TERRE HAUTE — Indiana State University has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent since 1990.
That’s no small accomplishment, said Gary Kent, a consultant who is assisting ISU as it develops a plan to reduce its impact on global warming.
“I think you ought to take great pride in what this institution has accomplished,” Kent said during a Sustainability Forum at ISU on Wednesday attended by more than 60 administrators, faculty and staff.
Sustainability is a growing national movement that recognizes the impact of climate change and the need to reduce the use of fossil fuels.
While ISU has reduced its emissions, Kent noted that Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth have increased their greenhouse gas emissions since the early 1990s.
Much of ISU’s reduction occurred when it went from an aging coal-fired steam plant to a new natural gas-fired steam plant. That change alone has cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 182 million pounds since 2001.
ISU also has taken several measures to conserve energy, including installation of more energy-efficient lighting and controls.
Since 1990, the electrical energy conservation programs have saved the university more than $6.9 million in electrical costs; 196 million kilowatt hours used; and 3.9 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.
Through its recycling program, ISU has reduced the amount of waste taken to the landfill from 370 loads in 1989-90 to 56 loads in 2006-07.
Of the 56, only 30 were generated by ISU; the rest comes from the public that uses the ISU recycling center.
Since 1990, ISU has diverted more than 28 million pounds of trash from landfills.
In the next five to seven years, ISU hopes to get to the point where no trips to the landfill are necessary, said Kevin Runion, ISU associate vice president for facilities management.
While ISU has made great strides, more can be done, and on Wednesday, ISU took an initial step toward becoming a sustainable campus and reducing greenhouse gas emissions even further.
In September, ISU President Lloyd Benjamin signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, which recognizes the scientific consensus that global warming is real and is largely caused by humans.
“Groups from all areas of campus are here to talk about being a sustainable campus and ways in which we can achieve that,” said Jim Jensen, ISU interim sustainability coordinator. “We’re early in this process.”
In the next steps, Benjamin will appoint a council to develop a campus action plan, and eight working groups will be created. The university’s final sustainability report/action plan is due in September 2009.
“We feel that ISU and all higher education institutions need to be leaders in the area of environmental stewardship and sustainability,” Jensen said.
Educating ISU students is important so they are aware of the issues and can take leadership roles in tackling the problems, Kent said.
“What you do sets a tone for the community in which you live,” Kent said.
Other environmental initiatives at ISU include planting tree farms on ISU properties north of campus; starting a new community gardening program; and using more environmentally friendly cleaning products.
ISU will investigate renewable power opportunities and it will look at policies that help reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, Jensen said.
Sustainability and global warming are issues ISU needs to take “exceedingly seriously,” Benjamin said.
The United States “has not provided some of the leadership it should globally,” Benjamin suggested.
In some cases, “It’s not even following what are clearly strong global movements to try to address the effects of fossil fuel and other forms of environmental degradation that are going to seriously impact our lives and the lives of our children and grandchildren.”
ISU has done a good job in its efforts to take care of the environment, he said.
He commended the work done by the ISU recycling center.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
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ISU has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent since 1990
Sustainability is a growing national movement
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