Furman University's Sustainability Master Plan

One of the deciding factors for my choice of Furman University over LSU was Furman's prevalent culture of sustainability that wasn't present at my other options. This culture can be seen everywhere on campus, from the Farm where I work to the classroom recycling bins that outnumber trashcans to the ways the Dining Hall disposes of food waste. In addition to its work in the past with exterior groups, Furman has increased its individual goals for an even more sustainable campus with the Sustainability Master Plan.

Here are some things you should know about Furman's sustainability initiatives:

In the past Furman has pushed sustainability initiatives primarily in the educational sector of the university. (This is the reason why Sustainability Science is a major here). But now the campus is pushing more toward environmental commitments in "campus operations and construction practices, and public awareness initiatives" as well.

Furman has also collaborated with other colleges and universities in groups such as the Associated Colleges of the South and Duke Endowment Schools to create a more widespread culture of sustainability.

In 2007, Furman became a charter member of the American College and University President's Climate Commitment, which basically allowed the university to pledge a goal of campus carbon neutrality by 2026.

The Sustainability Master Plan is multi-faceted and explores many different areas of campus linked to improvements in sustainability. It's also really long (over 40 pages) so I'm just going to give you some of the high notes.

The Master Plan has eight goals to become a more sustainable campus. They are:

Goal 1: Expand and enhance curricular opportunities related to sustainability
Goal 2: Expand innovative co-curricular experiences to enhance student learning about sustainability
Goal 3: Create a campus-wide culture of conservation
Goal 4: Further improve the energy-effciency of buildings, operations, and information technology Goal 5: Create a more sustainable campus transportation system
Goal 6: Invest in large-scale renewable energy projects
Goal 7: Enhance sustainability service opportunities and create local carbon offset projects and programs
Goal 8: Capitalize on Furman’s national leadership role in the comprehensive promotion of sustainability

The document also contains a Climate Action Plan linked to the President's Climate Commitment. Because Furman signed on to the commitment it is required to complete an annual greenhouse gas emissions inventory, set deadlines for milestones in the program leading to the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality, make the plan for carbon neutrality available to the public, integrate sustainability into the curriculum, and last, but certainly not least, take immediate steps to reduce emissions. The Climate Action Plan has two parts: 1) an assessment of the university's current greenhouse gas emissions, and 2) strategies for reducing the emissions.

The plan lists beneficial outcomes to a sustainable Furman. Among them are:

• Greater student engagement in academics relating to sustainability, in prospective job opportunities, and, in a wider sense, greater engagement in civic responsibility
• Conservation culture and research leading to a better understanding of individual activities' impact on the environment
• Campus wellness from increased foot/cycle traffic as well as a larger percentage of food from local vendors being served in the Dining Hall
• Community connections from collaborative efforts with the surrounding area that could lead to increased research possibilities

In addition to these outcomes, it is more economically-efficient in the long run to follow sustainable practices and it gives the university and its officials a clear conscience in knowing that Furman is taking responsibility for its actions to provide a more secure future to its students.

If you're interested, here's the plan:

http://www2.furman.edu/academics/shicenter/Documents/sustainableFurmanweb2.pdf