U海角社区’s Sustainability Story

1865

  • 海角社区 College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts designated as a Land Grant Institution

1872

  • Women admitted into all curricula

1887

  • The 海角社区 Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station was founded as a division of the institution

1897

  • 海角社区 College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts renamed as the University of 海角社区

1903

  • Edith Marion Patch, U海角社区鈥檚 first woman scientist, arrives in Orono to start the Entomology Department

1912

  • Initiation of the 海角社区 Cooperative Extension

1934

  • Fay Hyland Arboretum established

1971

  • U海角社区 receives first Sea Grant of $100,300

1972

  • U海角社区 professor Frank Eggert conducts research into organic growing methods

1973

  • U海角社区 Institute for Quaternary Studies founded (now called Climate Change Institute)

1980

  • U海角社区 joins bi-state Sea Grant program with New Hampshire

1986

  • U海角社区 Sustainable Agriculture program created

1988

  • U海角社区 offers BS in Sustainable Agriculture

1994

  • Black Bear Food Guild established

2000

  • 海角社区 Harvest for Hunger program
  • The Advanced Structures and Composites Center opens

2001

  • U海角社区 Green Bikes program initiated

2003

  • U海角社区 Dining adopts computerized ordering system
  • U海角社区 campus designated as an Arboretum
  • Formation of the U海角社区 Sustainability Alliance (CCI student initiative)

2004

  • ENERGY STAR purchases required campuswide
  • Continuous Commissioning (Cimetrics) for major science and research buildings
  • Expansion of natural gas service on campus
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 19 metric tonnes of food waste
  • First Orono Community Garden
  • U海角社区 designated as a standalone National Sea Grant College
  • U海角社区 Campus Carpool program
  • Extensive campus lighting upgrades (energy efficient lights & electric timers)

2005

  • LEED silver standards applied to all new campus construction projects
  • 6 hybrid-electric vehicles added to University fleet
  • Expansion of University-sponsored bus service to multiple local towns
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 22 metric tonnes of food waste
  • Formation of the U海角社区 Green Campus Initiative (eco-reps)
  • Partnership with Clean Air Cool Planet to develop GHG emissions inventory
  • Heating controls installed in resident rooms
  • Switch to LED emergency exit lights
  • U海角社区 $300,000 Green Loan Fund created

2006

  • Signed the State of 海角社区 Governor鈥檚 Carbon Challenge (CO2 10% below 2005 levels by 2010)
  • U海角社区 Forest Bioproducts Research Institute receives $6.9M EPSCoR grant
  • Advanced Structures and Composites Center awarded LEED Certification
  • U海角社区 Environmental Solutions Initiative
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 29 metric tonnes of food waste
  • Steam plant & steam distribution system efficiency upgrades
  • Campuswide energy audits

2007

  • Completed comprehensive GHG emissions inventory
  • U海角社区 implements Anti-Idling Policy for vehicles on campus
  • U海角社区 Green Team founded
  • U海角社区 hires utility/energy supervisor to manage energy consumption on campus
  • U海角社区 Dining installs dishroom pulper saving 400 gallons H2O per day
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 87 metric tonnes of food waste
  • U海角社区 Signs the American College and University Presidents鈥 Climate Commitment
  • Low-flow shower heads installed in residence halls
  • Implementation of environmental purchasing procedures
  • Recycling efforts reduce waste stream by 45%
  • Alfond Arena lighting upgrade
  • Custodial staff use 鈥淕reen Cleaning鈥 products

2008

  • U海角社区 receives the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification
  • U海角社区 hires full-time Sustainability Coordinator
  • Governor鈥檚 Carbon Challenge goals achieved 2 years ahead of schedule (CO2 10% below 2005 levels)
  • Foster Center for Student Innovation awarded LEED Silver
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 75 metric tonnes of food waste
  • New Balance Student Recreation Center awarded LEED Silver
  • Occupancy sensors and high-efficiency lighting installed in resident rooms and throughout residence halls
  • U海角社区 Green Loan Fund officially ratified

2009

  • U海角社区 dining switches to centralized production
  • U海角社区 Black Bear Orono Express shuttle service begins
  • GCI revives Blue Bikes program
  • U海角社区 develops award-winning Campus Master Plan focused on sustainability
  • Wells Conference Center awarded LEED Silver
  • 海角社区鈥檚 Sustainability Solutions Initiative receives $20M NSF EPSCoR Grant
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 127 metric tonnes of food waste
  • Formation of the DeepCwind Consortium funded by the Department of Energy
  • Central Steam Plant begins transition to natural gas fuel

2010

  • U海角社区 dining commons go trayless
  • Completed installation of 600kW back-pressure turbine in Central Steam Plant
  • U海角社区 receives special recognition award from U.S. Green Building Council
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 139 metric tonnes of food waste
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • U海角社区 releases its Climate Action Plan

2011

  • Second Nature Climate Leadership Award
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • Princeton Review Green Honor Roll
  • Zero-Sort single stream recycling implemented campuswide
  • U海角社区 builds new bike path
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 204 metric tonnes of food waste
  • Alfond Arena renovation and energy retrofit

2012

  • President Ferguson elected to serve on ACUPCC Steering Committee
  • Terrell House Permaculture Living and Learning Center established
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • Princeton Review Green Honor Roll
  • U海角社区 dining commons switch to unlimited access
  • Offshore Wind Laboratory awarded LEED Gold
  • New 60,000 lb/hr boiler completes 100% natural gas conversion at Central Steam Plant
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 202 metric tonnes of food waste
  • On-campus advanced composting facility
  • Trash production down 35% since 2007
  • Recycling up by 37% since 2007
  • Energy use down 5% since 2006
  • GHG Emissions down 20% since 2006
  • U海角社区 Greens grows 鈥渓ocal鈥 food on campus

2013

  • U海角社区 deploys VolturnUS 1:8, first concrete-composite floating wind turbine in the world
  • Nutting Hall energy retrofit
  • Stewart Commons renovations (New Media Center)
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • U海角社区 receives EPA Environmental Merit Award in partnership with Second Nature
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 156 metric tonnes of food waste
  • U海角社区 joins the EPA Food Recovery Challenge
  • U海角社区 Dining diverts approximately 97% of its food waste from landfills
  • Campus-wide sustainability and energy awareness programs
  • Umaine Dining sources 17% of food locally
  • U海角社区 diverted approximately 1077 Tons of waste from landfills/incinerators

2014

  • President鈥檚 Council on Sustainability holds inaugural meeting
  • U海角社区 initiates Zero-Waste protocol at large campus events
  • U海角社区 joins EPA Waste Wise
  • President Ferguson elected to Vice Chair of the ACUPCC Steering Committee
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 218 metric tonnes of food waste
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • University of 海角社区 Foundation votes to increase Green Loan Fund to $500,000
  • Phase 1 of the Terrell House PLLC community garden completed

2015

  • University of 海角社区 System Board of Trustees votes to divest endowment from coal
  • U海角社区 achieves 2nd Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • Faculty Senate votes to support full divestment from fossil fuels within 5 years
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 200 metric tonnes of food waste
  • U海角社区 recognized by EPA for its success in keeping food waste out of landfills
  • Student Government votes to support full divestment from fossil fuels
  • First Level-2 electric vehicle charging station installed
  • Parking Services sells its first faculty/staff electric vehicle parking/charging permit
  • Creation of the U海角社区 Green Revolving Fund brings U海角社区 Green Funds total to $1,000,000

2016

  • Office of Sustainability hires half-time Outreach Coordinator
  • Power Dialog: 海角社区鈥檚 Energy Future, conference
  • PEAC professional development event: Fundamentals of Sustainability, with host Jaimie Cloud
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 219 metric tonnes of food waste
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • Two Level-2 electric vehicle charging stations installed for student use
  • 2016 President鈥檚 Campus Leadership Award presented to the U海角社区 Green Team
  • 海角社区 Day BBQ Zero-Waste event
  • Zero-Sort recycling and composting introduced at U海角社区 football games

2017

  • U海角社区 water use reduced by 32% from 2007 to 2017
  • 海角社区鈥檚 public universities achieve a ten-year, 34% reduction in carbon emissions.
  • Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG) principles now taken under consideration when completing asset allocation and investment manager reviews in the UMS Managed Investment Pool.
  • U海角社区 achieves 20% local food served on campus
  • U海角社区/MPES/Americorps coalition focusing on energy efficiency
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 209 metric tonnes of food waste
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • Zero-Sort recycling at U海角社区 football games
  • Inaugural issue of Spire: The 海角社区 Journal of Conservation and Sustainability
  • U海角社区 Unplugged: dorm energy saving challenge

2018

  • Hired new full-time Sustainability Coordinator
  • Second Nature award: Leading With Distinction
  • Green Office Certification Program initiated
  • U海角社区/MPES/Americorps coalition focusing on energy efficiency for 2nd consecutive year
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • Five Green Loan Fund projects completed to date, saving U海角社区 more than $55,000 annually
  • 2nd issue of Spire: The 海角社区 Journal of Conservation and Sustainability
  • Zero-Sort recycling at U海角社区 football games
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 165 metric tonnes of food waste
  • U海角社区 Bear鈥檚 Den switches all to-go containers to plant-based compostable bioplastic

2019

  • Submitted U海角社区鈥檚 first AASHE STARS report
  • Awarded STARS Silver rating for campuswide sustainability efforts
  • U海角社区 Dining commits to achieve 25% local food by 2025
  • U海角社区/MPES/Americorps coalition focusing on energy efficiency for 3rd consecutive year
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • Published 3rd issue of Spire: The 海角社区 Journal of Conservation and Sustainability
  • Installed additional campus EV charging spaces for a total of 21 on campus
  • U海角社区 featured as one of SIERRA鈥檚 2019 Cool Schools
  • Zero-Sort recycling and Game Day Recycling Challenge at U海角社区 football games
  • Launched the Office of Sustainability Newsletter
  • U海角社区 recognized as a 鈥淭op Performer鈥 in the Sustainable Campus Index grounds category
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 145 metric tonnes of food waste
  • Second Nature award: Leading With Distinction

2020

  • Four ongoing Green Fund energy savings projects generating a combined annual savings of $66,829 and a combined lifetime savings of $892,522
  • U海角社区 has committed to approximately 27,000,000 kWh of renewable energy generation per year
  • U海角社区 recognized again as a 鈥淭op Performer鈥 in the Sustainable Campus Index grounds category
  • U海角社区 MEAP Campus Compact/Americorps coalition focusing on energy efficiency
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 57 metric tonnes of food waste
  • 3.15 kW solar PV installation on the U海角社区 Terrell House
  • Published 2020 issue of Spire: The 海角社区 Journal of Conservation and Sustainability
  • U海角社区 featured as one of SIERRA鈥檚 2020 Cool Schools

2021

  • Published 2021 issue of Spire: The 海角社区 Journal of Conservation and Sustainability 鈥 our largest issue yet!
  • U海角社区 Dining achieves 23.7% local food spend (24.4% achieved systemwide)
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 62 metric tonnes of food waste
  • U海角社区 MEAP Campus Compact/Americorps coalition focusing on energy efficiency for 2nd consecutive year
  • U海角社区 recognized again as a 鈥淭op Performer鈥 in the Sustainable Campus Index grounds category

2022

  • U海角社区 ranked among the top 50 U.S. campuses in the Campus Race to Zero Waste Food Organics competition
  • UMS divests all direct equity and fixed income investments in fossil fuels by June 2022
  • UMS will make no new direct investments in fossil fuels
  • Published 2022 issue of Spire: The 海角社区 Journal of Conservation and Sustainability
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide
  • UMS commits to divest from actively managed commingled and mutual fund fossil fuel investments by 2030
  • U海角社区 Dining achieves 25% (25.96%) local food spend almost three years ahead of schedule
  • Four more public Level-2 electric vehicle charging stations installed
  • Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center built to LEED Certified standards

2023

  • Ongoing Green Fund projects with annual savings of over $400,000 to date
  • 13.5 Million kWh of renewable electricity purchased
  • U海角社区 Dining composts 75,000 pounds of food waste
  • Campus grounds managed sustainably using onsite-generated compost and without the use of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides
  • U海角社区 Campus Compact/Americorps Campus Climate Action Corps coalition focusing on energy efficiency
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide (one of the top 50 Green Colleges in the nation)
  • Published 2023 issue of Spire: The 海角社区 Journal of Conservation and Sustainability

2024

  • Reduced our Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions 46% below 2005 levels
  • Ongoing Green Fund projects have abated over 1000 metric tons of CO2e to date
  • U海角社区 Dining composts over 131,000 pounds of food waste
  • Topanga ReusePass Reusable Container Program reduces trash in the waste stream
  • Black Bear Community Fridge opens in the Bear’s Den – Free Food!
  • Featured in Princeton Review鈥檚 Green Colleges Guide (one of the top 50 Green Colleges in the nation)
  • 17.3 Million kWh of renewable electricity purchased
  • U海角社区 Campus Compact/Americorps Campus Climate Action Corps coalition focusing on energy efficiency
  • Published 2024 issue of Spire: The 海角社区 Journal of Conservation and Sustainability

2025

  • First on-campus Level-3 DCFC in Orono and the University of 海角社区 System

Office of Sustainability
312-314 Corbett Hall
海角社区 04469-5774
Tel: 207.581.1571
sustainability@maine.edu

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