Sustainability Initiatives Include Shared Bike Paths
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 10, 2009 ) − Bob Wiseman, University of Kentucky
vice president for facilities management and member of the President's Sustainability Advisory Committee,
presented an overview of UK's sustainability activities to the Board of Trustees today.
The report highlighted a few of the sustainability initiatives currently taking place at UK, including activities of the President's Sustainability Advisory Committee, a Sustainability Lecture Series funded by a $25,000 grant from President Lee T. Todd Jr., the Big Blue Goes Green Showcase, and an Environmental Stewardship student fee proposed to the Board of Trustees today to institutionalize such items as the undergraduate sustainability internship, a speaker series and other activities.
One of the most significant achievements of the advisory committee's inaugural year is the creation of the university's first campuswide Statement on Sustainability Policy, said Wiseman.
Approved recently by President Todd, Provost Kumble R. Subbaswamy, and Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration, the policy is built upon a statement of commitment, which reads, "The University of Kentucky recognizes that in its mission to improve the lives of Kentuckians, its greatest challenge in our time is to engage the University community to create policies and programs that will simultaneously advance economic vitality, ecological integrity and social equity, now and into the future. As such, it calls upon all levels and constituencies of the University to participate in a continuous and on-going effort to institute the teaching, research, and practice of sustainability and to establish an institutional culture of sustainability.”
The university's sustainability efforts are focused in four primary areas: business operations, academics and research, community engagement, and student engagement, said Wiseman.
In addition to advances made toward UK's first LEED-certified building and a concerted effort to reduce the university's carbon footprint, sustainability advances include implementation of the 2005 Campus Bicycle Plan, which created shared paths for pedestrians and bicyclists that link residence halls to the campus core. Wiseman added that improvements to city sidewalks and streets will connect the shared path system to the city streets to facilitate off-campus bike trips.
"A new pathway will be created through the Arboretum Woods, providing a critical link in Lexington’s north-south trail system," said Wiseman. "Recent counts of bicycles in racks on campus in October 2008 indicate a significant increase in bicycle use compared to 2007."
"Sustainability is an important area for all of us to be concerned about and we welcome your personal interest and involvement," Wiseman told the Board of Trustees members, as he encouraged them to read a 38-page listing of activities taking place on campus and in the community. View a complete list of UK's sustainability initiatives.
The report highlighted a few of the sustainability initiatives currently taking place at UK, including activities of the President's Sustainability Advisory Committee, a Sustainability Lecture Series funded by a $25,000 grant from President Lee T. Todd Jr., the Big Blue Goes Green Showcase, and an Environmental Stewardship student fee proposed to the Board of Trustees today to institutionalize such items as the undergraduate sustainability internship, a speaker series and other activities.
One of the most significant achievements of the advisory committee's inaugural year is the creation of the university's first campuswide Statement on Sustainability Policy, said Wiseman.
Approved recently by President Todd, Provost Kumble R. Subbaswamy, and Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration, the policy is built upon a statement of commitment, which reads, "The University of Kentucky recognizes that in its mission to improve the lives of Kentuckians, its greatest challenge in our time is to engage the University community to create policies and programs that will simultaneously advance economic vitality, ecological integrity and social equity, now and into the future. As such, it calls upon all levels and constituencies of the University to participate in a continuous and on-going effort to institute the teaching, research, and practice of sustainability and to establish an institutional culture of sustainability.”
The university's sustainability efforts are focused in four primary areas: business operations, academics and research, community engagement, and student engagement, said Wiseman.
In addition to advances made toward UK's first LEED-certified building and a concerted effort to reduce the university's carbon footprint, sustainability advances include implementation of the 2005 Campus Bicycle Plan, which created shared paths for pedestrians and bicyclists that link residence halls to the campus core. Wiseman added that improvements to city sidewalks and streets will connect the shared path system to the city streets to facilitate off-campus bike trips.
"A new pathway will be created through the Arboretum Woods, providing a critical link in Lexington’s north-south trail system," said Wiseman. "Recent counts of bicycles in racks on campus in October 2008 indicate a significant increase in bicycle use compared to 2007."
"Sustainability is an important area for all of us to be concerned about and we welcome your personal interest and involvement," Wiseman told the Board of Trustees members, as he encouraged them to read a 38-page listing of activities taking place on campus and in the community. View a complete list of UK's sustainability initiatives.