By Graham B. Spanier
President, The Pennsylvania State University
In an impressive display of support from Penn State students on an issue of extraordinary importance to our country and the community, thousands of signed statements advocating the energy efficiency and ecological improvements were delivered to my office. I want to thank these students for their advocacy and on their personal commitment to the very important work of environmental stewardship.
This University shares these objectives, including reduction of greenhouse emissions. I want to lend my personal support to such efforts. Penn State will take every step possible to reduce emissions without unduly increasing our costs. In light of that commitment, I would like to share with the University community some of Penn State's efforts.
We are currently working on an overall energy master plan. The current environmental plan that the University has in place has us achieving a significant, double-digit reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2012. Our goals are aggressive, particularly given the continued growth of the campus, and will require support from the entire community.
The basis of the plan is as follows:
-- Continue with our plan to purchase Renewable Energy Credits. This in combination with the state's mandated Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard will get our total renewable percentage to 22 percent by 2012 using funds already committed.
-- Continue with our plan for an aggressive awareness campaign. Approximately 30 percent of our energy usage is under the direct control of the building occupants. There are important steps that can be taken in offices and residence halls to reduce dramatically our energy consumption.
-- Continue to partner with research units on new technologies such as carbon sequestration, bio-digesters and solar collector design.
-- Continue with our initiative to reduce overall petroleum consumption by reducing our overall service fleet, converting our diesel vehicles to use bio-diesel (B20) and converting some of our service vehicles to alternative fuels.
-- Continue with our Guaranteed Energy Savings Projects.
In addition to the specific steps outlined above, we have the following general goals as part of our environmental strategy:
-- Leadership and Best Management Practices
-- Environmentally Responsible Purchasing Policies
-- Efficient Use and Conservation of Energy, Water and Other Resources
-- Minimize Solid Waste Production
-- Minimize Hazardous Waste and Toxic Materials on Campus
-- Environmentally Responsible Campus Design and Planning Principles
-- Transportation
With the opening of the SALA Building last year, the University brought its first fully certified "green" building online. Going forward, all new buildings built at Penn State will include environmentally sensitive design features and technologies.
Global warming is a real threat for the global environment. Penn State is committed to do its part to support efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Everyone in the Penn State community needs to do all that they personally can to cut down on unnecessary energy consumption.
With the plans that are currently in place and the commitment of our students, faculty and staff, Penn State can set a standard that will produce notable results. I am proud of the work being done within the Office of Physical Plant to achieve these goals and equally proud of the students who are speaking up on this critical issue.
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For examples of things the University has done to date to maintain or improve the environment, go to http://www.psu.edu/ur/psugreen/ online.