In 2003, President Mary Sue Coleman established an Environmental Task Force to “develop a plan for the University of Michigan to create a more sustainable future.” This Task Force is charged with identifying indicators which best measure the progress of the University with respect to its environmental performance, as well as investigating how these indicators might best be measured and reported on a regular basis. This report presents recommendations of the Task Force in response to President Coleman’s charge.
The University of Michigan (U-M) has a long history of leadership and innovation on environmental issues (see timeline below).[1] There are close to 200 environmental stewardship projects currently underway at the University.[2] These include programs in recycling, energy conservation, building design, pollution prevention, emissions reduction, alternative-fuel vehicles, storm water management and de-icing and anti-icing impact reduction. A complete list of programs and initiatives is included in the Appendix. Noteworthy initiatives include Energy Star, alternative-fuel vehicles and recycling. Through the implementation of U. S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program, which began in 1997, U-M saves 25 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to power 1,600 average-size homes.[1] This program also saves $9.7 million per year.[2] In recognition of these efforts, the Central Power Plant received the EPA Energy Star Combined Heat & Power Award in September 2003. U-M also operates the largest alternative-fueled fleet in the state with 110 diesel-powered vehicles that burn bio-diesel fuel and more than 400 passenger cars that burn ethanol fuel.[2] Lastly, recycling efforts at U-M capture roughly 30 percent of the solid waste stream. In recognition of its recycling efforts, U-M received the National Recycling Coalition' s 2001 Outstanding School Program.[2]
In a survey administered as part of a report by the National Wildlife Federation's Campus Ecology Program, over 60 percent of U. S. institutions of higher learning were found to exhibit good environmental practices. When asked why campuses were implementing environmental programs, the number one response from college presidents (from 64% of those surveyed) was that such programs fit with the culture and values on America's college and university campuses. Presidents also cited public relations (47%) and cost-effectiveness (41%) as important factors.[3]
Over 270 colleges and universities worldwide have produced campus sustainability assessments. Approximately half of these were comprehensive sustainability assessments, while the other half were focused on one specific issue within the broader sustainability arena.[4] U. S. institutions producing reports include Michigan State University,[5] University of Florida,[6] Pennsylvania State University,[7] University of Vermont,[8] University of North Carolina[9] and Yale University.
Following an initial research effort to explore the feasibility of developing a sustainability report for the University, a team of School of Natural Resources & Environment (SNRE) graduate students formed in January 2001 to assess the environmental, social and economic performance of the University's Ann Arbor campus (UM-AA). Their research was conducted in collaboration with U-M's Center for Sustainable Systems and U-M's Occupational Safety and Environmental Health Department (OSEH) and involved over 30 other U-M departments. Project objectives included:
Indicators were proposed using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)[10] as a template, and were based on an extensive review of reports from corporations and other colleges and universities. Twenty-five environmental performance indicators were defined and these served as the basis for selecting the eight Environmental Performance Indicators recommended in this report. The findings of the students’ efforts were presented to Interim President B. Joseph White in June of 2002, and to President Mary Sue Coleman in December of 2002.