Campus Greening: Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University (BSU) has been a consistent recipient of environmental honors and awards for several years. In 2000, the school received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Recycling from Indiana Governor Frank O’Bannon, mainly for its efforts to recycle concrete and other building debris from construction projects around campus. In 2001, BSU established its sustainability group “Greening-2,” and also received Second Nature’s “Best Practices Institution” award for its implementation of the Talloires Declaration, an international campus greening manifesto. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) gave BSU its own version of the award for recycling over 60 percent of its waste.

Ball State’s dedication to environmental efforts did not end there, however. In 2002, the school received a Best Practice award for its Sustainable Design Curriculum, organized to promote eco-friendly construction. And in 2003, BSU was one of 13 schools in the United States to receive NWF’s Campus Ecology Recognition Award. The award acknowledged two significant efforts around campus: (1) the school’s efforts to reduce mercury usage by keeping inventory of mercury-containing materials, and to promote recycling by encouraging students to turn in any unwanted mercury-containing products; and (2) the school’s purchase of a hybrid-electric bus, fueled by 20 percent biodiesel, for its on-campus fleet.

BSU’s efforts show no signs of slowing, with the school vowing to construct each new on-campus building in the most sustainable and efficient way possible. Recently, this included an addition to BSU’s communications school, as well as a new residence hall. All the while, the school publicizes and emphasizes energy efficiency and sustainability with frequent articles in its newspaper.

—Mark Friese