Drexel Green

	Drexel Awarded an “A” in Student Involvement for College Sustainability on SEI Report Card October 7, 2009 Drexel University made a substantial leap in its environmental sustainability rankings for Student Involvement by the Sustainable Endowments Institute. SEI annually reviews campus and endowment policies at more than 300 leading institutions of higher education across the county. Last year, Drexel committed to improving its “Student Involvement” ranking from “C “to “A”, and the University was able to achieve this goal due to the student-lead grassroots effort that evolved into Drexel Green, the University’s commitment to becoming a more sustainable community. Drexel made gains in three additional areas: Transportation (from “B” to “A”), Green Buildings (from “C” to “B”), and in Administration (also from “C” to “B”). To view the SEI report card for Drexel University and other institutions, click here.
	Drexel Named "Cool School" by Sierra Magazine September 21, 2009 Sierra magazine, the publication of the Sierra Club, selected Drexel as one of America's "Cool Schools." Drexel was 82nd out of 135 institutions on the publication's third annual poll of "eco-enlightened" colleges and universities. To compile the list, Sierra sent questionnaires to sustainability experts at schools across the country. The survey featured categories such as efficiency, energy, food, academics, purchasing, transportation, waste management and administration. For more information on the Sierra Cool Schools list, visit sierraclub.org/sierra/200909/coolschools.
	Drexel Student Sustainability Committee Seeks Members July 27, 2009 The Drexel Student Sustainability Committee (DSSC) is currently seeking members who care about bettering the environment and the University to serve on a committee in the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA). The DSSC is a subset of the USGA and Drexel Green program, which will focus on achieving goals to reduce energy waste and pollution on campus. The committee provides an opportunity for finding new networks with students while helping the Earth and making Drexel a greener University. Those interested in helping, holding a seat on the committee or brainstorming with the USGA for ways to reduce Drexel's global footprint should email Taylor Stayton at tes37@drexel.edu.
	Drexel Smart House Releases Six Month Report (January-June 2009) July 2, 2009 Click here to read the online report. Drexel Smart House is a student-led, multidisciplinary project to construct an urban home to serve as a “living laboratory” for exploring cutting edge design and technology. Participants will conduct research and develop designs in the areas of environment, energy, interaction, health, and lifestyle with the ultimate goal of improving quality of life in the urban residential setting.
	Drexel Green featured in College Planning & Management Magazine July 2, 2009 Drexel University’s commitment to environmental sustainability through the Drexel Green initiative was featured in the June issue of College Planning & Management magazine. The monthly publication has a print circulation of 30,045.
	Drexel Formula Hybrid SAE Club Places Third Overall in Competition May 18, 2009 The Drexel Formula Hybrid team competed at the New Hampshire Speedway in the 3rd Annual International Formula Hybrid Competition. Drexel placed first for series drive train configuration hybrids and placed third overall. Twenty-nine teams from the U.S., Canada, Russia and India competed in the three-day event sponsored by SAE and IEEE to push the limits of hybrid powered race cars in acceleration, autocross and endurance events. In the five months prior to the competition, the Drexel Formula Hybrid team designed and built an entire series hybrid drivetrain, electrical system, suspension and chassis from the ground up, starting only with a bare front half of a frame. In the static events, Drexel placed sixth in the design competition and seventh in the marketing presentation. In the dynamic events, Drexel took sixth for acceleration, third for autocross and second for endurance, each of which was progressively worth more points in the competition. Pictured left-to-right: front row sitting on the tires: Matt Sera (Mechanical Captain), Josh Verdieck (Electrical Captain); back row standing: Matt Janisch, Matt Schoman, Jon Mahler, Arnold DiBlasi, Jason Futcher, Rob Smith, Kevin Scoles, PhD, (Faculty Advisor), Joe Kain. For more information on joining or helping to further support the Drexel Formula Hybrid Club, contact drexelhsae@gmail.com.
	Water Tasting Challenge May 1, 2009 As part of its celebration of Earth Week (April 20-26), the Drexel Sustainability Council held a “Water Tasting Challenge” to see if people could tell the difference between Philadelphia tap water and bottled water. Water Tasting Challenge tables were setup at Hagerty Library, Creese Student Center and New College Building. 221 students, faculty and staff took the taste test and voted their preference. The result: They couldn’t tell any difference! Out of the 221 votes, 109 (49.3%) chose Philadelphia tap water, and 112 (50.7%) chose the bottled. So the next time you are thinking about paying $1.25 or more to buy water in a bottle that has a high chance of sitting in a landfill for 450 years before it decomposes, think again, and make the green choice: fill your cup/reusable container from a fountain!
	Drexel University Releases Greenhouse Gas Inventory May 1, 2009 Drexel University received its first inventory of greenhouse gas emissions performed by by Pennoni Associates which was selected after a public RFP on the basis of the firm's expertise and extensive credentials in sustainability matters dating back to the mid-1960s. The inventory was produced in accordance with the protocol defined by the Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard developed by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative. Often referred to as an institution’s “Carbon Footprint,” the purpose of the inventory is to benchmark the University’s greenhouse gas emissions, provide a consistent methodology for inventorying the emissions on a regular basis and understanding what steps will be necessary to reduce the institution’s carbon footprint. To read the full report, click here.
	Materials Science and Engineering Seniors Awarded “People, Prosperity, and the Planet Award” by the Environmental Protection Agency April 21, 2009 Drexel University seniors Courtney Reid, Dan Pugh, Sarah Byrnes, Charlie Woods, and Eric Eisele, studying materials science and engineering, were awarded a $10,000 grant by the Environmental Protection Agency for their senior design project titled Cool Roof Coatings Utilizing Glass Hollow Microspheres for Improved Solar Reflectance. The study uses glass hollow microspheres to create elastomeric roof coatings capable of scattering and reflecting UV, Visible, and NIR radiation from the sun to reduce solar gain on the exterior of a building. Click here to read Project Abstract. Click here to learn more about the P3 Award.
	Film Students Awarded $5,000 in “Preserve Our Planet” Initiative by The National Geographic Channel April 10, 2009 Drexel student Bruce Pinchbeck, a senior film and video major in the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, was awarded $5,000 and a trip to Washington, D.C. by the National Geographic Channel (NGC) for directing the short documentary film "Pedal Co-op" in November 2008. The film, a documentary about Philadelphia's green movement, had placed first in the NGC film and Public Service Announcement contest. The group of students who worked on "Pedal Co-op" included producer and editor, Bunker Seyfret, cameramen, Dylan Steinberg and Brian Hinsinger and Matt Sullivan on soundtrack. Senior Margaret Rudder, who worked as art director of the PSA entitled "The Way We Choose," was also recognized as a runner up for her 30-second PSA. Bunker Seyfert, a senior film and video major, worked as the producer and editor of "Pedal Co-op" and director of "The Way We Choose." Click here to view short film “Pedal Co-op.” Click here to view PSA “The Way We Choose.”
	SEPTA ComPass Program available to Students, Faculty and Staff April 6, 2009 ComPass is a SEPTA sponsored and Drexel University subsidized discount program that provides a 10% discount on monthly transpasses and trailpasses. SEPTA supplies a 5% discount and Drexel provides a 5% match, giving a 10% discount to encourage the use of public transportation. Available to currently enrolled Drexel full-time students, and full-time and benefits-eligible part-time University faculty and staff. For more information, visit drexel.edu/compass.
	Winner of Earth Week Logo Design Competition April 1, 2009 Drexel Green congratulates Nathan Lee, a sophomore majoring in computer engineering, on winning the Earth Week Logo Design Competition! Earth Month t-shirts with the winning design, “Seven Days One Earth,” will be distributed Wednesday, April 1, at 12 p.m. in the Daskalakis Athletic Center, Main Building, and Creese Student Center. Quantities are limited and will be distributed at first come first serve basis. Celebrate Earth Month by wearing a Earth Month t-shirt!
	Drexel Green Farmer’s Market March 31, 2009 Go Green, Go Local, with the new Drexel Green Farmer’s Market every Tuesday at 11a.m.-3p.m. in front of MacAlister Hall (33rd and Chestnut Streets). In partnership with Drexel Business Services, the Farmer’s Market will be open April 21-October 27, 2009. Fresh locally grown food from King’s Dutch Country Goods will include seasonal fruits and vegetables, canned and preserved fruits and vegetables, baked goods and yogurt.
	Drexel University is under consideration to be named a “Cool School” by the Sierra Club March 20, 2009 The “Cool Schools” rankings of colleges and universities that take a proactive approach to environmental sustainability will be published in the October/September 2009 issue of SIERRA magazine. To review Drexel’s responses to the survey sent to Drexel by SIERRA magazine, click here. For more information about “Cool Schools,” click here.
	Drexel University First To Adopt Green Globes® Sustainability Monitoring System To All Capital Projects February 16, 2009 Drexel has become the first university in the nation to implement policy requiring use of independent environmental monitoring software for all new construction projects.
	Super Capacitor Among Best NSF Stories January 30, 2009 Dr. Selçuk Güçeri, dean of the College of Engineering, announced that the development of a super capacitor by Dr. Yury Gogotsi, professor of materials science and engineering and director of the Drexel Nanotechnology Institute, and his team, including John Chmiola (left), Ph.D. student, and Dr. Cristelle Portet, former post-doctoral researcher, was ranked second by the National Science Foundation among readers' most interesting topics of 2008. The super capacitor was prominently featured on Monday, January 26, 2009, by NSF in its January/February newsletter sent to broad audiences, including all members of Congress. The research featured in the article “Supercapacitors: Key to a Green Energy Future?” was originally posted on the front page of the NSF Web site last June. Super capacitors, most commonly found in backup power applications, are increasingly being used in personal electronic devices, mobile phones and hybrid electric/fuel cell vehicles for their improved power over batteries. Development of the super capacitor will be a major contribution by the College of Engineering to addressing one of the most serious challenges our society is facing globally: energy. The extraordinary visibility Dr. Gogotsi and his research team received may help the NSF convince Congress to increase funding for energy and nanotechnology.
	Drexel Green Chosen as Finalists in the Philadelphia Sustainability Awards January 27, 2009 Drexel Green chosen to be one of twelve finalists in the 3rd Annual Philadelphia Sustainability Awards competition of The Pennsylvania Environmental Council in recognition for leading the way to a more sustainable future. The awards celebrate Greater Philadelphia's environmental innovation, economic development and vibrant communities. Nearly 70 sustainable projects, programs and organizations entered in the competition. Five winners will be announced at the Philadelphia Flower Show on March 2, 2009. Click here to read Drexel Green’s awards submission.
	Drexel Awarded B- on SEI Report Card September 30, 2008 The Sustainable Endowments Institute annually reviews campus and endowment policies at 300 leading institutions of higher education across the county. This year, Drexel improved a full letter grade, to B-, receiving A’s for its investment priorities and shareholder engagement, and B’s for transportation, food and recycling. The lowest grade it received was a C in any of the 9 categories. This year, the goal is to move “Student Involvement” from C to A! Check out the report here.
	Drexel Green featured in September 2008 issue of Drexelink September 16, 2008 Drexel University’s commitment to environmental sustainability and the University’s many campus projects and programs was featured in the September issue of the Drexelink. The monthly publication has a print circulation of 30,000 and is mailed to full-time students, faculty, and staff of Drexel University and Drexel University College of Medicine.
	Campus Dining now Recycles 100% of Cooking Oils for Bio-Fuel August 18, 2008 Drexel’s Campus Dining has contracted with a cooking waste oil vendor that recycles 100% of the collected oils converting them into bio-fuel. Cooking waste oil will be recycled from all of Campus Dining’s locations: Northside Market (34th and Race Streets), Ross Commons (34th Street and Powelton Avenue), Handschumacher Dining Center (32nd and Chestnut Streets) and the Queen Lane Medical Campus (2900 Queen Lane).
	Princeton Review Gives Drexel A+ In First Green Rating July 28, 2008 The Princeton Review, on the newsstands on July 28, 2008, gave Drexel University a “Green Rating” of 98 on a scale of 60 – 99. Only 11 of the 368 colleges and universities included in the Princeton Review’s 2009 Guide to "THE BEST 368 COLLEGES" received a 99. (Only about 15% of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges and two Canadian colleges are identified as “THE BEST”.) The Review did not make any specific findings about Drexel’s efforts, but the high rating clearly gives public recognition to the many efforts that have been occurring at Drexel since Jim Tucker became Senior Vice President for Student Life and Administrative Services, Tobey Oxholm became Executive Vice President, and Drexel Green got under way with purpose and energy in March 2008.
	DREXEL STUDENTS SUPPORT WEST PHILLY HYBRID X TEAM IN FORD COMPETITION July 24, 2008 The West Philly Academy of Automotive and Mechanical Engineering Hybrid X Team was chosen by Ford Motor Company to participate in an international competition to design "a revolutionary global vehicle for today that shares the Model T's attributes.” The team received support from Drexel University, which has provided us with 3 amazing students who have been teaching EVX Team members CAD and assisting them in their research for the Challenge. Contact Suzanne Rocheleau to learn more about the project.
	ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF PLASTIC BAGS July 24, 2008 Click here to download a Powerpoint Presentation regarding the effects of plastic bags on the environment.
	DREXEL INSTALLS 10 SOLAR TRASH COMPACTORS WITH RECYCLING RECEPTACLES July 9, 2008 As part of a campus improvements initiative being led by James R. Tucker, senior vice president for student life and administrative services, University Facilities installed 10 BigBelly® solar trash compactors with integrated recycling units for mixed paper and co-mingled aluminum, glass and plastic. The BigBelly® Solar Compactor is a patented compacting trash receptacle that is completely self-powered. Instead of requiring a grid connection, BigBelly uses solar power for 100% of its energy needs. The BigBelly® Solar Compactor with integrated recycling units is the world's only system that provides on-site compaction of solid waste and separation of recyclable materials. The unit takes up as much space as the "footprint" of an ordinary receptacle—but its capacity is five times greater. Increased capacity reduces collection trips and can cut fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions by 80%. BigBelly also provides cost efficiencies from labor savings, fuel cost and maintenance savings, as well as environmental benefits from reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. BigBelly® Locations: 32nd Street Plaza near the Paul Peck Alumni Center entrance 32nd Street Plaza outside seating area next to Matheson Hall Ludlow Street between 32nd and 31st behind the Bossone Research Enterprise Center Creese Student Center at 32nd and Chestnut Streets Hagerty Library on 33rd and Market Streets Buckley Recreational Field at 33rd and Arch Streets Buckley Green at 33rd and Arch Streets Between Kelly Hall and Myers Hall on Race Street between 34th and 33rd Streets Between Towers Hall and Calhoun Hall on Arch Street between 34th and 33rd Streets Korman Center Quad For more information on the BigBelly® and its environmental benefits, visit bigbellysolar.com
	DREXEL WINS EPA RECYCLEMANIA AWARDS June 9, 2008 Drexel won two awards of excellence in the Environmental Protection Agency's "RecycleMania" 2008 program: 1st place in Pennsylvania for "Gorilla Prize" (Targeted Materials--Corrugated Cardboard and Targeted Materials--Bottles and Cans) for Partial Campuses 9th place in the nation in the category Waste Minimization for Partial Campuses For more information, visit recyclemaniacs.org/results