Clark's cogeneration plant
Mission
In Spring 2006 President Bassett established the Clark University Environmental Sustainability Task Force. The task force is comprised of representatives from the faculty, administration, and graduate and undergraduate students. Our mission is to promote environmental sustainability at Clark University by increasing awareness of environmental and sustainability issues on campus, by researching environmental impacts of University activities along with recommendations for improvement, and coordinating activities related to environmental sustainability of the University. The task force is pleased to present the first Clark University Environmental Sustainability Report. The purpose of this Environmental Sustainability Report is to:
- Introduce a set of metrics by which to measure and track the environmental footprint of the University;
- Identify and assess programs and initiatives undertaken at Clark University to improve our environmental performance;
- To increase awareness of the environmental impacts of activities of the University;
- To disseminate information about environmental sustainability at Clark and promote action toward sustainability.
Clark University has a long history of involvement with environmental issues. Faculty and students have pioneered research on natural hazards and risk, land use change, pollution control, and many other environmental issues. This tradition continues today with research underway at the George Perkins Marsh Institute on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, as well as teaching and research in academic departments across campus. At the same time, faculty, staff and students have spearheaded efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the University through such actions as establishing a cogeneration plant on campus, a recycling center, green buildings, and other initiatives. These activities continue with a recent award-winning student-led initiative to establish a Clean Energy program on campus that allows students to purchase green credits to offset greenhouse gas emissions, as well as an initiative to compost bio-degradable waste.
Our world and our community, however, face new and difficult environmental challenges, including the rapid increase in greenhouse gas emissions worldwide contributing to global climate change. The global community rightly looks to universities to provide leadership in addressing these challenges, building on the core mission of research, teaching and learning. One important aspect of that leadership is to take stock of our own environmental impact, and to explore ways in which we can enhance the environmental sustainability of our campus.