University of Puget Sound

College Sustainability Report Card 2009

President Thomas signed the Presidents Climate Commitment and the school is a signatory to the Talloires Declaration. A new part-time staff position is dedicated to sustainability, along with efforts from numerous staff in different departments. The Sustainability Advisory Committee has task forces responsible for transportation, energy, and waste reduction efforts.

Eighty-eight percent of the university's energy comes from hydropower, and some wind power is provided by a local electric utility. An emissions inventory is scheduled for completion in September 2008.

Dining services has been working to provide more local products and has contracted with a local dairy. A discount is given for using reusable mugs. Extensive recycling efforts on campus divert about one-third of the university's waste. Landscaping waste is reused as mulch and a worm bin handles preconsumer food waste. This year the school will pilot a food composting program.

The university constructs campus buildings using sustainability guidelines, which include LEED standards and life-cycle cost analysis. The university is currently constructing a facilities services complex and renovating a sustainable living house using LEED standards. The new science center is being built to meet LEED Silver standards.

Students with ideas for sustainability-related projects may apply for the Sustainability Advisory Committee’s grant program. The university hires a full-time student sustainability coordinator, along with recycling, composting, and utility management employees. Several student organizations host environmental awareness events and students participate in the Live Green Challenge, promoting energy, water, and waste reduction. A skit at orientation also educates students about sustainability.

The university’s transportation coordinator oversees the carpooling program, which provides reserved parking for carpool groups. The transportation subgroup of the Sustainability Advisory Committee sponsors free bus passes and helped establish a campus bike shop that shares and repairs bikes. The university is replacing gas-powered cars with electric vehicles.

The university does not make a list of endowment holdings public. This information is only available to trustees and senior administrators.

The university aims to optimize investment return and is currently invested in renewable energy funds.

The university does not have the ability to vote proxies, as the entire endowment is invested in mutual funds, commingled pools, or hedge funds.