In response to the B grade Loyola received on the College Green Report Card for 2011, Loyola continues to improve sustainability efforts.
Since 2008, Loyola has slowly improved in its ranking for the Green Report Card. Loyola is one of the 322 universities that is ranked each year by the Green Report Card website.
The website ranks universities nationwide on how they compare to other universities in their commitment to sustainability. Due to Loyola’s lack of support for active environmental activity on campus, the Loyola Sustainability Group was created three years ago.
Robert Thomas, mass communication professor and director for the Center for Environmental Communication, said Loyola received low grades in the past for not filling out the evaluation forms.
According to the College Green Report Card, which is run by the Sustainable Endowments Institute in Massachusetts, Tulane exceeded Loyola in the Climate Change and Energy category.
Loyola received a D grade on Climate Change and Energy, whereas Tulane received a B grade. Rob Foley, a senior research fellow at the Sustainable Endowments Institute, said Loyola received a low grade because it does not have active sustainability policies.
“One thing that I don’t see is the presence of a climate action plan,” Foley said.
Foley says that Loyola’s grade for the Climate Change and Energy section will most likely improve next year on the College Sustainability Report Card if they establish a carbon action plan. Members of the Sustainability Committee at Loyola are making a carbon action plan this year with hopes of improving Loyola’s image as an active, environmentally responsible university. The draft of the plan will be published and available to the public in mid-January.
The main sustainability goal for Loyola is to make buildings more energy efficient.
Elizabeth Davey, the director of Tulane Office of Environmental Affairs, said that energy consumption in buildings is a major factor when considering campus sustainability.
“Two-thirds of impact on climate change from campus activities comes from building energy use,” Davey said.
Although Loyola’s campus is considerably smaller than Tulane’s, it has made the effort to ensure that all current and future construction follow LEED Silver standards.
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, offers building owners and workers practical green building designs, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.
The buildings that are being reviewed to become LEED certified are Thomas Hall, Monroe Hall, the Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and the former Dominican Conference Center.
Thomas said that the goal for this year is for students to “Do their part. If students don’t do their part, then nothing really changes.”
Alex White, the co-captain of the Loyola Association of Students for Sustainability and accounting senior, said he believes that awareness can be achieved through education.
“What I want to see happen is a realization of where we get our energy from,” White said. White said he believes this awareness will increase the recognition Loyola receives from Green Report Card.
“They’re trying to do whatever is most sustainable, which is the important thing. The new renovations are like the foundation for all of Loyola to become more sustainable,” said Olivia Peavler, classical studies junior.
Natalia Matallana can be reached at [email protected]
