CWU’s Climate Action Plan receives national innovation award

As part of Central Washington University’s commitment to promoting sustainability both on campus and in the community, the Sustainability Office has been hard at work the past two years designing and implementing a comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CAP).

This ground-breaking, long-term initiative — which resulted in a results-driven, actionable CAP that will make CWU a carbon-neutral campus by 2050 — has caught the attention of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).

The national organization, which represents more than 350 institutions, has named CWU the recipient of its annual Excellence and Innovation Sustainability and Sustainable Development Award, in recognition of the trail-blazing effort put forth by CWU Sustainability Officer Jeff Bousson.

The award also celebrates the wide-ranging, cross-departmental collaboration that is tackling the issue of climate change from all sides. Bousson says this work could not have come together without that critically important coalition.

“I think we generously received national recognition as a result of engaging the campus and broader community on climate and sustainability solutions, while employing best practices, as we designed our approach to implementing the strategies and initiatives listed in our CAP,” he said. “Our plan is holistic — not simply aiming to decarbonize our infrastructure, but also striving to embed sustainability across our curriculum and campus culture.”

CAP contributor and AmeriCorps Sustainability Education Program Specialist Lily De Young explained that, because the structure of the CAP is now in place, it will continue to improve over time, in step with new discoveries and evolving best practices.

“This Climate Action Plan will be a living, breathing document, so it is not all that will be done to increase sustainability definitively on campus,” she said. “We are excited about the opportunity to identify additional ways to increase sustainability and decarbonization efforts at CWU.”

AASCU evaluated applicants for the Sustainability and Sustainable Development Award based on comprehensiveness and innovation, favoring initiatives that take a bold, broad approach to addressing the needs of the environment.

CWU President Jim Wohlpart believes the award is a testament to what can be achieved through community-wide collaboration.

“In our pursuit of an institutionally minded approach to addressing the challenges of the looming climate crisis, we have been able to work in tandem with a broad variety of on- and off-campus partners to ensure our plan is as comprehensive as possible,” he said. “This recognition is proof that when we stand together as a learning community, we can bring standard-bearing stewardship to the table and lead the way forward — not just for our own university, but for institutions across the country.”

The Sustainability and Sustainable Development Award will be presented at AASCU’s annual conference, scheduled for November 16-19 in Puerto Rico. Read more about CWU’s sustainability efforts on the Sustainability Office’s website.

Bousson hopes that by receiving national recognition, CWU will have an opportunity to call attention to the fact that we are treating the issue of climate change with the seriousness and urgency it deserves.

“I think receiving this award exemplifies our institutional commitment to taking bold action to address climate change, and I’m grateful to work at an institution that understands the challenges and opportunities associated with climate change,” he said. “I’m humbled and thankful to have the opportunity to collaborate with so many students, staff, faculty, and community members on our sustainability initiatives. I believe this award sends a signal that we’re not paying lip-service to addressing climate change; we mean business.”