It's not easy to reduce the carbon footprint of a campus of 20,000, but UNM is taking strides to reach that goal.
This month, a new sustainability policy came into effect on campus that will cause many changes across the University.
Terry Horger, the program coordinator for Sustainability Studies, said this policy is the product of hard work from the program in cooperation with UNM's Policy Office.
Horger said it takes a holistic approach to make the campus more environmentally friendly.
The policy was approved by President David Schmidly after being circulated campuswide for approval.
Horger said her department has already been putting its eco-friendly concepts in motion.
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Students in the Sustainability Studies Program have designed a biodiesel processor which will be used to create biofuel.
While the biofuel processor is still on its way to meeting American Society for Testing and Materials standards, Horger said it will soon be able to produce biodiesel for campus vehicles. The shuttle buses, which already run on eco-friendly fuel, as well as the department's own Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, may use the biofuel, Horger said.
The department has also made an environmentally friendly workspace inside Castetter Hall. The workspace, which is composed of an office space, the Academic Support Center and Community Outreach Center, was recently remodeled and is now made up of about 95 percent sustainable materials, Horger said.
Horger said the floors are eco-friendly, the walls are recycled wood paneling and the furniture is recycled. She said the furniture can also be re-recycled in a process called cradle-to-cradle.
Horger said she hopes staff and students around UNM will visit these offices to see how effective and affordable eco-friendly renovations can be. Education is a large step in the process of sustainability, she said.
Horger said there is also a new project from her department called the Solar Kiosk, a portable trailer equipped with solar panels and three large batteries. She said the trailer travels around campus collecting and storing solar energy.
This collected solar energy is used by the Squash Blossom Boys, a local music group that travels to growers markets and other local events, powering their concerts solely off of the collected energy, Horger said. The energy is enough to power all of the band's instruments and sound equipment for several hours.
"It's a true green rock and roll band," she said.
Horger said her department has plans to add more solar panels to the kiosk. This upgrade would allow Sustainability Studies to use the trailer for community outreach programs at local schools to educate children about sustainability, she said.
New buildings around campus are being constructed in an eco-friendly way, as well. All new buildings, including the new George Pearl Hall, will have Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which means they will have sustainable characteristics, such as solar power, recycled materials and eco-friendly materials, Horger said.
She said partnerships between UNM departments, especially between the Anderson Schools of Management, the Architecture and Planning Department and the Research Learning Program, are vital to environmental goals.
Students said they are excited to see these new changes happening.
Daniel Duerre, a sophomore, said the new measures UNM is taking fit well with its plan to become environmentally friendly.
"I think we've already taken good steps towards becoming green," he said.
Ryan Feeney, a junior at UNM, said that as an architecture major, he looks forward to taking part in a new, green world.
"It's great that campus is going green," he said. "I really think we can lead the way and show Albuquerque how easy it can be."
