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Getting gold in green

Amy Downey
During Green Move Out, students can keep extra matter out of landfills by placing unwanted items into designated green bins or Pod containers around campus.
During Green Move Out, students can keep extra matter out of landfills by placing unwanted items into designated green bins or Pod containers around campus. PHOTOGRAPH BY ADAM ATKINSON

Through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, institutions around the world can measure their sustainability performance. This past year, Lafayette earned a gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education thanks to a variety of efforts on campus including the following:

  • 80-plus organized green events and at least 35 paid opportunities for students to engage in sustainability.
  • 22,000 pounds of unused or gently used items (i.e., clothing, household supplies) were collected last spring and redistributed through the Green Move Out program.
  • Two-thirds of all departments conduct sustainability research.
  • 15,000 pounds of produce grown and distributed every year by LaFarm.
  • 42% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2007 baseline.
  • 12 buildings on campus had LED lights installed, which were financed through the Green Revolving Fund.
  • 60% of academic departments offer courses that focus or touch on sustainability.

To learn more about Lafayette and it’s commitment to sustainability you can visit sustainability.lafayette.edu

Amy Downey Avatar
Amy Downey
Amy Downey is the editor-in-chief of Lafayette magazine. She has 20 years of experience in the magazine industry, including being on the editorial staffs at city regional publications such as Boston and Philadelphia. More recently, she was a senior editor for Penn Stater, the alumni magazine of Penn State University, from where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English with a focus in creative writing and publishing. She and her family moved to the Lehigh Valley in 2017.

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