Study Finds Some Ecological Improvement at Penn State
A Penn State biologist leads a group faculty and students that is releasing a report today on the environmental sustainability of the Penn State University Park campus. "Penn State Indicators 2000" will be presented at 12:15 p.m. today during a brief ceremony on the steps of the Old Main administration building.
Christopher Uhl, professor of biology, directs the group called the Penn State Green Destiny Council. Following the pattern of its first report issued in September 1998, the group's report focuses on 33 different indicators that consider such things as water and energy use, waste production, recycling, food-purchasing policies, pesticide use, green space converted to parking space, research ethics, and openness in decision making.
When compared to the report from two years ago, the indicators show ecological progress by the University. Specifically, 16 of the 33 indicators show the university has "taken significant measures to adopt sustainable practices." In the first report, just seven indicators fit in that category. Also, only four indicators show "no significant measures to adopt sustainable practices." In the first report, 14 indicators were in that category.
"It's a generally positive report that shows Penn State has made significant strides in several sustainability-related areas. There is still much more the University needs to do" Uhl said. "The report calls on Penn State to adopt a comprehensive, University-wide strategy to institutionalize sustainability in such areas as energy, water, and materials use. The report also says that ecological responsibility needs to be a high-profile issue with strong leadership from the top."
Garrett Fitzgerald, president of the Undergraduate Student Government, joined Uhl in coordinating the report. Members of the research group included three graduate researchers and 32 undergraduate researchers.
Fitzgerald notes Penn State's student government just passed a unanimous resolution that supports the report's central recommendations. "We want the University to develop model policies and practices aimed at reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and moving toward zero-waste technologies," Fitzgerald said. "We students find ourselves in a world increasingly filled with paradox and hypocrisy, and this often leads to cynacism. But my generation wants to be part of a just and responsible society and the sustainability principles framed in the indicators report give us something to believe in."
James Eisenstein, professor of political science, who acts as an advisor to the research team, believes the University holds an important position in this matter. "Penn State, because of its reputation for excellence, is in a unique position to lead other universities in demonstrating how our society can adopt truly sustainable practices," Eisenstein said. "Considerable support exists for the idea of 'greening' higher education among Penn State students, faculty, and staff, as well as alumni and state-government officials."
Copies of the indicators report and another Green Destiny Council document, "Penn State's Emerging Ecological Mission," are available for purchase through the U.S. Campus Ecology Program of the National Wildlife Federation, a network of several thousand colleges and universities. The federation is making the report available as part of its Campus Ecology Toolkit to be used as a model for other large universities across the nation. In addition, copies will be available at the event and for purchase in State College bookstores.
The Green Destiny Council plans to publish the reports on its Web site at <http://www.bio.psu.edu/greendestiny>.
Contact:
Christopher Uhl, Head of Intercollege Graduate Program in Ecology
(814) 863-3893 or cfu1@psu.edu
Garrett Fitzgerald, Penn State Undergraduate Student Government president
(814) 861-3393 or gxf119@psu.edu
Julian Keniry, National Wildlife Federation, Campus Ecology Program
(703) 790-4000 or keniry@nwf.org
Barbara K. Kennedy; Penn State Public Information
(814) 863-4682 or science@psu.edu