Bunker Hill Community College Affirms Commitment to Climate Neutrality
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The President’s Climate Commitment Committee submitted its Climate Action Plan to the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). The plan documents the College’s commitment to reducing campus greenhouse gas emissions and outlines initiatives designed to achieve an overall goal of climate neutrality.
BHCC’s Climate Action Plan is based upon a comprehensive strategy of achieving climate neutrality. The College has already procured renewal energy credits for 100% of its purchased electricity and immediately reduced its carbon emission by 61%. It is expected that the College’s new Health and Wellness Center, which will open in early 2010, will receive LEED Gold Certification.
Launched in 2007, the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment is a network of 650 signatory schools, representing all fifty states and the District of Columbia. This high-visibility effort to address global warming garners institutional commitments to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate.
As a signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, Bunker Hill Community College receives support and resources designed to help the College achieve the outlined climate objectives and has access to a strong network of peer institutions that share insights into best practices. “I congratulate Bunker Hill Community College on its commitment to climate neutrality and for contributing to this first sector-wide effort at creating climate action plans,” said Toni Nelson, Program Director of the ACUPCC. “The collective impact of schools throughout the nation fighting climate change is tremendous,” she added.
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About Bunker Hill Community College
With more than 50 years of academic excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. The College offers associate degrees and certificates, early college and dual enrollment, community education, corporate training, and industry-specific training programs. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).