PA Environment Digest

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday presented the 11th annual Green Power Leadership Awards to 19 EPA Green Power Partners across the country, including Allegheny College, Franklin & Marshall College and Mercyhurst College.

Winning partners range from iconic commercial buildings and Fortune 500 companies to local governments and higher education institutions. Through the use of clean, renewable energy sources, partners are increasing our country’s energy security, reducing harmful pollution and helping protect people’s health and the environment.

EPA's Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program helping to increase the use of electricity generated from renewable resources among leading U.S. organizations.

“EPA’s Green Power Leadership Award winners are at the forefront of our economy, driving the development of innovative, renewable energy sources and demonstrating that green power makes as much sense for our health and our environment as it does for our business' bottom lines,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “We applaud their efforts to cut pollution and advance the market for green energy, one of the most important frontiers of our economic future. We hope that they will be an example for other organizations.”

Allegheny College

Allegheny College, in Meadville, Pa, is a leader in environmental stewardship and has fostered a culture of environmental responsibility within its students, faculty, administrators, and community.

One of the charter signatories of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment, Allegheny College has developed a Climate Action Plan and is actively pursuing its goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2020.

Allegheny College is widely viewed as a role model for other organizations because of its creative green strategies that emphasize engagement, efficiency, and integration to achieve significant sustainability goals.

In January 2011, Allegheny College committed to purchasing Green-e certified renewable energy certificates to match 100 percent of the college's electricity usage for three years, equal to approximately 15 million kilowatt-hours per year. The green power purchase allows the college to significantly reduce its carbon footprint and move towards achieving its goal of climate neutrality by 2020.

At the same time, the college is pursuing the implementation of many other environmentally responsible initiatives. Allegheny College has implemented energy-efficiency projects in campus buildings, established an on-campus composting facility, planted more than an acre of native species wildflowers to reduce grounds maintenance, and has developed a “Green Tour” for prospective students to highlight the campus's efforts to reduce its environmental impacts.

The college also holds an annual October Energy Challenge to raise awareness about environmental impacts and encourages students, faculty, and staff to reduce electricity consumption in campus buildings. Last year during the Energy Challenge, the campus achieved a 10 percent reduction in energy usage from behavior change alone. Financial savings associated with this behavioral reduction will fund the installation of solar panels on campus.

Franklin & Marshall College

Franklin & Marshall College is an undergraduate liberal arts college located in Lancaster, Pa. Franklin & Marshall has been a supporter of green power for many years, purchasing wind power since 2002. Franklin & Marshall currently purchases wind-sourced renewable energy certificates totaling more than 16 million kilowatt-hours annually, equal to more than 80 percent of its electricity requirements.

Franklin & Marshall has also led the charge for utility-scale solar in Pennsylvania by being the first to commit to a long-term solar renewable energy certificate agreement. This is the first time that a retail electric customer in Pennsylvania has committed to purchasing RECs from a solar project prior to construction, demonstrating leadership not only amongst other higher education institutions in Pennsylvania but also across industries.

Franklin & Marshall's significant commitment to green power is representative of the institution's larger social and environmental initiatives. Franklin & Marshall believes that sustainability and stewardship, as informed by the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences, are inextricably linked in understanding humanity's place in the contemporary world.

As such, the college has implemented a wide array of sustainability initiatives including energy efficiency programs, several green roofs, a bike sharing program, an organic garden as well as community gardens for faculty, staff, and students, a fair trade cafe, a sustainability-themed house, a brownfield reclamation project, and an environmental action alliance student organization.

In 2007, Franklin & Marshall's President signed the President's Climate Agreement as a charter signatory indicating the college's commitment to working toward carbon neutrality.

Mercyhurst College

Mercyhurst College is a four-year Catholic institution located in Erie, Pa. Environmental as well as social responsibility is an important part of Mercyhurst's mission, and the school is committed to educating its students and the surrounding community about ways to ensure a sustainable future.

In 2003, Mercyhurst made its first green power purchase covering 10 percent of the college's electricity needs. Later in 2008, Mercyhurst College increased the purchase to 30 percent. Currently, Mercyhurst College is using 100 percent green power and purchasing nearly 16 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of wind and solar-generated renewable energy credits.

The school also installed an on-site solar system, which provides an additional 3,900 kWh of electricity each year. In April 2011, with the purchase increase as well as on-site system, Mercyhurst College was named the 2010-2011 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Individual Conference Champion by EPA for using more green power than any other school in the conference.

Mercyhurst's commitment to the environment doesn't stop at using green power. The school also encourages ongoing participation in recycling and energy conservation, offers a major as well as minor in Sustainability Studies for students interested in enhancing their chosen major with an environmental focus, and provides the larger community with several ways to get involved in sustainability projects.

The college is working on installing a compost system designed to accept an average of 200 pounds per day of compostable material, which aims to strengthen overall waste reduction efforts on campus while also reducing the need to purchase mulch.

The college has also installed a green roof on one of its buildings, which reduces storm water runoff, extends the life of the roof, saves on energy costs, and provides educational opportunities for students and community members.

For more information, visit EPA's Green Power Awards webpage.

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