 "Photo: Courtesy of MCT Campus")
On Nov. 12 UNC Charlotte became one of the 16 North Carolina Universities to take steps against global warming. Chancellor Philip L. Dubois signed the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. This means accelerated research and education on global warming and ways to control the rate of climate change.
There are more than 650 other institutions across the nation that have pledged.
In a UNC Charlotte press release Chancellor Dubois was quoted saying, “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.”
This initiative is a continuance of the universities ongoing Green standards. Such as one-third of campus waste is recycled, there’s a fleet of electric vehicles that are used around campus, and bike racks and bike lanes can be found across campus.
Also, a year ago the Charlotte Green Initiative (CGI) was enacted, which consists of a $1 student fee per semester that is included in tuition. This fee helps the CGI committee allocate funds to green projects across campus.
With this pledge its number one commitment is neutralizing climate. Another part is adopting green standards for buildings, especially on new campus projects. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) will be established in the Center City Building and EPIC building. Also, appliances purchased in the future will be ENERGY STAR certified.
Students, faculty and staff will be encouraged to use public transportation and do the steps they think are necessary to go green.
Under this initiative Dubois will appoint a UNC Charlotte Sustainability Committee, which will meet throughout the year to review the implementation of the projects that support the pledge.
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