Presentation of a "Gold Level" 2014 Campus Sustainability Compact Award by Eric Heineman (left), Governor Pat Quinn's sustainability director; and Kevin O'Brien (right), director of the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center; received by Ramona "Froggi" VanRiper (center), Knox College Director of Campus Sustainability Initiatives.

Knox College is one of just four colleges and universities to win Gold Level recognition from the State of Illinois this year in the Governor's Campus Sustainability Compact Awards.

The Gold Level Award honors "institutions that are integrating sustainability throughout their campus and working towards measured improvement."

Knox's sustainability initiatives include:

• Commitment to sustainability in the College's strategic plan
• Reduction of solid waste through composting, recycling and on-campus reuse, including a "Zero Waste" commencement last spring
• Commitment to purchase 100% renewable energy for the campus electric supply
• Commitment to purchase recycled paper and energy saving computer technology components where possible
• The Knox Farm that has produced close to 2,000 pounds of produce for use in campus dining facilities this year

The Illinois Campus Sustainability Compact outlines environmental goals for colleges and universities, such as purchasing renewable energy, implementing green building practices, developing sustainable transportation options, improving water conservation, and incorporating sustainable dining practices.

In all, 24 companies and organizations received Governor's Sustainability Awards on Oct. 23 in Chicago, at a ceremony sponsored by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, a unit of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The (sustainability) projects at Knox build lifestyles and habits of stewardship such that all who pass through the Knox campus will develop the knowledge and skills to practice sustainable choices in their next chapter of life." -- Ramona "Froggi" VanRiper, Director of Campus Sustainability Initiatives, in newspaper interview.

Above, a few of the sustainability initiatives at Knox: Providing correct containers to promote recycling; collection of materials from residence halls for reuse and recycling, tree planting during Earth Week.

• More sustainability photos on the Knox College Flickr page