Furman University Honored by Clean-Air Planet for its Sustainability Efforts
October 7, 2009
GREENVILLE, SC – Octover 7, 2009 – Furman University has received a 2009 Climate Champion Award from Clean Air-Cool Planet (CA-CP) in recognition of the university’s leadership and excellence in finding solutions to global warming and climate change.
According to Clean Air-Cool Planet, Furman was honored for its “innovative climate action planning model, the breadth of its campus sustainability initiatives, and the visionary leadership in the higher education community of its president, Dr. David Shi.”
Furman will receive the Climate Champion Award at a gala dinner in Boston on Oct. 15, along with seven other individuals and organizations who are receiving 2009 awards.
“Furman is receiving this year’s Climate Champion Award because of its exemplary institutional commitment to solving the climate change problem, a commitment that we believe should be widely emulated,” said CA-CP CEO Adam Markham. “It is vital that we have leaders like Dr. Shi who translate their commitments into sustained action across every level of the institution, from the president’s office to facilities to student and faculty life.”
Markham noted Shi’s leadership in the higher education community, his personal level of active participation in Furman’s climate action planning process, and his role as an early and vocal proponent of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.
“We are honored that Clean Air-Cool Planet has recognized Furman with this important award,” Shi said. “Over 10 years ago, Furman adopted sustainability as a primary strategic goal, and it has been very fulfilling to see the entire university community engage the issues—and opportunities—related to climate change, energy conservation, and environmental stewardship.”
CA-CP also noted that “Furman’s innovative climate action planning model includes impressive participation from stakeholders both on and off campus, while the breadth of campus sustainability initiatives has resulted in completion of an exceptional range of sustainable projects.” That includes working with CA-CP in developing its new CHEFS (Charting Emissions from Food Services) initiative, for which Furman is a pilot school.
Furman is among the leaders in higher education for its wide-ranging efforts to promote environmental awareness. The university was a charter signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, and has been named one of the country’s most environmentally conscious colleges and universities by KIWI Magazine and the Sierra Club. Furman was also a recent recipient of a Campus Sustainability Leadership Award from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
CA-CP is the leading organization dedicated solely to finding and promoting solutions to global warming.
