The University of Colorado at Boulder was ranked as the 2nd Greenest Campus in the nation by Sierra Magazine. Behind Middlebury College in Vermont, CU-Boulder “has played a formative and central role in global environmental research and sustainability for more than a generation,” says Chancellor Bud Peterson.

I was surprised at this ranking! If CU is the second best in the nation, the rest of the country’s schools must have some pretty abysmal environmental programs. As a CU student, I see a lot of recyclable materials get thrown away on campus everyday. We should have a recycle bin for every trash can. I watch outrageous amounts of paper get printed and wasted in the various cost centers. The dorm halls and many other buildings have lights turned on 24/7! There is still a lot of work to be done. 

Nonetheless, there are good things happening: a wide use of compact florescent bulbs, the recent zero-waste bill, and CU’s Folsom Field, with a capacity of over 50,000, now officially hosts only zero-waste events (which is no small feat).

“In an aggressive effort to recycle, eliminate waste and cut even more carbon emissions, the University of Colorado at Boulder today announced the “Ralphie’s Green Stampede” zero-waste and carbon-reduction program at Folsom Field.

The goal is to move toward zero-waste at Folsom Field during the football season and invest in local carbon-reduction projects to match energy used to power the stadium, for team travel and other football-related energy use, said school officials. Officials anticipate recycling or composting at least 90 percent of the waste generated at Folsom Field this year.

According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency information and other sources, Folsom Field will become the first major sports stadium in the nation, professional or collegiate, to collect all materials in recycling or compost containers, eliminate trash cans and transform its materials collections systems into a zero-waste process.”  

For the full article on Folsom Field, click here. 

For Sierra Magazine “10 That Get It”, click here.