Go Green! UW-Green Bay earns strong environmental rating
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is seeing STARS thanks to a new environmental rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
STARS — the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System — is a new program that measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. UW-Green Bay sought the STARS designation as both a nod to its “Eco U” roots and as a springboard for ongoing and future environmental efforts, said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Thomas K. Harden.
“UW-Green Bay’s participation in STARS provides a valuable measuring tool to help us define and quantify our strengths,” Harden said. “It also brings to light those areas where we can take action to better meet the challenge of sustainability across the University.”
The STARS program is the only one of its kind that involves publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in three major categories: education and research; operations; and planning, administration and engagement.
“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability committee to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said Paul Rowland, AASHE executive director. “UW-Green Bay has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS silver rating, and is to be congratulated for its efforts.”
AASHE, an association of colleges and universities that are working to create a sustainable future, seeks to empower higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. It provides resources, professional development and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do.
The STARS program is open to all colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the criteria that determine a school’s STARS ranking are transparent and easily accessible, AASHE officials said. STARS is based on sustainability credits earned, and therefore allows comparisons within and between institutions.
“We are very proud to have achieved a STARS silver rating for our sustainability accomplishments,” said Laurie Case, sustainability and strategic planning coordinator at UW-Green Bay. “We look forward to building on our past success, and will continue to use the STARS framework as a valuable benchmark for our progress.”
For more information about the STARS program. To view UW-Green Bay’s rating.
