25 August 2009

Students focus on green Michigan Tech campus

After determining Michigan Technological University produces greenhouse gases equal to about 73,000 tons of carbon dioxide a year, or about 10 tons for every student and employee on campus, a student-run group wanted to help the school cut back on its carbon footprint.

Now the group, called Green Campus Enterprise, is exploring strategies like using wind turbines to generate electricity on campus. In addition, they also plan an energy-saving competition in which residence halls will compete to see who can save the most energy.

Enterprise, a signature program at Michigan Tech, brings students from different disciplines together in a business-model organization to tackle a real-world problem. Industry often sponsors Enterprise team efforts.

Green Enterprise advisor Chris Wojick called the carbon footprint study “an important first step.”

“Many universities are still striving to do this,” said Wojick, a senior research engineer in the civil and environmental engineering department. “Getting a handle on your greenhouse gas emissions is essential. If you don’t, you can’t really know what impact your reduction measures will have.”

For related information, go to www.isa.org/environment.