Fry commits to green program
Aaron Strauss
Issue date: 1/14/11 Section: News
Sodexo is also working to establish a viable process for putting the University's food waste to good use.
"Our food service vendor is pursuing composting options, including identifying farms that will accept our food waste. There are many issues to consider and manage, including potential pest control problems. We will continue to monitor advances in these efforts and pursue opportunities that make sense for Drexel's urban location in the future," Tucker said.
Though Drexel has no intentions of creating an office specifically for sustainability management, Tucker admitted the University might have received a better grade if a department or staff were in place.
"Our comprehensive working structure integrates sustainability seamlessly into all aspects of the University rather than compartmentalizing these efforts. It is working very well at this time," Tucker said.
In addition to the work of the administration, Associate Vice President for University Procurement Joseph Campbell noted that a decline in student involvement also factored into the B- rating according to the survey. The only environmentally oriented student organizations currently are the Sierra Club, the Drexel Smart House and the Drexel Energy Club. Temple and the University of Pennsylvania both reported a greater number of environmental student organizations and received an A in the category of student involvement.
Though the three groups have a variety of current projects, there was greater student involvement in sustainability initiatives just a few years ago. The Sierra Club has continually been engaged in the University community during the past year with initiatives such as "Trayless Tuesdays" in April, as well as a campaign to bring cage-free eggs to the dining hall, but efforts are not as frequent now as they were when Drexel Green began in 2008.
After the release of Wednesday's press release, Kelsey Gibbons, former president of the Sierra Club, praised Fry's latest commitment, as well as setting high expectations for Drexel Green.
"This is a momentous occasion for the University community, and we are looking forward to seeing Drexel's action plan for achieving climate neutrality and incorporating sustainability into the curriculum," Gibbons said. "By signing the Presidents' Climate Commitment, Drexel is firmly establishing itself as a forerunner in climate stewardship, and we are confident that this bold leadership will allow the University to serve as a model for environmental excellence at the national level."
The 2011 Sustainability Report Card had the highest response from colleges, with 90 percent of the 322 colleges responding to at least one Report Card survey.
"Our food service vendor is pursuing composting options, including identifying farms that will accept our food waste. There are many issues to consider and manage, including potential pest control problems. We will continue to monitor advances in these efforts and pursue opportunities that make sense for Drexel's urban location in the future," Tucker said.
Though Drexel has no intentions of creating an office specifically for sustainability management, Tucker admitted the University might have received a better grade if a department or staff were in place.
"Our comprehensive working structure integrates sustainability seamlessly into all aspects of the University rather than compartmentalizing these efforts. It is working very well at this time," Tucker said.
In addition to the work of the administration, Associate Vice President for University Procurement Joseph Campbell noted that a decline in student involvement also factored into the B- rating according to the survey. The only environmentally oriented student organizations currently are the Sierra Club, the Drexel Smart House and the Drexel Energy Club. Temple and the University of Pennsylvania both reported a greater number of environmental student organizations and received an A in the category of student involvement.
Though the three groups have a variety of current projects, there was greater student involvement in sustainability initiatives just a few years ago. The Sierra Club has continually been engaged in the University community during the past year with initiatives such as "Trayless Tuesdays" in April, as well as a campaign to bring cage-free eggs to the dining hall, but efforts are not as frequent now as they were when Drexel Green began in 2008.
After the release of Wednesday's press release, Kelsey Gibbons, former president of the Sierra Club, praised Fry's latest commitment, as well as setting high expectations for Drexel Green.
"This is a momentous occasion for the University community, and we are looking forward to seeing Drexel's action plan for achieving climate neutrality and incorporating sustainability into the curriculum," Gibbons said. "By signing the Presidents' Climate Commitment, Drexel is firmly establishing itself as a forerunner in climate stewardship, and we are confident that this bold leadership will allow the University to serve as a model for environmental excellence at the national level."
The 2011 Sustainability Report Card had the highest response from colleges, with 90 percent of the 322 colleges responding to at least one Report Card survey.
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