UMaine's Sustainability Story
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1865
Maine College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts designated as a Land Grant Institution
1872
Women admitted into all curricula
1887
The Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station was founded as a division of the institution
1897
Maine College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts renamed as the University of Maine
1903
Edith Marion Patch, UMaine’s first woman scientist, arrives in Orono to start the Entomology Department
1912
Initiation of the Maine Cooperative Extension
1934
Fay Hyland Arboretum established
1971
UMaine receives first Sea Grant of $100,300
1972
UMaine professor Frank Eggert conducts research into organic growing methods
1973
UMaine Institute for Quaternary Studies founded (now called Climate Change Institute)
1980
UMaine joins bi-state Sea Grant program with New Hampshire
1986
UMaine Sustainable Agriculture program created
1988
UMaine offers BS in Sustainable Agriculture
1994
Black Bear Food Guild established
2000
Maine Harvest for Hunger program
The Advanced Structures and Composites Center opens
2001
UMaine Green Bikes program initiated
2003
UMaine Dining adopts computerized ordering system
UMaine campus designated as an Arboretum
Formation of the UMaine Sustainability Alliance (CCI student initiative)
2004
ENERGY STAR purchases required campuswide
Continuous Commissioning (Cimetrics) for major science and research buildings
Expansion of natural gas service on campus
UMaine Dining composts 19 metric tonnes of food waste
First Orono Community Garden
UMaine designated as a standalone National Sea Grant College
UMaine Campus Carpool program
Extensive campus lighting upgrades (energy efficient lights & electric timers)
2005
LEED silver standards applied to all new campus construction projects
6 hybrid-electric vehicles added to University fleet
Expansion of University-sponsored bus service to multiple local towns
UMaine Dining composts 22 metric tonnes of food waste
Formation of the UMaine Green Campus Initiative (eco-reps)
Partnership with Clean Air Cool Planet to develop GHG emissions inventory
Heating controls installed in resident rooms
Switch to LED emergency exit lights
UMaine $300,000 Green Loan Fund created
2006
Signed the State of Maine Governor’s Carbon Challenge (CO2 10% below 2005 levels by 2010)
UMaine Forest Bioproducts Research Institute receives $6.9M EPSCoR grant
Advanced Structures and Composites Center awarded LEED Certification
UMaine Environmental Solutions Initiative
UMaine Dining composts 29 metric tonnes of food waste
Steam plant & steam distribution system efficiency upgrades
Campuswide energy audits
2007
Completed comprehensive GHG emissions inventory
UMaine implements Anti-Idling Policy for vehicles on campus
UMaine Green Team founded
UMaine hires utility/energy supervisor to manage energy consumption on campus
UMaine Dining installs dishroom pulper saving 400 gallons H2O per day
UMaine Dining composts 87 metric tonnes of food waste
UMaine Signs the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment
Low-flow shower heads installed in residence halls
Implementation of environmental purchasing procedures
Recycling efforts reduce waste stream by 45%
Alfond Arena lighting upgrade
Custodial staff use “Green Cleaning” products
2008
UMaine receives the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification
UMaine hires full-time Sustainability Coordinator
Governor’s Carbon Challenge goals achieved 2 years ahead of schedule (CO2 10% below 2005 levels)
Foster Center for Student Innovation awarded LEED Silver
UMaine Dining composts 75 metric tonnes of food waste
New Balance Student Recreation Center awarded LEED Silver
Occupancy sensors and high-efficiency lighting installed in resident rooms and throughout residence halls
UMaine Green Loan Fund officially ratified
2009
UMaine dining switches to centralized production
UMaine Black Bear Orono Express shuttle service begins
GCI revives Blue Bikes program
UMaine develops award-winning Campus Master Plan focused on sustainability
Wells Conference Center awarded LEED Silver
Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative receives $20M NSF EPSCoR Grant
UMaine Dining composts 127 metric tonnes of food waste
Formation of the DeepCwind Consortium funded by the Department of Energy
Central Steam Plant begins transition to natural gas fuel
2010
UMaine dining commons go trayless
Completed installation of 600kW back-pressure turbine in Central Steam Plant
UMaine receives special recognition award from U.S. Green Building Council
UMaine Dining composts 139 metric tonnes of food waste
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
UMaine releases its Climate Action Plan
2011
Second Nature Climate Leadership Award
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
Princeton Review Green Honor Roll
Zero-Sort single stream recycling implemented campuswide
UMaine builds new bike path
UMaine Dining composts 204 metric tonnes of food waste
Alfond Arena renovation and energy retrofit
2012
President Ferguson elected to serve on ACUPCC Steering Committee
Terrell House Permaculture Living and Learning Center established
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
Princeton Review Green Honor Roll
UMaine dining commons switch to unlimited access
Offshore Wind Laboratory awarded LEED Gold
New 60,000 lb/hr boiler completes 100% natural gas conversion at Central Steam Plant
UMaine Dining composts 202 metric tonnes of food waste
On-campus advanced composting facility
Trash production down 35% since 2007
Recycling up by 37% since 2007
Energy use down 5% since 2006
GHG Emissions down 20% since 2006
UMaine Greens grows “local” food on campus
2013
UMaine deploys VolturnUS 1:8, first concrete-composite floating wind turbine in the world
Nutting Hall energy retrofit
Stewart Commons renovations (New Media Center)
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
UMaine receives EPA Environmental Merit Award in partnership with Second Nature
UMaine Dining composts 156 metric tonnes of food waste
UMaine joins the EPA Food Recovery Challenge
UMaine Dining diverts approximately 97% of its food waste from landfills
Campus-wide sustainability and energy awareness programs
Umaine Dining sources 17% of food locally
UMaine diverted approximately 1077 Tons of waste from landfills/incinerators
2014
President’s Council on Sustainability holds inaugural meeting
UMaine initiates Zero-Waste protocol at large campus events
UMaine joins EPA Waste Wise
President Ferguson elected to Vice Chair of the ACUPCC Steering Committee
UMaine Dining composts 218 metric tonnes of food waste
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
University of Maine Foundation votes to increase Green Loan Fund to $500,000
Phase 1 of the Terrell House PLLC community garden completed
2015
University of Maine System Board of Trustees votes to divest endowment from coal
UMaine achieves 2nd Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
Faculty Senate votes to support full divestment from fossil fuels within 5 years
UMaine Dining composts 200 metric tonnes of food waste
UMaine recognized by EPA for its success in keeping food waste out of landfills
Student Government votes to support full divestment from fossil fuels
First Level-2 electric vehicle charging station installed
Parking Services sells its first faculty/staff electric vehicle parking/charging permit
Creation of the UMaine Green Revolving Fund brings UMaine Green Funds total to $1,000,000
2016
Office of Sustainability hires half-time Outreach Coordinator
Power Dialog: Maine’s Energy Future, conference
PEAC professional development event: Fundamentals of Sustainability, with host Jaimie Cloud
UMaine Dining composts 219 metric tonnes of food waste
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
Two Level-2 electric vehicle charging stations installed for student use
2016 President’s Campus Leadership Award presented to the UMaine Green Team
Maine Day BBQ Zero-Waste event
Zero-Sort recycling and composting introduced at UMaine football games
2017
UMaine water use reduced by 32% from 2007 to 2017
Maine’s public universities achieve a ten-year, 34% reduction in carbon emissions.
Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG) principles now taken under consideration when completing asset allocation and investment manager reviews in the UMS Managed Investment Pool.
UMaine achieves 20% local food served on campus
UMaine/MPES/Americorps coalition focusing on energy efficiency
UMaine Dining composts 209 metric tonnes of food waste
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
Zero-Sort recycling at UMaine football games
Inaugural issue of Spire: The Maine Journal of Conservation and Sustainability
UMaine Unplugged: dorm energy saving challenge
2018
Hired new full-time Sustainability Coordinator
Second Nature award: Leading With Distinction
Green Office Certification Program initiated
UMaine/MPES/Americorps coalition focusing on energy efficiency for 2nd consecutive year
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
Five Green Loan Fund projects completed to date, saving UMaine more than $55,000 annually
2nd issue of Spire: The Maine Journal of Conservation and Sustainability
Zero-Sort recycling at UMaine football games
UMaine Dining composts 165 metric tonnes of food waste
UMaine Bear’s Den switches all to-go containers to plant-based compostable bioplastic
2019
Submitted UMaine’s first AASHE STARS report
Awarded STARS Silver rating for campuswide sustainability efforts
UMaine Dining commits to achieve 25% local food by 2025
UMaine/MPES/Americorps coalition focusing on energy efficiency for 3rd consecutive year
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
Published 3rd issue of Spire: The Maine Journal of Conservation and Sustainability
Installed additional campus EV charging spaces for a total of 21 on campus
UMaine featured as one of SIERRA’s 2019 Cool Schools
Zero-Sort recycling and Game Day Recycling Challenge at UMaine football games
Launched the Office of Sustainability Newsletter
UMaine recognized as a “Top Performer” in the Sustainable Campus Index grounds category
UMaine Dining composts 145 metric tonnes of food waste
Second Nature award: Leading With Distinction
2020
Four ongoing Green Fund energy savings projects generating a combined annual savings of $66,829 and a combined lifetime savings of $892,522
UMaine has committed to approximately 27,000,000 kWh of renewable energy generation per year
UMaine recognized again as a “Top Performer” in the Sustainable Campus Index grounds category
UMaine MEAP Campus Compact/Americorps coalition focusing on energy efficiency
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
UMaine Dining composts 57 metric tonnes of food waste
3.15 kW solar PV installation on the UMaine Terrell House
Published 2020 issue of Spire: The Maine Journal of Conservation and Sustainability
UMaine featured as one of SIERRA’s 2020 Cool Schools
2021
Published 2021 issue of Spire: The Maine Journal of Conservation and Sustainability – our largest issue yet!
UMaine Dining achieves 23.7% local food spend (24.4% achieved systemwide)
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
UMaine Dining composts 62 metric tonnes of food waste
UMaine MEAP Campus Compact/Americorps coalition focusing on energy efficiency for 2nd consecutive year
UMaine recognized again as a “Top Performer” in the Sustainable Campus Index grounds category
2022
UMaine ranked among the top 50 U.S. campuses in the Campus Race to Zero Waste Food Organics competition
UMS divests all direct equity and fixed income investments in fossil fuels by June 2022
UMS will make no new direct investments in fossil fuels
Published 2022 issue of Spire: The Maine Journal of Conservation and Sustainability
Featured in Princeton Review’s Green Colleges Guide
UMS commits to divest from actively managed commingled and mutual fund fossil fuel investments by 2030
