With climate change becoming a major issue in many sectors around the world, U.S. universities and colleges are not spared from the clamor to become more sustainable in their operations.
With higher education considered a major economic driver in many parts of the United States, experts are calling on colleges and universities to practice more sustainable ways of doing things. Many universities and colleges are called on to be leaders in sustainability because they themselves employ numerous resources such as:
– Real estate: sprawling campuses, school buildings, and properties that utilize energy, water, and other resources
– Research resources: Research grants for advancement in different fields of study
Moreover, these education institutions are likewise centers of knowledge and innovation that can facilitate sustainability. They can come up with new and innovative ways to help conserve resources for future generations.
Amid these calls, a number of U.S. colleges and universities are already doing their share toward sustainability. Yes, these education institutions may deploy millions of dollars in food, travel energy, building maintenance, research, and education initiatives. Yet around 650 higher education institutions have already pledged to reduce greenhouse gases to nearly zero as far back as 2019. This is complemented by the purchase of electric vehicles for use around campus, more stringent recycling methods, composting of trash and waste, and clean energy investments.
Colleges and universities are doing more than sustainable practices. With students clamoring for better environmental awareness, institutions like Arizona State University, Columbia University, and Loyola University Chicago have opened departments focusing on environmental sustainability. They’re putting sustainability at the forefront of the academic curriculum in the hopes of making students more aware of the need to be more caring for our planet for future generations.
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