CU’s ongoing efforts to promote campus sustainability will now expand to other Rocky Mountain schools.
On Feb. 22 and Feb. 23, college representatives from all over the country will meet at CU Boulder to host the 2007 Rocky Mountain Sustainability Summit.
The event is sponsored by the CU Environmental Center and The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
“(The Summit) is for colleges across the Rocky Mountain region. Many people are coming here to learn how to advance campuses. This could range from energy conservation to recycling to renewable energy. It is about foreseeing how they can tackle and forge ahead with solutions,” said Marianne Martin, associate director of the Environmental Center.
The Summit will address the environmental problems many campuses face and offer solutions. Leaders from regional colleges will share stories about the success of their own sustainability programs.
The Sustainability Summit is free for all CU students. The event will cover five main topics:
- Policy approaches to sustainability
- Discussion of the best practices for campus programs in water, energy, recycling, transportation and green building
- Education approaches to sustainability
- Issues currently facing sustainable food, waste and climate
- Opportunities for Rocky Mountain regional strategies for sustainability
While the two-day event goes on , those who attend do not have to conform to the schedule set.
“There are different speakers and different issues being covered. There are different sessions, workshops and presentations, so people can pick and choose which blocks they are interested in going to,” Martin said.
Thursday evening includes a dialogue with David Orr. According to the Sustainability Web site, Orr is a Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of environmental studies and politics and chairman of the environmental studies program at Oberlin College. He is known for his work in promoting environmental literacy for colleges.
Zeljko Spiric, a sophomore sustainable environment planning major will attend and encourages other students to go even if they are not studying the environment.
“I am going because I want to find out more about what is done for a more stable environment and to be introduced to new technology and information surrounding what’s going on in the world,” Spiric said.
On Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the E-center will host the Green Products Expo in UMC 235. The expo will feature many environmentally friendly products for colleges. This includes lighting, carpeting, furniture, paper, and clean energy products.
For more information visit Rocky Mountain Sustainability Summit’s Web site.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Amanda Pehrson at amanda.pehrson@thecampuspress.com.
