Purdue shares sustainability strategic plan at Earth Day celebration
Robert McMains, vice president for physical facilities, discusses the University's new sustainability strategic plan at the Earth Day celebration on Thursday in Academy Park.
Purdue announced the completion of the University's sustainability strategic plan at its Earth Day celebration on Thursday (April 22).
The plan was developed over several months by dozens of contributors with several primary goals including making best use of available resources, improving collaboration among departments and operations, communicating sustainability values campuswide, and using the entire campus as a living laboratory to develop sustainability best practices.
"The University is well-served by these goals, but Purdue’s needs and values are likely to evolve and change over time," said Robin Ridgway, Purdue director of sustainability and environmental stewardship. "As a 'living document,' the plan will be revisited and updated regularly to incorporate new voices, set new goals, reflect current best practices and inspire continual sustainability improvements on campus."
The sustainability plan was initiated as part of the University's overall "Sustaining New Synergies" strategic plan. Several sustainability efforts embody the plan's concept of the living laboratory concept.
In the past year, Purdue's Boiler Green Initiative has installed a green roof on Schleman Hall that conserves heating and cooling energy use and better manages storm water drainage. Purdue University Residences sends several tons of food scrap each week to the local water treatment plant where it is converted to methane to power the plant. Physical facilities continues to expand a program that makes recycling easier by placing recycling bins at every work desk but reserves trash receptacles to centralized locations.
Other initiatives include the BoilerRide program that encourages carpooling, increased purchasing of flex fuel and hybrid cars for Purdue's auto fleet, composting landscape waste, de-icing roads with beet juice extract, and the annual Green Week event.
Future goals include implementing organic turf management practices, replacing turf with native vegetation, making campus more walkable, using storm water instead of potable water in non-potable applications, incorporating alternative energy sources into the campus energy supply, and increasing implementation of green building practices on new and existing buildings.
The foundation of the sustainability strategic plan is a comprehensive report available at www.purdue.edu/sustainability.
The Earth Day celebration also featured a presentation designating Purdue as a Tree Campus USA. Tree Campus USA, a national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation, honors college and universities for promoting healthy urban forest management and engaging the campus community in environmental stewardship.
“The biggest benefit of this award is being nationally recognized for the sustainability efforts that have been a part of our program for years, said Purdue's arborist Tim Detzner. "A secondary benefit is the increased possibility of obtaining grant money for future tree care and planting programs.”
The University plans to plant a horse chestnut tree near Smith Hall in honor of the Tree Campus award and in observance of Arbor Day on April 30.
