UM Open House Aims To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 6/23, Missoula

The University of Montana will hold an open house Tuesday, June 23, to bring people together to share ideas on how to reduce UM’s greenhouse gases and include sustainability in the University’s academic mission.

The public is welcome to attend the event, which will run from noon to 2 p.m. in the University Center Theater.

UM is creating a Climate Action Plan to develop ways to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The University’s first Greenhouse Gas Inventory was completed last year, identifying three primary sources of emissions. They are purchased electricity, the on-campus steam plant and transportation associated with University activities.

The Climate Action Plan, scheduled to be completed in November, will prioritize strategies and set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, operations, transportation and solid waste. It also will identify opportunities to include sustainability in education, research and community outreach.

In 2007, UM President George Dennison signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, obligating the University to take several steps in pursuit of climate neutrality. Committees, working groups and the UM Office of Sustainability (directed by a full-time sustainability coordinator) were created to guide development and implementation of the plan.

UM has taken several steps to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and make sustainability part of the curriculum and other educational experiences.
All new buildings at UM are now required to be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council to at least LEED Silver. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

Energy audits were completed on several of the largest buildings on campus to identify energy conservation measures.

Select faculty recently attended the University-sponsored Green Thread workshop to learn to incorporate sustainability in their curriculum. Also, in the next academic year, a minor in climate change will be offered to UM students.

These are just a few of the recent actions taken. Others, such as encouraging alternative transportation and the University Dining Services Farm to College Program, were implemented several years ago.

Contact: Cherie Peacock, sustainability coordinator, UM Office of Sustainability, 406-243-6001, [email protected]

For more information, call the UM Office of Sustainability at 406-243-6001 or go online to http://www.umt.edu/greeningum.