Since the 1970’s, CU Boulder has established a proud tradition of leading the nation in sustainability initiatives. Students, faculty and staff have worked hard over the decades to turn innovative sustainability ideas into realities. Here’s a brief outline of CU Boulder’s biggest accomplishments through the years:
- 1970: The first student-led environmental program in the nation is created, establishing CU Boulder at the forefront of sustainability
- 1976: CU Boulder becomes first in the nation to establish a student-led recycling program, proving that students care about the environment and the campus’ impact on the world
- 1991: CU Boulder students pass a vote to provide every single student a bus pass to get around the greater Boulder/Denver area, encouraging students to take public transportation
- 2008: Student Government requires that all student funded events on campus are zero-waste
- 2008: The CU Athletics launches the first NCAA Division I zero-waste program in the nation
- 2009: A conceptual plan for overall carbon neutrality across campus is established
- 2011: CU Boulder reaches the first STARS gold sustainability rating
- 2014: CU Boulder renews its STARS gold sustainability rating, raising its score within the category
- 2016: The athletic department becomes carbon neutral and opens a “Net-Zero Electricity” facility for athletic practices
