Whitman Campus Greens help re-energize America
by Joanne Cvar
Pacific Green Party of Oregon

Campus Greens at Whitman College are rising to the environmental challenge of their generation. Whitman, a private liberal arts college located in Walla Walla at the far southeastern corner of Washington State, is noted for its beautiful campus and environmental ethic. Campus Greens recently received an "amazing activism and achievement" award for their success in meeting the Sierra Student Climate Challenge. The challenge, issued by the student arm of the Sierra Club, is to help build a new energy future based on already available clean and efficient technologies.

In April 2004 Whitman College Greens convinced their student body senate to approve the purchase from green energy sources of 4 percent of the power the campus needs. This success made Whitman the first college in Washington State to switch to clean power. (There are now three, including Evergreen and Western Washington State colleges.) It also made them eligible for recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership. 

But this achievement was not enough for these hard-working Greens. By April 2005 they had convinced 80 percent of the student body to support a $5 increase in semester tuition to fund $15,000 annually toward the purchase of renewable energy. This February, the college's Board of Trustees approved the purchase of approximately 20 percent renewable energy for the campus.

"Our long-term goals are of course to get Whitman to use 100 percent renewable energy and to be as sustainable as possible," said Juliana Williams, Whitman Campus Greens co-coordinator. 

Green energy is not piped directly to the campus; the funds go to the Pacific Power Blue Sky Program, helping to increase the demand for clean energy.

In recognition that the young people of today will be those most affected by imminent global warming, more than 100 college and high school campuses around the country have taken up the Sierra Campus Climate Challenge to "re-energize America" by investing in green energy, defined as environmentally-friendly electricity from such renewable sources as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass, and low-impact hydro power. 

The Sierra Student Climate Challenge is part of the National Energy Action Coalition, a campaign to prove that a better energy future is not only possible but could be here today with the right leadership. The generation with the most to lose is demonstrating that leadership. Youth groups are invited to join the movement by registering at www.ssc.org/issues/energy/energysignup.php. Support in getting started and a planning guide are available at this site.

The program is part of the EPA Green Power Partnership, which provides assistance and recognition to organizations demonstrating environmental leadership by choosing green power. To become a partner, organizations commit to buying green power in an amount proportional to their annual use. Special recognition is offered to partners who significantly exceed minimum requirements, as the Whitman Greens have done. 


More information on the Green Power Partnership is available at www.epa.gov/greenpower/. 

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