Green Campus Initiatives

The University of Minnesota, Morris is deeply rooted in the tall prairie grass and connected to the blue prairie sky. The campus community has advanced sustainable, environmentally friendly initiatives since the original Earth Day. Since 2000, these efforts have grown to levels of national leadership and touch nearly all aspects of campus life - power, food, water, transportation, waste stream infrastructure, academic study, and quality of life.

UMM, a green campus: high energy, low consumption

UMM, a green campus: high energy, low consumption

Partnerships with University of Minnesota programs and a multitude of organizations, neighbors and friends on the prairie have been essential in this work. State and national resources have advanced our collective efforts. UMM is also a member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and the Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability (UMACS).

Green News: What's the latest at UMM?

UMM Chem Club earns Green Chapter status.
Morris campus to exhibit at Living Green Expo.
Senate panel showcases UMM's green initiatives.
Pine Hall wins UMM Campus Energy Wars 2008.
ZEV stops traffic on campus.
UMM's environmental studies major will begin accepting new students in the fall of 2008. Press release. UPDATE: Meet the first enrollee.
UMM provides "Green Learning" session at AAC&U. Click here to see Dr. Johnson's presentation as a PDF file in a new window.
Green Prairie Living and Learning Community to open in Fall 2009
Keep up to date with the blog.

Past green news

Green Energy

Wind power supplies up to 60 percent of UMM's electricity needs. The first large-scale wind research turbine ever constructed at a U.S. public university is located at the University of Minnesota's West Central Research and Outreach Center, near Morris. The renewable energy turbine, which began generating power in March 2005, produces 5.6 million kilowatt hours of power each year for UMM. The turbine was funded by the University of Minnesota's Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment (IREE). IREE has provided nearly $4 million for renewable energy research and demonstration at UMM.

Winds of Change Fact Sheet (PDF)
Energy research press release
Commissioning celebration press release

Green future: Biomass District
What's another use for corn stalks? As an alternative fuel for heating and cooling, which means a greener future for our children. In April 2005, the Minnesota Legislature approved a bonding bill that allocated $6 million to construct a biomass gasification demonstration and research facility at UMM. Using corn "stover," or stalks, from the region's farmers, this plant scale project will provide up to 80 percent of the campus' heating and cooling needs.

UMM's biomass leadership (pdf file)

Read more about the Biomass District Heating & Cooling System

Green Power: Leadership
The National Green Power Leadership Club recognizes outstanding commitments and achievements in green power, which significantly exceed Green Power Partnership purchase requirements. In October 2005, UMM received a Green Power Leadership Award for its commitment to on-site generation of renewable energy. The U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have also recognized UMM as a new member of the Green Power Leadership Club. Read more about it...

The University of Minnesota, Morris joins only 25 institutions nationwide in creating a national higher education steering committee on renewable energy. Lowell Rasmussen, UMM's vice chancellor for finance and facilities, has been invited to serve as a founding member of the Higher Education Steering Committee (HEC) of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). Rasmussen has played a significant role within the University of Minnesota in initiating renewable energy projects and developing partnerships across the University that advance sustainable energy priorities. Read more.

Green Eating

Pride of the Prairie icon as link
to their page

Click the graphic above for a high resolution version of the image.

Seeds for the first local foods initiative on a University of Minnesota campus were sown at UMM in the spring of 2001. UMM is a founding partner in the Pride of the Prairie Local Foods Initiative. Today the program is one of the longest running local food efforts in Minnesota higher education and was featured at Congressman Peterson's Home Grown Economy conference. Each spring, UMM hosts a Pride of the Prairie Food Expo and Farmer's Market, featuring locally and organically grown foods. Local foods are served every day in the campus' dining facilities. Read more about local foods at UMM: Local Foods Go to College -Pride of the Prairie (PDF file).

The Pride of the Prairie Fall Farmer's Market and Meal took place Tuesday, November 6, 2007. The students seemed to enjoy it. The Spring Local Foods Meal was held Tuesday, February 26, 2008 from 4:45-7 p.m. in the Food Service Building.

Green Education: Environmental studies major, service learning
While UMM has long offered environmental studies as an area of concentration, we are pleased to announce that, beginning in the fall of 2008, the campus will accept new students in its environmental studies major.

Students from all majors are welcome to participate in UMM's Service Learning program, partnering students with service to the community outside the campus. UMM's Service Learning: Sustainable Living initiative matches academic course goals with community needs in ongoing learning experiences. Student internships are available at the University of Minnesota's West Central Research and Outreach Center, on farms, and at partnering organizations. An snvironmental studies area of concentration for students offers in-depth academic exploration of green issues. Read more.

Green vehicles

The preferred vehicle of UMM admissions counselors, faculty, staff, and students is a gas/electric hybrid - the Toyota Prius. It wins on fuel economy (60 mpg/city) and fun. Everyone from WIRED to The Economist, The Wall Street Journal and the American Lung Association is recognizing the vehicle with innovation awards for energy, technology and health.

Green Conservation: Water
Campus facilities leaders commissioned a campus water resource conservation study in 2002. Today, residence halls and other campus buildings conserve more than two million gallons of water annually, saving $15,000 each year.

Green Disposal: Recycling

Recycling makes "cents" across the campus, both environmentally and financially. Recently, UMM recycled 67 tons of waste in one year. At $207 per ton, UMM realized a savings of $13,969 by recycling instead of throwing aluminum, corrugated cardboard, and office paper, among other refuse, into the garbage.

At left: UMM's Recycling Center, formerly a seed barn.

Visit UMM's Recycling page.