Colorado State University

College Sustainability Report Card 2010

The University Environment and Sustainability Advisory Committee includes faculty, students, administrators, and staff and meets every two weeks. In 2009, the committee established the Green Dream Team to provide financial support to student sustainability initiatives. The vice president for energy, the environment and applied research works full time to advance sustainability at Colorado State. A set of green guidelines is used in purchasing decisions.

Colorado State has completed a series of energy efficiency projects, including lighting upgrades, HVAC retrocommissions, and systems tune-ups. Through the Green is Gold campaign, the university encourages students and employees to follow tips on the sustainability website and use online, energy-use monitoring tools to conserve water and energy. At peak output, a turbine generator powered by waste steam can provide up to 5 percent of the campus's electrical needs. In addition, the university purchases wind power to offset 4 percent of electricity use.

Dining services spends 27 percent of the annual food budget on local items, including hormone- and antibiotic-free dairy products. Thirty percent of seafood is purchased in accordance with sustainability guidelines, and some fair trade coffee is served. Students have the option to rent reusable takeout containers, and all disposable takeout containers in the dining halls are compostable. Pre- and postconsumer composting programs are run in 17 percent of dining locations, and all cafeterias are trayless.

The university mandates that all new construction projects and major renovations meet LEED Gold standards. Two buildings on campus are LEED-certified, and nine buildings currently under construction are expected to achieve LEED Gold certification. Vending misers and occupancy sensors are utilized for energy efficiency, and water efficiency projects have led to a 22 percent reduction in water usage during the past ten years.

Students on the Live Green Floor of Summit Hall are trained as campus Eco-Reps and pilot potential campus-wide sustainability projects. The Environmental Action Collective is a student group involved with sustainability issues. Students at the university participate in the RecycleMania competition.

All students at Colorado State receive a pass to ride the local bus system. Carpoolers receive preferred parking. In an effort to make the campus pedestrian- and bike-friendly, parking lots are located on the periphery of the campus. More than half of the university population commutes to campus via environmentally preferable transportation methods.

The university has no known policy of disclosure of endowment holdings or its shareholder voting record.

The university aims to optimize investment return and has not made any public statements about investigating or investing in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds.

The university has not made any public statements about active ownership or a proxy voting policy.