Chatham University received a STARS Gold Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education .

STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, is a new program that measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.

Chatham University, the alma mater of environmental icon and Silent Spring author, Rachel Carson (class of ’29), has a long history of environmental education and advocacy and a modern-day commitment to advancing sustainability within its institution and beyond.

A charter signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, Chatham is working toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2025. Chatham’s leadership and commitment to applied sustainability in higher education has been widely recognized.

Earning a perfect Green Rating, Chatham recently became one of only 21 schools named to The Princeton Review’s Green Honor Roll. Earlier this year, Chatham was named one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the United States and Canada, according to the Guide to 322 Green Colleges, a collaboration between The Princeton Review and the U.S. Green Building Council.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USA Today, the League of American Bicyclists, and Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future have also recently recognized Chatham’s leadership in sustainability.

“We are so proud to achieve a STARS Gold Rating,” says Chatham President Esther L. Barazzone. “Chatham appreciates AASHE and its commitment to advancing sustainability initiatives throughout the entire higher education industry. We are grateful for this opportunity to demonstrate our progress through STARS as we continuously strive for excellence in our sustainability efforts.”

On October 11, Chatham broke ground at its Eden Hall Campus, which will house the University’s School of Sustainability and the Environment<http://www.chatham.edu/sse/>, the first school of sustainability in the East and only the second in the country. The 400-acre campus will integrate sustainable development, learning, and living throughout its design.

Utilizing the latest in sustainable technologies and methods, Eden Hall will aim to produce zero carbon emissions and manage the majority of its energy and wastewater needs directly on-site. Among the first fully sustainable campuses in higher education, it will become a one-of-a-kind venue for education, conferences, community outreach, and ecotourism.

11/12/2012