Cleaner Energy, More Recycling

Switching to 100% renewable energy for its campus electric supply and achieving significant gains in waste reduction and recycling have boosted Knox College's rating with the American Association for Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

Knox is now rated among "Silver STARS" colleges and universities for 2015, up from its ranking among "Bronze STARS" institutions in 2014.

"The increase in Knox's rating reflects consistent progress in making sustainability part of both academics and campus worklife," said Ramona VanRiper, director of the College's Office of Campus Sustainability Initiatives.

Nearly 700 institutions in the United States and Canada submit data to AASHE under its STARS program -- Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System.

Initiatives that strengthened Knox's rating include signing a contract to purchase electricity from renewable sources. In the past year, Knox also greatly increased the recycling of food waste into compost for the campus farm. In addition, the College and outside contractors reduced or recycled much of the construction and demolition waste during year-long, $12-million renovation of Alumni Hall.

Knox also moved up in the ratings by continuing to incorporate sustainability into the curriculum and supporting sustainability-related research by faculty.

"Knox is making the campus into a 'living laboratory,' by going beyond the classroom and teaching about sustainability by engaging students in community-based actions," VanRiper said.

Examples of student activities include:

• Student-run campus farm that produces thousands of pounds of organic produce annually
• Student-staffed campus bike shop and campus bike-sharing program
• Student interns who promote zero-waste and low-waste events on campus and in the community
• Students in environmental studies are assigned to design activities that will decrease Knox's environmental impact; several of their proposals have been put into action, including public transportation guides for students

Of the 25 schools in Illinois that reported data to AASHE, only three achieved Gold STARS ratings, and Knox is one of just four at the Silver level.

Above, Sustainability on and off-campus: (1) preparing food waste for composting on campus; (2) the annual "prairie burn" at the Green Oaks Biological Field Station; (3) handling construction waste during Alumni Hall renovation. Top of page, a student works in a campus "high tunnel" growing vegetables for the campus cafeteria. More sustainability photos in a collection at the Knox College Flickr channel.