The First Climate Action Plans Are In ...

September 15, 2009, was the deadline for submitting climate action plans for the charter signatories of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. The reports on the site provide a reality check on sustainability efforts within higher education. The proposed climate-neutral dates confirm that this endeavor may be more challenging than some institutions initially realized. In many cases, the reports show that IT is not a major partner in campus sustainability planning; however, some notable exceptions do stand out. Maybe we in the higher education IT community should roll up our sleeves and invite ourselves to the table, becoming active participants in our campuses’ sustainability planning efforts. And — start providing the same kind of leadership that we’re doing for the technology issues in our “top ten” lists