The path to living a sustainable life starts now. Well, if it hadn’t started some time ago of course. But more than likely with the recent focus on the climate crisis and the undeniable human impact on the destruction of this planet as we know it, you and your peers, like me and mine, have decided to act now to ensure a future version of Earth that we can still call home. On a side note, I’m confused by how political and financial power players think we can find a way for relocating to Mars, but can’t support the simple* removal of fossil fuels from our lifestyles. But that’s not the subject for today.
* I honestly do appreciate that it’s not ‘simple’, but it must be done. Don’t they realize that the wells will dry up one day anyway, leading us to the same necessary turning point?
So, you might be graduating senior year soon (congratulations!) and heading off to college later this year or next…remember if you’re taking a gap year to travel, please do it with your sustainability hat on! Or maybe you’re heading to college from a position later in life – either way, college years are exciting! So much to learn!! And then there’s the lectures.
I’m sure you’ve spent a lot of time looking into what colleges offer in terms of courses and support and social life. But have you considered their sustainability efforts? Perhaps you’re even going to college to be at the forefront of combating climate change by taking on an environmental science, engineering or energy related subject. Again, congratulations…and thank you!! But even if you’re studying literature, computer science or economics, the planet needs you to make a positive impact. Some colleges take their role in future generations seriously, beyond their careers. Some win awards for their sustainability efforts. How fantastic that there’s college awards for sustainability! And it’s not a new thing. Way back in 2005 the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education was formed. The AASHE launched STARS (Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System) in 2010. It came to fruition after 4 years of careful drafting and piloting of the program, and aims to provide a transparent, self reporting framework to measure sustainability performance. There are 4 ratings which can be earned: Platinum; Gold; Silver and Bronze. Already this year, up till mid March, there have been 55 ratings awarded: 23 of them Gold and 1 Platinum! 947 institutions have registered to use the STARS tool, which includes some international campuses, like Canada, Ireland, Greece, Mexico and The United Arab Emirates. Admittedly, lots of those who’ve registered haven’t applied for a rating in the last 4 years…maybe they’re waiting for you to push them along!
How did your chosen institution do? Find out here. Colorado State University was the first to achieve a Platinum rating, and so far there are only 4 others to have reached that level. But with you on their side, who knows what your institution could achieve? Even if your school doesn’t feature in the STARS program yet, there are plenty looking to improve their sustainability. Princeton has a very large sustainability community, with leadership groups, steering committees and a CO2 Task Force; UC Berkeley has a Student Environmental Resource Center and a very large and active Office of Sustainability; the University of Chicago have Green Campus initiatives; University of Connecticut has an Office of Sustainability; Skidmore College has a Sustainability Dept….you get the picture. Absolutely loads of institutions are jumping on board, and here you can find a list of the current top 15 Greenest Universities.
It’s important to note however, that no resource can provide a definitive list to match your personal values. As with every aspect of our lives as we enter the immense challenge of humankind’s survival, we must be equipped with Google (or your preferred search engine) and do some research. And as mentioned, just because your top preferenced college might not already have a sustainability department doesn’t mean YOU can’t spearhead this. Enjoy this wonderful next chapter in your lives! Learn, live and soak up amazing life shaping moments!
