{"id":619,"date":"2008-04-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2008-04-21T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ezing.me\/transfer\/?p=619"},"modified":"2014-09-23T09:24:36","modified_gmt":"2014-09-23T14:24:36","slug":"umgreen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web20.olemiss.edu\/news\/wordpress\/umgreen\/","title":{"rendered":"UM Sets Goal to Become A ‘Green’ American Public University"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\"green.jpg\"<\/p>\n
\nChancellor Robert Khayat signs the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment as a group of faculty, staff and students watch. UM photo by Nathan Latil.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi takes pride
\nin being “a great American public university.” Now, UM is
\nworking to add “green” to that description.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\nChancellor Robert Khayat has signed the American College &
\nUniversity Presidents’ Climate Commitment. Sponsored by the
\nAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher
\nEducation, the agreement challenges colleges and
\nuniversities to identify their greenhouse gas output, then
\ndevelop a plan to reduce those emissions over the next five
\nyears.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n“The Ole Miss Creed is based upon the value of respect, and
\nthat includes the environment,” Khayat said. “As a
\ncommunity, we are committed to being good stewards of the
\nEarth. It is important that the educational experience of
\nour students includes a keen awareness of the
\nresponsibilities of each of us to protect, preserve and
\nenhance our world.”<\/span>\n<\/p>\n


The first university in Mississippi to sign the commitment,
\nUM joins more than 500 member institutions in the movement
\nnationwide. The next phases of the university’s plan
\ninvolve establishing a Green Advisory Council, launching a
\nWeb site and developing communications strategies for both
\non- and off-campus efforts.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\nThe movement toward environmental responsibility has been
\nsimmering on campus for years, with students, faculty and
\nstaff independently spearheading recycling programs,
\norganizations and awareness campaigns. But with this
\ncommitment, the university fully embraces its role in
\ncaring for the planet, for current and future generations.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n“The Ole Miss Green Initiative presents a wonderful
\neducational opportunity for all of us to focus on reducing
\nour dependence on fossil fuels,” said Larry Sparks, vice
\nchancellor for administration and finance. “By signing this
\ndocument, we are pledging to neutralize campus greenhouse
\ngas emissions in a reasonable time frame.”
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nThe university’s approach to reducing its carbon footprint
\ninvolves reviewing virtually every aspect of what happens
\non campus, with an eye toward doing more with less, interim
\nProvost Morris Stocks said.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n“We hope to use the efficiency and sustainability policies
\nthat come out of this initiative as teaching tools for
\nfuture generations,” Stocks said.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\nMomentum is already building:
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n