GHG
Smaller footprint leads to great strides in going green
Nov. 10, 2011—By Lauren Koenig [Article originally published on InsideVandy] Vanderbilt’s plant operations have set some big shoes to fill by substantially reducing the university’s carbon footprint this past year. According to a report released by Vanderbilt’s Sustainability and Management Office, overall emissions have been reduced by 10 percent since 2008. Meanwhile, greenhouse gas emissions per square...
Vanderbilt University greenhouse gas emissions down 10% since 2008
Oct. 25, 2011—Report released on Campus Sustainability Day, Oct. 26 Vanderbilt University has decreased its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) per square foot by 18 percent since 2005 and has decreased its total emissions by 10 percent from an all-time high since 2008, according to a new report prepared by Vanderbilt’s Sustainability and Environmental Management Office. The GHG...
A sustainable Vanderbilt
Sep. 5, 2011—by Lucas Loffredo [Article originally featured on InsideVandy] Sustainability is, as defined by Vanderbilt University’s Sustainability and Environmental Management Office (SEMO), “the development of a process or management system that helps to create a vibrant campus economy and high quality of life while respecting the need to sustain natural resources and protect the environment.” Opinions...
Sustainability speaker series kicks off Sept. 22 with Bill McKibben
Aug. 30, 2011—By Jim Patterson Environmentalist Bill McKibben will kick off a year of nationally recognized sustainability experts who will speak at Vanderbilt University as part of the American Studies Sustainability Project. McKibben, author of one of the first books on climate change for a general audience (The End of Nature, 1989), and founder of the activist...
Chancellor: University getting greener, needs to be less dependent on federal dollars
Aug. 26, 2011—by Jim Patterson Vanderbilt must continue to develop new revenue streams to ensure its financial health in the face of federal budget deficits that are likely to impact government grants and awards, said Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos at Fall Faculty Assembly. “We must, to the greatest extent possible, control our own destiny,” Zeppos said Aug....
Sustainability theme to mark Vanderbilt 2011-12 academic year
Aug. 12, 2011—By Jim Patterson Issues of sustainability will be incorporated into many phases of the coming academic year at Vanderbilt University, including curriculum, a speaker series, documentary film series and field trips. “The Sustainability Project represents a compelling application of the full diversity of Vanderbilt’s academic expertise to one of the most complex and urgent human...
Reduce pollution on Air Quality Alert days and everyday
Jul. 27, 2011—Throughout the hot summer days, air pollutant levels can rise contributing to reduced lung function, wheezing, coughing, and possibly triggering asthma attacks. One of the pollutants that is harmful to human health is ground-level ozone*. Ground-level ozone is created by chemical reactions between nitrous oxides and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the presence of sunlight....
Rand Hall improvements win 2011 Energy Management Achievement award
May. 4, 2011—Vanderbilt University has been awarded the 2011 Energy Management Achievement award by the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers and the Center for Energy Efficiency at Middle Tennessee State University. The award recognized recent energy efficiency improvements to Rand Hall. Plant Operations improved the heating and cooling system and upgraded the building...
Vanderbilt University receives ‘A’ rating on new report ranking the top 50 national universities on environmental and social transparency
Apr. 22, 2011—[Originally published by Vanderbilt News Service in MyVU] by Missy Pankake Vanderbilt University received an “A” rating and was one of the top five universities recognized in a recently released analysis of environmental and social sustainability transparency. Using data collected during the spring of 2010 from university websites and other voluntary reporting initiatives, the Roberts...
Commuting options save money, reduce pollution
Apr. 22, 2011—[Originally published by Vanderbilt News Service in MyVU] By Missy Pankake Almost 20 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions produced at Vanderbilt are from employees commuting to and from work. Combine that with gas prices on the rise, and many employees are exploring their commuting options. A Clean Air Fair focused on commuting was held...