Greening March Madness ...

Some of the most interesting activities related to Greening America are happening on campuses (including high schools).  More than 500 university presidents have signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment pledging serious action on their campuses to develop a greenhouse gas reduction plan for their campus, to take action (such as commiting to LEED construction on campus and Energy Star appliance purcahses) even while planning, begin executing the comprehensive plan within two years, and be transparent in processes throughout this plan.  In this process, they have allies and watchdogs in their students, like the thousands involved in the Youth Climate Movement.  And, those 500 schools are represented in March Madness where we will find out if the Greenest schools are the hottest basketball schools.  

Some 24 of the 64 schools that entered the tournament "green".  The East Region actually had a majority (9 of 16) that are "Green".  

50% of the Sweet Sixteen this year were Green ...

When you look at the Green Teams, you find that Green Teams look to be Dream Teams as Green Teams:

• Won four of the past five tournaments and 10 of the last 15.


• Made up 50% of the Final Four over the last 10 years.

So, with several of the brackets already into the final 8, it looks possible that we will again have some Green coloring the Final Four as four of the final 8 are green:(North Carolina,

• North Carolina
• Davidson
• UCLA
• Xavier

The two other already determined teams that aren't Green: Texas and Louisville. And, each of the remaining games to get to the final 16 has a Green school versus a not (yet) Green team:  Kansas vs green Villanova; and green Memphis vs the not (yet) green Michigan State University.

Is your school green?  

Has your school President signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment?  If not, why?  Ask the question (as alumni, staff, student)!  (As a note, I'm asking the question ... none of my universities color Green.)

And, if yes, time to send a note to say thanks -- to the students who helped drive it and to the President who signed it.  And, to include in the note for continued focus on making the commitment into reality, to making the commitment a starting point on a voyage to a sustainable energy future rather than an end destination in itself.

NOTE: No, flying around the nation for basketball tournaments is not, by any means, the poster child for environmentally friendly activities.  But, the University commitments matter. In any event, for a interesting perspective about energy and environmental issues and the future of sport, see this Celsias discussion.