The End of Coal, the Start of Something New

A couple of quick news clips from the sustainability in higher ed movement that I think in someways are emblematic of the transformation our global society is going through.

The first comes from Duke, where the last rail car of coal was delivered this week. (a closer look shows that they'll still be getting some coal - though a lot less - by truck, at least for a while longer, and they're switching to natural gas - fewer emissions but not a long-term sustainable solution -- but the main point remains, this is a big, exciting step towards climate neutrality and sustainability):

http://news.duke.edu/2009/02/railcar.html

"The efforts are part of Duke's goal to become a climate-neutral campus, a pledge made by President Richard Brodhead in 2007, as part of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment."

The second is an Op-ed piece by David Shi, President of Furman University, who does an excellent job of conveying the importance and power of the collective action represented in the ACUPCC. The examples of what they've already done and are planning to do give an exciting sense of the solutions that exist and the new ways we can design our buidlings, campuses, communities, institutions, etc. to create a fossil-fuel free, sustainable future. He also provides a great concrete example of how the collective action of the ACUPCC is helping to beneift all the schools involved, in a more coordinated way than if they were all just 'going it alone':

http://www.thestate.com/editorial-columns/story/692550.html

And finally, while I'm in a roll posting links, here's a new article about the ACUPCC Carbon Offset Prtocol, the development of which we at Second Nature helped coordinate:

http://www.nwf.org/campusEcology/climateedu/articleView.cfm?iArticleID=56

Stay going...