps decrease the energy needed to heat the building.

Dean Rodeheaver, assistant chancellor for planning and budget at UW-Green Bay, said Chancellor Bruce Shepard signed the pledge to demonstrate the university's commitment to sustainability and energy independence.

"We will utilize any opportunity we have to save energy," Rodeheaver said. "We are committed to sustainability."

One example of environmentally friendly practices, Rodeheaver said, is UW-Green Bay's food service, which has switched from Styrofoam plates and bowls to disposable dishes that are biodegradable.

According to Rodeheaver, the university is also conducting a trial on bio-diesel equipment where grease from food waste could be used for power. The campus also hopes to remedy the amount of food waste by composting food scraps.

"We have issues to address," Rodeheaver said. "We need to address the environment specifically driving solutions — people drive to class when they already live on campus."

Rodeheaver added it is not surprising Shepard signed the commitment so quickly since UW-Green Bay is one of the four campuses selected by Gov. Jim Doyle to become energy independent.

In Doyle's "Declaration of Energy Independence" plan released last summer, Doyle named four UW schools — UW-Green Bay, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Oshkosh and UW-River Falls — that would strive to be completely energy independent by 2010.

An official conference of all presidents who signed the commitment is scheduled for June and members of the Leadership Circle hope to have 200 signatories by then.

Officials from UW-Madison were unavailable Monday to speak on the issue.