Sustainability

RecycleMania returns to Elon this spring for the university’s fourth year taking part in a national recycling competition involving hundreds of college and universities. Leaders hope to surpass the 73,638 pounds of recyclable materials collected last spring on campus during the contest.

Martha S. and Carl H. Lindner III Hall, the new administrative home for Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the ‘greenest’ building on campus, has received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, a national recognition for design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

November 16-20 is Sustainability Pledge Week! Elon's Sustainability Pledge was created to encourage campus community members to reduce their environmental impact. Those who take the pledge are asked to make at least three positive changes in their daily lives. In addition, pledge takers have the opportunity to identify the steps they are already taking to reduce their impact on the environment.

Three sustainability programs at Elon University are featured in the National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology 2009 campus sustainability case studies, the only database of its kind featuring sustainability practices at 59 schools from 30 states across the country.

Students, faculty and staff will have an opportunity this month to provide feedback on Elon University’s proposed Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the coming years by setting short- and long-range goals for power management, energy production and commuting.

To assist campus community members with finding carpool partners, Elon University has created a new Rideshare page within the E-net Want Ads. The page has two sections – one for regular commuting and one for one-time trips such as a drive to the airport, beach or mountains.

Elon’s Zipcar fleet is expanding to three vehicles this fall with the addition of a Honda Civic to provide more availability to more than 350 people who take part in the program.

Curious about what makes Lindner Hall ‘green'? If so, come to one of the sustainability tours of Lindner Hall during planning week and the first two weeks of classes.

Two student organizations have teamed up for a series of events this month to celebrate the environment. The Green Team and Sierra Club are raising awareness of environmental sustainability, which includes Earth Day on April 22, during the campus community’s second annual “Earth Week.”