Oakland, CA - Mills College President Janet L. Holmgren has signed a national Climate Commitment with more than 300 presidents and chancellors of U.S. colleges and universities who are “deeply concerned about the unprecedented scale and speed of global warming and its potential for large-scale, adverse health, social, economic, and ecological effects.”

In signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, the presidents and chancellors agree to develop a comprehensive plan to achieve climate neutrality as soon as possible, complete and update a full inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, and develop an action plan for becoming climate neutral. The action plans, inventories, and progress reports will be made publicly available through the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

President Holmgren said, “The Climate Commitment is a landmark effort by higher education to solve one of the pressing issues of our time. This initiative will provide a nationwide model for addressing critical environmental challenges from global warming. For Mills College, this affirms our commitment to responsible environmental stewardship, and our strong investment in sustainable practices in new construction, renovation, and restoration of the beautiful 135-acre campus.”

The goals of the Climate Commitment are to help “avert the worst impacts of global warming and to reestablish the more stable climatic conditions that have made human progress over the last 10,000 years possible.”

According to the document, since “global warming is real and is largely being caused by humans,” the higher educational leaders advocate reducing the global emission of greenhouse gases 80% by no later than the mid-century. They also assert that higher education must model ways to minimize global warming emissions, and educate graduates who can contribute to achieving climate neutrality.

While plans are under development, the presidents and chancellors agreed to initiate two or more of these actions:

1. Establish a policy that all new campus construction will be built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standard or equivalent.

2. Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy requiring purchase of ENERGY STAR certified products in all areas for which such ratings exist.

3. Establish a policy of offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions generated by air travel paid for by the institution.

4. Encourage use of and provide access to public transportation for all faculty, staff, students, and visitors.

5. Within one year of signing the document, begin purchasing or producing at least 15% of the institution’s electricity consumption from renewable sources.

6. Establish a policy or a committee that supports climate and sustainability shareholder proposals at companies where the institution’s endowment is invested.

Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering innovative degree programs for undergraduate women, and graduate degree and certificate programs for women and men. Consistently recognized as one of the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Mills currently ranks among the top 20 most diverse liberal arts colleges. The New York Times recently selected Mills as one of three leading California colleges for students to consider.

In 2006, the Washington Monthly College Rankings named Mills a leading liberal arts college based on community service, research spending, quality of preparation for graduate education, and social mobility. In addition, The Princeton Review’s annual guide, the Best 361 Colleges (2007) included Mills for the second year in a row among top U.S. institutions offering students an outstanding undergraduate education.

Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California, on 135 lush acres, Mills provides a dynamic liberal arts education fostering women’s leadership, social responsibility, and creativity.

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Deborah Dallinger
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