Beginnings
For more than a decade members of the Belmont University community have been doing their part to be good stewards of God's Creation. We want to positively impact the environment and encourage the campus at large to "go green." From recycling efforts to educational initiatives, Belmont students, faculty and staff have shown their commitment to increasing the university's environmental sustainability.
Belmont Goes Green Launched
In March 2007, those efforts took on a more public face when Belmont launched "Belmont Goes Green" to encourage greater environmental awareness on campus. Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher signed the Talloires Declaration of the Association of University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (USLF). In signing the declaration, the university presidents agreed to increase awareness of environmentally sustainable development, create an institutional culture of sustainability and educate for environmentally responsible citizenship, among other efforts.
Since the declaration, Belmont has worked to implement more eco-friendly initiatives. The Belmont Environmental Initiative Council was created to coordinate environmental efforts on campus. Religion professor Dr. Judy Skeen, founder and director of the BEI Council, said, "My goal for the future is that everyone who works and studies on Belmont's campus will learn how to care for the earth, conserve resources, consume responsibility and live in sustainable ways. Belmont's community practices are the best way to gain visibility and begin behavior change."
Current Belmont Goes Green endeavors:
- Sustainability Task Force formed in 2010, bringing together student, faculty, staff and administrative leaders to implement new initiatives to make Belmont a more green, sustainable institution.
- Reduced electricity usage by 9% over last year across campus
- Recycling of office paper across campus
- Removal of bottled water on campus
- Composting all Belmont yard waste
- Community garden initiative
- Use of green cleaning products in Plant Ops
- Sodexho's discontinuing use of trays in cafeteria ( for water conservation) and ending use of non-recyclable plastics
- New construction will include greener heating/cooling temperature control methods and improved water conservation
- Meters installed in all dorms to track electricity usage
- Belmont was a lead university in Environmental Protection Agency effort to identify and remediate potential sources of environmental problems on campus. Environmental Management System (EMS) program instituted on campus. (This may be Belmont's single most important initiative in reducing long-term environmental damage.)
- In partnership with Blessed Earth.org, we have hosted several Christian Faith Development convocations on how to be good stewards of the Creation.
New Task Force Initiative:
- Explore how to place additional recycling bins for use by those in Belmont apartments to dramatically increase usage.
Recent Belmont Goes Green endeavors:
- University partnered with Metro Transit Authority (MTA) for students, faculty and staff to use public transportation to and from Belmont for free
- The Higher Education Sustainability Conference held at Belmont Spring 2007
- Recycling program started almost a decade ago and will expand campus wide Summer 2008 and be sustained by campus systems
- Environmental Studies program implemented with service-learning and internship components available
- Environmental club for students activated (Our Natural Environment student organization)
- Retrofitted light fixtures to produce energy star upgrades
- Numerous academic lectures/convocations held each year on environmental initiatives
- Move-in day recycling events annually contribute more than a ton of recyclable cardboard through partnership with Metro Public Works
- New building proposals include efforts for greater sustainability
- Environmental awareness promoted to faculty, staff and students through campus postcards and posters
- The Graduation Pledge Alliance (GPA) invites students to consider the social and environmental consequences of any future employment
- Belmont honored with the 1998 Tennessee Higher Education Environmental Stewardship Award from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
- Earth Day celebrations held since 2003
- Belmont Environmental Initiative (BEI)council established in May 2006
| For More Info Use the Links Below | ||
| Talloires Declaration | Belmont Dining Green Initiatives | Email Judy Skeen |
