Dartmouth is proud of its environmental record and of its continuing efforts in sustainability. There are a number of current projects and initiatives at the College, including the construction of high-performance buildings, recycling and solid waste reduction, waste-free dining, and energy and CO2 reduction. The Dartmouth Sustainability Initiative oversees or is involved in a number of these projects and initiatives, and has an active education and outreach program across campus, including the training of “sustainability coordinators” that work within academic and administrative departments as well as within the student body. Dartmouth operates an organic farm, utilizing sustainable agriculture methods, and a composting facility in Hanover. At the Second College Grant in northern New Hampshire, sustainable forestry ensures that logging operations will continue to provide lumber, some of which is used in the building of furniture for College buildings. Recently, Dartmouth engineering Professor Lee Lynd received the first Lemelson-MIT Award for Sustainability for his work on cellulose-derived ethanol. Dartmouth undergraduates are about to hit the road again with the “Big Green Bus,” a school bus that runs on used vegetable oil, promoting the use of sustainable energy through education and example. These and other projects prompted the Sustainable Endowments Institute to give Dartmouth an A- – the highest grade awarded – in its 2007 Sustainability Report Card.
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