Submitted on December 17, 2009; last updated on January 18, 2012
BSU has developed a Climate Control Action plan geared toward creating a road map for carbon neutrality by 2019. Our aim is to be recognized as a leader in operations, teaching, and campus events related to sustainability.
Campus Heating: Reduce the annual consumption of fossil fuels for heating by 20% from 2006 levels by 2019. Sustainable Energy: Become less dependent upon fossil fuel energy for electricity, heating and cooling. Fresh Water Conservation: Reduce overall water consumption levels by 30% from 2006 levels by 2019. Storm Water Management: Reduce the amount of total suspended solids coming off of the campus by 20% before 2013 and 40% before 2015 (from 2006 baseline). Facilities Planning, Renovations and Construction: Utilize energy efficient and sustainable design standards on all new construction and applicable renovation projects undertaken after 2009. As of that deadline, all construction and renovations projects shall seek to meet or exceed LEED Silver level of sustainability pending capital funds availability.
The long term vision is that BSU acquires and uses sufficient information to guide and make understandable its sustainability efforts, planning, and decision-making in our efforts to mitigate our GHG emissions. We will establish the means to assess campus sustainability and provide information to students, staff and community by featuring C4 projects and initiatives on the website.
Sustainability should be a recognized, emphasized, and common theme across colleges, departments and general education initiatives. Students should have extensive and diverse opportunities to study sustainability in their coursework. C4 can enlist help from the Provost and Student Affairs to introduce green-consciousness into the curricula.
Develop and maintain research and scholarships that support campus sustainability efforts, contribute to the professional development of staff, and challenges students to apply their emerging skills and knowledge.
Raise awareness of students and staff through participation in campus sustainability activities that take place outside of the formal classroom. Doing so will increase our chances of generating a campus-wide commitment to sustainability by working with Student Affairs and SGA to develop Student Green-Fun awareness programs. Campus Events: Offer a large number and wide variety of well-attended events that teach and promote sustainability, and to coordinate and promote those events. Encourage active participation in annual Earth Day celebrations, Recyclemania competition and institute Adopt-an-Area competitions among the student groups.