DURHAM, N.H. – Recognizing the rising
interest
among students to support environmentally responsible choices and
the university’s commitment to sustainability, University of
New Hampshire (UNH) Athletics is partnering with UNH’s
sustainability office to focus on eco-friendly products and choices
at the first football game of the season on September 5, 2009.
“The 'Go GREEN with the Wildcats'” event will set
recycling and sustainability more broadly as the standards that
will carry on throughout the year at all athletic events,”
says Marty Scarano, director of UNH Athletics. “We are
excited to give UNH fans ways to lessen their environmental
footprints.”
Wildcat Corporate Partners will have tables around the stadium
displaying their "green"
products and services. Volunteers will be on hand to remind fans to
recycle. Some of the featured vendors will include: the Green
Alliance, Ultra Geothermal, SEA Solar Store, the Jenaly Technology
Group, ReVision Energy, The Fiddlehead Loop, Simply Green, The
Green Tee, UNH Energy Club, and the Southeast Habitat for Humanity
Re-Store. To learn more, click here.
"We commend UNH Athletics for making its program more sustainable
and for partnering with us to educate the university community to
do the same" says Sara Cleaves, associate director of UNH's
sustainability office. "Athletic departments have a unique role to
play in not only reducing greenhouse gas emissions and waste, but
also in educating players and fans about sustainability through the
community building nature of sports."
UNH is a leader in integrating sustainability throughout its
curricula, operations, research, and engagement efforts. Committed
to being a model sustainable learning community, UNH has earned
several awards for its sustainability initiatives, which range from
having the largest transit system in the state and being the first
in the nation to receive an EPA Energy Star building rating for
residence halls to innovative research and engagement through
efforts like Carbon Solutions New England and the NH Farm to School
program. Discover the sustainable learning community at UNH at http://www.sustainableunh.unh.edu/
and www.discoversustainability.org.
The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class
public research university with the feel of a New England liberal
arts college. A land, sea and space-grant university, UNH is the
state’s flagship public institution, enrolling 11,800
undergraduate and 2,400 graduate students.
GO GREEN FACTS: Did you know…….?
1. UNH has committed to reducing its carbon emissions to 50% by
2020 and 80% by 2050 under its Climate Action Plan, WildCAP.
2. UNH's ECOline project will meet up to 85 percent of campus
energy use with landfill gas. Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
will be sold to help finance the project and to invest in
additional energy efficiency projects on campus.
3. UNH Dining services purchases produce from an on-campus organic
garden as well as food from 88 local farms and producers.
4. UNH Dining offers beverage discounts for bringing reusable
mugs.
5. UNH Dining composts 90% of pre- and post- consumer food waste in
the dining halls. The composting program collects over 92 tons of
compostable material annually.
6. UNH mandates that new construction and renovations meet LEED
Silver or equivalent standards and use low-flow toilets, urinals,
faucets, and showers.
7. UNH is installing a rainwater reclamation system at James Hall
as part of its renovation; James is registered to pursue LEED
certification.
8. The UNH campus features eleven Energy Star-labeled buildings.
Congreve was the first Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR
rating for residence halls in the nation.
9. The UNH Ecological Advocates is a student group that raise
awareness about living sustainably at UNH. Students can also
participate in a variety of organizations, including the Energy
Club, the Organic Garden Club, and the Student Environmental Action
Council.
10. A Living Green community will house 25 students during the
2009-2010 academic year.
11. The Sustainability Internship Program engages students in
internships on and off campus.
12. UNH strives to run all of its diesel fleet on B20 low sulfur
diesel and is expanding its compressed natural gas, hybrid,
all-electric, and other clean technology vehicles as part of its
Clean Fleet program.
13. The Cat Cycles bike program allows any member of the university
to sign out a bike and accessories for up to one week at a
time.
14. The university has an extensive public transportation system
with numerous routes both on campus and off and with links to
regional bus and train services.
15. UNH uses GoLoco ridesharing and will offer ZipCar in the
2009-2010 academic year.
