Higher Education in a Warming World - The Business Case for Climate Leadership on Campus See the report at www.nwf.org.

A new report by the National Wildlife Federation cites Oberlin College as an example of U.S. campuses that are leading the way toward an environmentally sustainability future.

Oberlin's initiatives and best practices are featured in the report, "Higher Education in a Warming World: The Business Case for Climate Leadership on Campus," which explains how institutions are taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The report argues the business, educational and ethical reasons for environmentally sustainable solutions.

The purpose of the report is to show how campuses are a model for best practices, says Justin Schott, one of the authors and a field coordinator for the NWF's campus ecology program.

"Campuses are a hub for innovation and change, and they have more flexibility to test processes that are too risky for businesses to try on their own," Schott says. "The report looks at a lot of specific project examples and talks about return investments, the up-front costs, and what businesses can save. It demonstrates how businesses can prioritize their energy-saving projects to get the biggest bang for their buck."

Businesses and higher education are capable of taking risks in different areas, says John Petersen, associate professor of environmental studies.

"Higher education often takes a stand on moral principles," Petersen says. "For example, higher ed took the lead on divestment from South Africa and anti-sweatshop labor policies, and many corporations then followed. Once an ethical standard has been established, businesses are often interested in following this standard. The standard we are seeking to establish here is that it is no longer acceptable for organizations to contribute to climate change."

Oberlin's Adam Joseph Lewis Center and the Campus Resource Monitoring System were featured examples in the report.

"In the Lewis Center, we have demonstrated that is possible for a facility to capture more electrical energy on an annual basis than it produces," Petersen says. "This is not yet cost effective for most businesses, but the fact that Oberlin has achieved this helps to establish and expand people's sense of what is feasible and an appropriate target."

Petersen has been working closely with students and faculty to develop the monitoring system, which uses real-time display to make students more aware of their energy use.   

"The concept engages, educates, and empowers greater stewardship," Petersen says. "I was pleased to see this featured in the NWF publication. There are a couple of Internet companies that have learned of this and have expressed an interest in developing similar systems on their corporate campuses."

The report makes a case for the role students' education will play in changing business practices. As colleges are developing sustainability solutions, they're training students to continue and implement new practices once they join the workforce, says Schott, and Petersen couldn't agree more.