CSU takes “Green and Gold” to the next level by being one of the greenest campuses in the US

By Sarah Dills

Published February 20, 2022

Anyone who is a part of the Colorado State University community has heard about the various sustainability awards that the school frequently achieves. From being the only institution to receive the STARS Platinum rating three times to being one of the 30 schools on The Princeton Review’s Green Honor Roll, it’s clear that CSU has become one of the country’s leading universities in sustainability. But what does this actually look like? What programs and actions have made it possible for CSU to achieve these accomplishments?

For starters, nothing would have been achieved without the support and dedication of the CSU community. Maybe it’s the natural beauty of Colorado that inspires students to protect the environment. Or maybe it’s being a part of a group of eco-friendly students that encourages the continuous reduction of waste. Whatever the reason, it’s working.

Students have proven over the years that continuing to improve the university’s sustainability is a goal that they are passionate about. With more than 25 majors focused on environmentalism and more than 15 sustainability clubs to join, there are countless opportunities for students to learn more and make a difference. Even those who aren’t studying sustainability can be seen using reusable shopping bags and composting their coffee cups.

Speaking of composting, the program at CSU has been a huge factor in the reduction of waste on campus. In 2010, CSU built a new onsite composting unit, affectionately named Oscar. Sheela Backen, the program manager of Integrated Solid Waste from 1997 to 2021, shares that Oscar has been a huge reason for CSU’s sustainability successes. “On-campus composting is one of the changes that really makes a difference in the race to zero-waste on campus,” Backen says. Each day, Oscar accepts about 2,000 pounds of food waste and compostable products from the dining halls, the Lory Student Center, the Stadium, and academic departments. Oscar diverts about 300,000 pounds of food waste from the landfill each year and over 3 million pounds of waste since 2010.

In addition to a top-tier composting program, CSU has implemented many various programs and features around campus to encourage the reduction of waste. In 2017, CSU installed over 100 water bottle filling stations around campus to reduce the use of plastic bottles. In recent years, incoming students have been given reusable utensils and shopping bags to encourage refusing disposables. And as the recycling and composting guidelines have been updated, so has the information around campus. On the trash, recycling, and composting bins around campus, there are instructions posted on what should be disposed of in each bin. These signs have made it much easier to dispose of items correctly, reducing the contamination of trash in the recycling, compost in the trash, etc. By making the information super accessible, the campus gets closer to reaching its zero-waste goal.

Another notable feature of CSU’s campus is its sustainable buildings. CSU Housing and Dining Services is committed to building and remodeling campus buildings to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Some of the goals with sustainable housing are to increase water efficiency, conserve energy, manage waste, and reuse materials. Braiden, Edwards, and Parmelee resident halls are now installed with solar arrays that produce 300kW of renewable electricity each year. Braiden and Parmalee received fourth-floor renovations that reused 98% of the existing structure, updating the floor without generating added waste. Edwards and Ingersol halls received new exterior walls, windows, and energy-efficient insulation, which increased the energy efficiency of the building by 300%. Braiden, Parmelee, Corbett, Summit, and Aggie Apartments installed a total of 731 ultra-flow showerheads, which saves about 2.3M gallons of water annually. As CSU continues to work towards reducing its waste, the community can expect to see more changes to the buildings on campus.

With all of the amazing changes CSU has implemented to increase sustainability, many other institutions can look at CSU as an inspiration. Backen recommends making sustainability a campus-wide goal. “Working with the whole campus, from custodial staff to the president’s office, and gaining the support and cooperation of everyone on campus is the most important thing [a university] can do,” Backen says. “Make sure you offer sustainability training to all of the sections on campus.” Some of CSU’s changes that other campuses should implement include creating a President’s Sustainability Commission, installing solar panels, making changes to create a bike-friendly campus, using geothermal energy, and signing a renewable electricity pledge. As one of the country’s most sustainable universities, CSU should continue to share its successes to encourage others to follow in its footsteps.

Of course, even with the improvements to CSU’s sustainability, there is always more to do. CSU should “continue to train incoming students […] on the proper way to compost and recycle without contaminating the streams,” Backen says. By learning more about what is recyclable and compostable in Larimer County, students, faculty, and staff can continue to reduce their waste. Additionally, Backen recommends that the campus work to “limit its use of electricity and water as much as possible.” Another way CSU can reduce waste is by providing support and resources to students who live off-campus. A lot of changes have been made to reduce waste on campus, but off-campus there is less guidance. By sharing information on how to reduce waste in a house or apartment, the CSU off-campus community can improve its sustainability as well.

Though CSU has achieved awards and made extreme changes, there is always room for improvement. By continuing with the programs already implemented, as well as researching what other universities do, and spreading awareness of the importance of sustainability, CSU can grow even closer to being a zero-waste campus and community.

To learn more about CSU’s sustainability program, visit the Green @ CSU website.