History
1970's
- Eco-Center is founded, which later becomes the Environmental CenterÌý - 1970
- Students vote to fund the Eco-Center with student fees - 1973
- CU Recycling is founded as UCSU allocates student fees to support recycling - 1976
1980's
- Steve Smith, the first full-time, non-student director of the E-Center is hired. Student involvement increases by 400 percent. - 1980's
- Jack DeBell becomes the first professional Director of CU Recycling - 1984
- E-Center conference on global issues draws 1,000 attendees - 1989
1990's
- The Bus Pass Program begins - 1991
- The Memorandum of Understanding between the ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ Campus Administration and UCSU is singed, creating the Student- Ìý ÌýAdministration Partnership for Recycling - 1991
- The Intermediate Processing Facility (IPF) opens - 1992
- Will Toor is hired as director of the Environmental Center - 1992
- The First annual Campus Earth Summit - 1994
- CU buys more recycled paper than virgin paper for the first time - 1994
- CU Recycling surpasses 1,000 tons of recycled materials in one year - 1995
2000
- The Blueprint for a Green Campus is issued
- A four-yearÌýRecyclingÌýcapital expansion begins
- UCSU purchases wind power via referendum
2001
- The Campus Master Plan is revised to include the first formal guidelines for recycling
- Generation Green energy education campaign begins
- Campus energy use decreases for first time in more than 10 years
- Clean energy conference
2002
- CU receives $55,000 from the EPA and $32,000 from UCSU to site a composting operation on campus
- Environmental Center moves into a new office, UMC expansion is complete with green building features
- CU Biodiesel is formed
2003
- Vice Chancellors release internal business review confirming recycling provides net annual savings of $235,000.
- Recycling business plan is reviewed, Recycling Financial Advisory Board is created
- First annual Bioneers in ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ event takes place
2004
- UCSU wind purchase increases to 100%
- A consultant waste composition study finds 1,300 tons of recyclables remain unrecovered annually
- Chancellor Byyny issues the UCB Campus Environmental Policy
- The first solar panels are installed on the UMC
- UCSU Energy efficiency fund is established
- The CU Bike Station opens, and new bicycle programs are initiated
- Next bus displays are installed
2005
- A permanent Bike Station is installed
- Sustainable CU Referendum passes
- CUSG passes a Capital Construction Fee requiring that buildings funded from this feeÌý(Wolf Law, ATLAS, Koelbel Business) achieve LEED Gold rating
- CU hosts and produces the Colorado Sustainability Summit
- CU competes in Recyclemania
- Global Jam becomes CU's first ever Zero Waste event
2006
- Dave Newport is hired as Environmental Center directorÌý
- Blueprint for a Green Campus is updated and reissued
2007
- Chancellor Peterson signs the American College and University President's Climate Committment (ACUPCC)
- CU becomes a founding member of the Colorado Renewable Energy Laboratory
- CU Student Government becomes the first entity to pledge carbon neutrality for all CUSG-run buildings
- CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ's recycling collection exceeds 2,000 tons (four million pounds)
- The Live Green Pledge is launched campus-wide
- Rocky Mountain Sustainability Summit
2008
- CUSG requires all student-funded food/dining events to be Zero Waste; CU Dining Services eliminates plastic bags from the grab-and-go meals and distrubes free reusable bags to all incoming residence students
- The CU Athletics Department commits to Zero Waste football games and launchesÌýRalphie’s Green Stampede
- The Earth Education program initiates Teach for Sustainability, a service-learning course.
- CU launches an aggressive three-year conservation campaign as part of the Greening the Government Executive Orders to reduce energy, paper, water, and petroleum use and to transition to a Zero Waste campus
2009
- CU is ranked the nation's #1 Eco-friendly college by the Sierra Club
- CU places first in Recyclemania
- The first campus Clean Energy Day is held
- CU launches a custom Zimride rideshare transportation community
- CU issues a Conceptual Plan for Carbon Neutrality
2010
- CU Recycling converts campus recycling to dual-stream
- SCORE, a student-run energy assessment program for the ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ rental community, is created
2011
- CU recieve's the nation's first STARS Gold rating for environmental leadership
- Sustainable Practices program is transferred to the E-Center from Continuing Education
2012
- A Senior Transportation Fellow posiiton is created to support the campus and community vision for an advanced transportation systemÌý
- CUSG buildings reach carbon neutrality in keeping with the goal set in 2009
2013
- CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ fully implements healthy and pesticide-free turf management.
- The new School of the Environment and Sustainability is approved.Ìý Planning begins for a 2016 opening.
2014
- CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ renews its STARS Gold Sustainability rating and increases its score.
2015
- The new Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Complex (SEEC) research, education and engagement facility is set to open on East Campus.
- CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ Athletics attains carbon neutrality and announces a "Net-Zero Electricity" practive facility at Folsom Field.
- ÌýA new on campus Recycling Operations Center opens, designed to increase landfill diversion rate and reach 90% diversion goal.
2016
- CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ recognized with Gold Bicycle University award from League of American Bicyclists.
2018
- Gold STARS Sustainability rating achieved for the third time by CU ÌÇÐÄVlogÆƽâ°æ campus.
2020
- The Environmental Center celebrates 50 years of students in action.