The 40th anniversary of the first Earth Day in the United States offers a time for reflection as well as a time to look forward. Companies, organizations, and educational institutions large and small are promoting and adopting green methods of doing business. "Going Green" is a phrase used to signify and implement various approaches and practices intended to benefit the environment. Currently, this vernacular is applied to both small incremental adjustments in practices, such as changing all the lights from traditional incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL), and to larger systemic changes that attempt to drastically bring down a university's carbon footprint.
In the Sierra Club's third annual list of environmentally forward-thinking colleges and universities not a single online institution was listed in the top ten or even the top thirty ("Cool Schools," 2009). Although numerous educational institutions have adopted environmental practices, very little information concerning the environmental efforts of online institutions is available. Online learning institutions have a unique opportunity to participate in, and even lead, the environmental movement in education. With wise planning, determination, and resolve online institutions can act as models for sustainability and best green practices.
Though e-learning necessitates electricity-intensive equipment including hardware, server space and capacity, and bandwidth, universities employing e-learning techniques are uniquely suited to lead the way in affecting meaningful and green changes to the educational landscape. Energy consumption cannot be completely eradicated in the online environment; yet online institutions can adopt common sense solutions to make schools as environmentally friendly as possible. For this presentation, one online institution's journey toward a more sustainable future, both at the administrative workplace and with the online student body, will be shared. The main points of the presentation focus on online green initiatives promoting student success; online environmental efforts enhancing the work of faculty, staff, and administrators; and institutional best practices that expand community outreach, reduce operating costs, and help lead the way on global environmental stewardship.
As a charter signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) American Public University System (APUS) has made a commitment to reviewing its administrative practices, curriculum, and student engagement initiatives to ensure that all are as green as possible. Of the nearly 700 signatories to this commitment, APUS remains the only fully online university to sign. APUS' greenhouse gas emissions inventory, completed as required by the ACUPCC in January 2009, reveals that as an online institution, the school is emitting significantly less emissions than brick and mortar universities but the school realizes that there is still work to be done to achieve the goal of complete carbon neutrality.
To that end, APUS has implemented several measures which will further reduce its overall carbon footprint. In early 2009, for example, a comprehensive recycling program was implemented at both of the school's campuses. In addition, after the Information Technology department conducted a paper usage audit, determining that APUS staff were printing approximately 234,699 pages every month, all network printers were set to default to print double-sided. The school hopes to cut its paper usage in half with this single initiative and will continue to conduct usage audits to track success. The Student Records team has recently completed the digitization of all student files and records which has several benefits for the university. Not only has the digitization process virtually eliminated the need to use paper in the Student Records department and processes, students now have even greater access to their files which are now in digital format available through a secure internet connection. Additionally, employees in Student Records have reported that since the digitization project, they are better equipped to assist students who have questions about their records since there is no longer the hassle of managing, filing, and locating large volumes of papers.
APUS has a well-established Environmental Studies program which allows interested students an opportunity to thoroughly explore various aspects of sustainability. The program adequately prepares students for the growing number of green jobs that are emerging as the recognition of the climate crisis and America's need to invest in green technologies grows. Currently, the university system is constructing a new Academic Center in the heart of downtown historic Charles Town, West Virginia. Remaining mindful of the unique and historic atmosphere in which the school is headquartered, APUS is taking tremendous strides to provide an aesthetically pleasing building that also meets the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Standard for new construction. Expected to be occupied by 2011, the building will be the first privately-funded LEED Gold certified building in the state of West Virginia. The above-mentioned initiatives are only a few of those that the university system has undertaken to date to help secure a greener future for APUS and those who the university system serves.
Information will be shared with participants through a multi-media presentation including elements of video, short interviews, pictures, and illustrations using Web 2.0 technologies. Individuals in attendance will be presented with details describing APUS' efforts through the multi-media presentation as well as through providing specific data on green initiatives enacted by the institution. Additionally, participants will be engaged through discussion on greening student success, employee performance, and civic and fiscal responsibility. Conversations will include recommendations of how to further research in the area of online environmentalism as well as how to apply successful green practices at both online and on-ground institutions of learning.
