Sustainability

Sustainability Fast Facts

Looking for information on CWU's sustainability facts and highlights? Here's an overview of our key achievements and accomplishments:

Operations

• CWU is a Tree Campus Higher Education campus with over 3,000 trees!
• We have six LEED certified buildings on campus, including Health Sciences (Gold), Samuelson Hall (Gold), Dean Hall (Gold), Hogue Technology Building (Gold), Barto Hall (Platinum) and Discovery Hall (Gold).
• In November 2019, CWU broke ground on the Health Sciences building which is being built to LEED standards and will feature a 9,500 sf rooftop solar array.
• CWU is committed to reducing GHG emissions in line with the reduction targets specified in RCW 70.235.050.
• The Sustainability layer on the CWU Map highlights the sustainability features on campus.
• 83% of CWU’s electricity comes from hydropower.
• Ellensburg Central Transit in fare-free for all CWU students.
• CWU has more than 50 bike racks on campus.
• In November 2019, CWU started a partnership with FlixBus for shuttles to Seattle, Portland, Spokane, etc.
• The Wildcat Neighborhood Farm provides 1,000lbs+ of produce annually to Dining Services.
• Interested in growing your own food? Students can apply for a plot at the Community Garden at the Wildcat Neighborhood Farm
• The Wildcat Neighborhood Farm added honeybees to the farm in March 2020.
• In fall 2019, Wildcat Printing replaced the current stock of 20lb white copier paper with tree-zero paper.
• In 2019, Dining Services introduced reusable plates and silverware in Holmes Dining room to reduce waste going to landfills.
• In January 2020, Dining Services introduced compostable NoTree products to campus and promotes the use of reusable water bottles and coffee mugs.

Academics

• 5.25% of all classes at CWU are sustainable course offerings
• 8.70% of CWU faculty are engaged in sustainability research
• A ‘Sustainability’ pathway was added to the CWU General Education program Courses in this pathway address issues relating to sustainability, including social, cultural, economic and environmental concerns.
• Central Washington University has numerous programs in which sustainability is a central theme: Environmental Studies Program, Integrated Energy Management Program, Master of Science in Cultural and Environmental Resource Management, and the Sustainability Certificate.
• Students from any academic path can earn a Sustainability Certificate by developing an experiential, service-learning projects that focus on improving sustainability needs of the university or a community partner. The first cohort of students graduated with a Sustainability Certificate in Spring 2020.

Engagement

• Take a leadership role! Students can be a member of the Sustainability Council and Council on Investor Responsibility or serve as the ASCWU Senator for Sustainability.
• During the month of May, CWU recognizes campus sustainability leaders at the annual Sustainability Champion Awards.

Planning & Administration

• CWU created and hired a Sustainability Coordinator position in January 2020 that will lead sustainability efforts on campus.
• In February 2020, the CWU Council on Investor Responsibility was formed to make recommendations on socially and environmentally responsible investment opportunities.

Awards and Recognition

• CWU’s sustainability efforts earned a Bronze AASHE STARS rating in 2019 and we are aiming to earn Gold by 2025.
• CWU was recently featured on Sierra’s 2020 Cool Schools list.
• In February 2020, CWU received recognition as a 2019 Tree Campus USA. There are over 3,200 trees on campus.