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Dubois signs American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment
Chancellor Philip L. Dubois has signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), which designates UNC Charlotte as one of 16 colleges or universities across North Carolina to sign the pledge to address global warming.
By signing the pledge, UNC Charlotte joins more than 650 higher education institutions across the nation; members agree to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate research and educational efforts to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate.
“Anyone who is familiar with this University’s legacy understands we have had a strong commitment to environmental protection, and signing the Presidents' Climate Commitment shows we are demonstrating how a large public institution can be a good environmental steward,” Dubois said. “We also realize signing this piece of paper is just a start, not the conclusion. We must continue to discover practical sustainability goals for our students and employees and do what we can to help them succeed.”
Under Dubois’ leadership, UNC Charlotte has launched a number of initiatives that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and environmental protection. The ACUPCC will be a key driver for future sustainability efforts on campus.
One of Dubois’ first moves in support of the agreement was to appoint a UNC Charlotte Sustainability Committee. This panel will meet several times each year to review the progress of the commitment’s implementation; the group also will play a key role to ensure the resources and expertise of the institution are brought to bear on this project.
David Jones, sustainability coordinator at the University, said UNC Charlotte already has a proven track record in environmental stewardship and sustainability and research. Some examples include:
- The Charlotte Green Initiative (CGI), which was established in fall 2008 as a result of a student-led campaign spearheaded by the Earth Club. Full-time enrollees pay an additional student fee of $1 each semester for environmentally sustainable projects. The fee is allocated to the CGI committee, a group of student leaders who select projects that will help UNC Charlotte operate in a more sustainable manner.
- UNC Charlotte has created a fleet of alternatively fueled vehicles. The University has added approximately 65 low-speed, electric vehicles along with 19 flex-fuel (E-85 or gasoline) vehicles for a total of 84 alternative fueled vehicles (AFUs) to its automotive fleet. Since the 2005-06 fiscal year, UNC Charlotte has realized a 21 percent reduction in petroleum use within the campus fleet.
- Parking services has implemented a “hangtag” system where employees may share the cost of a parking permit, thus encouraging car pooling. Multi-vehicle hangtags allow many people to share the cost of the permit, significantly reducing the individual cost.
- The University has installed bike racks at most buildings and designated bikes lanes on campus roads.
- The UNC Charlotte Recycling Department, established in 1992, has grown to 14 employees and collects more than 40 items. Roughly one-third of all waste on the campus is diverted to a recycling facility or special construction and demolition landfill.
- A car-sharing program, “Connect by Hertz,” offers qualified drivers, ages 18 years and older, environmentally friendly vehicles to rent at a low rate – by the hour or the day. The goal of the car-sharing program is to make public transportation or carpooling a more attractive and convenient option.
As part of the Presidents' Climate Commitment, other steps will be taken to move the campus closer to climate neutrality. In the short term, the University will:
- Work toward adoption of green standards for buildings by following U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) construction guidelines. LEED certification is being sought on new capital projects, including the Center City Building and the EPIC Building.
- Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy requiring ENERGY STAR certified products in all areas for which such ratings exist.
- Encourage use of and provide access to public transportation for all faculty, staff, students and visitors.
- Participate in the waste minimization component of the national “RecycleMania” competition and adopt several other associated measures to reduce waste.
“The fact that Chancellor Dubois is willing to sign on to this agreement sends an important message to our students, faculty and staff as well as the Charlotte community at large,” said Jones. “It says our efforts to reverse the effects of global warming are critically important to everyone on this campus.”