All members of the University of Notre Dame community are invited to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of the environment, on Friday (Oct. 4). A special Mass will be celebrated by Rev. Terry Ehrman, C.S.C., at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at 5:15 p.m.

At 12:30 p.m. at the statue of Rev. Edward Sorin, C.S.C., on South Quad, there will be a short ceremony called the Blessing of the Bicycles. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends are welcome to bring their bikes and receive God’s blessing for safety and health in their biking. Friday’s dinner at North and South dining halls will feature a nature-themed dessert buffet in honor of the Feast Day, provided by .

At 8 p.m., will present a talk titled “” in Room 101 of DeBartolo Hall. Banerjee is an award-winning photographer, author, activist and scientist who has exhibited across the United States, Europe, Australia and Mexico. Banerjee’s books include “Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land” (2003) and “Arctic Voices: Resistance at the Tipping Point” (2012). The talk is sponsored by the Society for Literature, Science and the Arts.

Notre Dame’s Feast of St. Francis program started in 2010 as a follow-up to Renewing the Campus, the University’s landmark 2009 conference on sustainability in Catholic higher education. The following year it became a model for Catholic campuses across the country when it was showcased in “Sustainability and Catholic Higher Education: A Toolkit for Mission Integration,” published by the . The coalition now develops an educational program each year that it shares with schools and parishes, with the result that tens of thousands of people celebrate St. Francis’ legacy and learn how they can be better stewards of the Earth.

“Notre Dame has really stepped up as an example to other Catholic schools about how to engage both the student body and the administration in making environmental sustainability a key priority for the campus,” said Dan Misleh, executive director of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change. “Notre Dame recognizes that it is not only the school’s carbon footprint that matters, but also those who are impacted by its carbon footprint, especially the poor and vulnerable at home and abroad.”

This year’s Feast of St. Francis comes at a time of increasing concern for the health of the planet but also of renewed inspiration in the Catholic community. Pope Francis has clearly demonstrated that he intends to lead the Church in the footsteps of his namesake, who was known for his love for nature and the poor.

“I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill,” said Francis in one of his first homilies as pope. “Let us be protectors of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment.”

The University of Notre Dame will host “,” a national conference addressing the multifaceted challenges presented by our changing climate, on April 8-10 (Monday-Wednesday). The event will engage nationally recognized scientists, ethicists and strategists in conversation with students, faculty, administrators and members of the broader community.

As Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI have stressed, climate change is a moral issue that calls for a concerted approach among people of good will.

“We know that climate change will disproportionately impact the poor and vulnerable, those who have contributed the least to our present energy and environmental crisis,” said , vice president for mission engagement and church affairs at Notre Dame. “By coming together as a community to learn about these challenges and the paths to solutions, we can better answer God’s call for us to be stewards of the finite gifts of our planet.”

Each day of the conference highlights a different theme. The first day focuses on the science of climate change. The second day addresses religious and ethical approaches to understanding our collective responsibility in addressing climate change. The third day explores practical approaches to addressing climate change from perspectives including public policy, national security and community adaptation.

“Climate change is a complex problem that requires multidisciplinary thinking,” said University Provost . “This conference will offer unique insight into the diverse array of approaches needed to adequately address it. I hope that many of us from the Notre Dame community will be able to take advantage of it and continue the discussions after it.”

“Climate change is constantly in the news: 2012 was the hottest year on record in the U.S., and extreme events from climate disruption are costing businesses and taxpayers tens of billions of dollars from fires, crop losses and storm damage,” said , associate professor of biology and conference co-chair. “There’s so much negative information that it’s tempting to look the other way. This conference will help people make sense of what is often seen as an overwhelming problem by connecting the dots between science, ethics and practical solutions.”

Keynote speakers at the conference include , author of the New York Times’ Dot-Earth Environmental Blog; , director of the Center for Science and Democracy; , chief scientist at the Global Adaptation Institute; , contributing author of “Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States”; and , retired Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy and recently chief operating officer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“These speakers represent some of the leading thinkers on this topic, and they bring a wide variety of perspectives to bear on some of the most challenging issues of our time,” said , associate professor of theology and lead conference organizer. “Our goal is to engage Notre Dame and the broader community with this critical topic, which is so integrally tied to our University mission.”

Registration is free for members of the Notre Dame community. The conference agenda and registration information can be found at .

“Climate Change and the Common Good” is sponsored by Notre Dame’s , and , and is supported by the University’s , , , , , , , , , , , and .

Contact: Rachel Novick, 574-631-1439, Rachel.S.Novick.2@nd.edu

The University of Notre Dame community will celebrate the , patron saint of the environment, on Oct. 4 (Thursday). The celebration, which has become a tradition at Notre Dame, will be marked by festivities, thought-provoking discussion and opportunities to follow in the footsteps of St. Francis, who was known for his love for nature and the poor.

Mass will be celebrated by , at 5:15 p.m. in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. At 7:30 p.m., there will be a screening of the Academy Award-nominated documentary “” in Room 101 of the Jordan Hall of Science, followed by a reception and discussion. Dinner at North and South dining halls will feature a nature-themed dessert buffet in honor of the feast day, provided by .

“St. Francis recognized divine providence in the beauty and abundance of creation,” said David Halm, C.S.C., a seminarian at Moreau who helped plan the program for the Feast Day. “We, too, are called to praise the Giver of all these good gifts and promote responsible stewardship of them.”

“Sun Come Up”

“Sun Come Up” is a powerful 40-minute documentary that follows the experiences of the Carteret Islanders, a community living on a remote island chain off Papua New Guinea that is forced to relocate due to sea level rise. The film screening is made possible by the , which is sponsoring a nationwide screening to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations around the world.

“As Pope Benedict and others have reminded us, the burden of climate change falls hardest on those who have contributed the least to the problem: the poor and vulnerable,” said , vice president of mission engagement and church affairs. “The true legacy of St. Francis will be in the actions that we take to protect God’s creation and the dignity of those who need our help.”

Pope Benedict XVI has frequently stressed the necessity of environmental stewardship for the cultivation of peace and human dignity, and has observed that “preservation of the environment, promotion of sustainable development and particular attention to climate change are matters of grave concern for the entire human family.”

The Feast of St. Francis program is co-sponsored by the departments of at Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College, as well as Notre Dame’s , , and . “Sun Come Up” will also be screened in Vander Vennet Theatre at the Student Center on the Saint Mary’s campus at 7 p.m. the same evening.

The Mass and film screenings are open to the public; community members are encouraged to RSVP to green@nd.edu.

Originally published by Rachel Novick at on Sept. 25, 2012.

, president of the University of Notre Dame, has signed the , making Notre Dame a partner in a national movement to respond to Pope Benedict’s and the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ call for faithful action on climate change.

The St. Francis Pledge is the central outreach tool for the , a membership organization drawing guidance and support from a growing list of national Catholic organizations, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services and the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.

The pledge asks Catholic individuals, parishes and institutions to pray and learn about climate change, to assess their own environmental impact, to act to reduce their impact, and to advocate for policies and initiatives that protect the environment and the world’s poor.

“The University of Notre Dame is seen not just as a top U.S. university, but as a Catholic institution in service to the world,” said Daniel Misleh, executive director of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change. “By taking the St. Francis Pledge, the University will expand its commitment to mission-based sustainability in a way consistent with Catholic ideals and values: caring for God’s gift of Creation with a keen awareness that actions taken today impact people at home and abroad, especially the poor and vulnerable who suffer most from environmental degradation and climate change.”

Over the last several years, Notre Dame has made significant efforts to help the community of Catholic colleges and universities make progress in the area of sustainability. Most notably, Notre Dame hosted “,” the first national conference of its kind. More than 200 faculty, administrators and students from 45 universities across the country participated.

More recently, Notre Dame’s helped to craft “,” which has been distributed to Catholic colleges and universities across the country.

“Making a commitment to be better stewards of God’s creation is not only a sign of hope, but a necessity,” said , assistant director of Campus Ministry. “The St. Francis Pledge provides an important framework for expanding collaboration between Campus Ministry and Sustainability and we are grateful to Father Jenkins for his leadership on this issue.”

Notre Dame has recently expanded its commitment to sustainability by announcing a that includes ambitious . “We appreciate the opportunity to explicitly link our sustainability initiatives to our Catholic mission,” said , director of sustainability. ���� order to accomplish our goals, we need the support of all members of the Notre Dame community. We encourage everyone to pledge their support by signing the and by taking the ."

Originally published by Rachel Novick at on November 30, 2011.

The University of Notre Dame has received a STARS Silver Rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System, is a new program that measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.

“STARS is a transparent assessment tool which enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements,” said , programs manager in the . “We are using STARS to benchmark ourselves and to promote continuous improvement in all aspects of sustainability.”

The STARS program is the only one of its kind that involves publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance. Participants report achievements in three overall areas: education and research, operations, and planning, administration and engagement.

In education and research, the University received points for the diverse array of sustainability-related research programs conducted by faculty in every college as well as the many opportunities to learn about sustainability both in and out of the classroom. In operations, the University’s measures earned substantial credit.

Notre Dame’s strong partnership with local government and global commitment to community service earned many points in planning, administration and engagement as well.

“Our Catholic mission calls us to be responsible stewards of the Earth, and over the last several years sustainability has increasingly become part of the culture on our campus,” said , associate vice president of campus services. “We strive to integrate sustainability into all aspects of campus operations, from how we provide food to our students to how we design our buildings.”

“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said Paul Rowland, AASHE executive director. “Notre Dame has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Silver Rating and is to be congratulated for its efforts."

This year, the University of Notre Dame will expand its participation in by turning out the lights on the Golden Dome of the Main Building and the “Word of Life” mural on the Hesburgh Library for an entire weekend. Earth Hour, which takes place on March 26 (Saturday) at 8:30 p.m., has become an international symbol of support for climate change action involving hundreds of millions of people in over 120 countries.

“The theme of this year’s Earth Hour is to expand our energy conservation efforts beyond the hour,” said Executive Vice President . “Notre Dame is responding by keeping the lights off on these symbols of our campus for a span of 60 hours instead of 60 minutes. We encourage every member of the campus community to participate in Earth Hour as well, by turning off the lights at 8:30 on Saturday evening and by making a long-term commitment to conserve energy.”

Turning off the lights on the Dome and the library mural for three nights this weekend will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 600 pounds. A permanent reduction in energy usage also will take effect this spring with the installation of high-efficiency LED fixtures on the mural. This retrofit is part of the multi-year Energy Conservation Measures program, a $10 million investment aimed at maximizing energy conservation on campus.

“We hope students will take the opportunity to turn off their own lights and come out to play a game of glow-in-the-dark Ultimate Frisbee on South Quad this Saturday at 8:30 p.m.,” said Meehan Lenzen, president of . “This will be our second annual Earth Hour Ultimate game and it is fast becoming another great Notre Dame tradition.”

The University of Notre Dame will invest $6.5 million over the next two years in across the campus, ranging from lighting and motor upgrades to improved thermostat controls and fume hood renovations.

The plan was announced by Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., and John Affleck-Graves, Notre Dame’s president and executive vice president, respectively, at recent Town Hall meetings for Notre Dame faculty and staff.

“This initiative is an investment in the University’s future as a member of a larger global community,” said Father Jenkins. ���� addition to improving our infrastructure, it will advance our Catholic mission by making us better stewards of the Earth.”

The initiative, known as , follows on the heels of a $4.1 million investment in energy conservation () made in 2008. ECM I focused on lighting, heating and cooling in 20 buildings which were most in need of upgrades. ECM II has an expanded scope and will raise the number of buildings included to 55.

“The energy conservation achieved through ECM I in combination with the temperature set point policy, tighter building scheduling and individual behavior change has been tremendous,” said Heather Tonk, director of sustainability. “Compared to two years ago, electricity consumption is down 7.8 percent (11.8 million kwh), fuel usage is down 9.5 percent (the equivalent of 9,481 tons of coal), and overall energy costs are down approximately $1.4 million. That’s 32,000 tons of avoided carbon dioxide emissions, which is pretty impressive when you consider how much campus has grown in the last two years.”

���� ECM II, we are continuing the strategies utilized in ECM I, but also expanding into new areas,” explained Paul Kempf, director of utilities. “These include installing LED lighting in exit signs, reducing the flow rates of fume hoods, and replacing motors and pumps with high-efficiency models. ECM II is expected to yield an annual savings of over $1 million and to reduce campus carbon dioxide emissions by 14,900 tons each year.”

Contact: Rachel Novick, Office of Sustainability, rnovick@nd.edu

The University of Notre Dame received a B+ on this year’s College Sustainability Report Card, improving over last year’s B. The higher grade came in response to a continued reduction in the University’s carbon emissions and resource-saving programs spearheaded by a number of campus departments.

“This is a welcome recognition of the progress we have made and the direction in which we are headed,” said John Affleck-Graves, Notre Dame’s executive vice president. “This accomplishment would not be possible without the active participation of our students, faculty and staff. The everyday choices they make to conserve, recycle and purchase responsibly really do add up.”

Notre Dame’s carbon emissions declined 8 percent from 2008-09 to 2009-10, and a total of 16 percent since 2006-07. This improvement is due in large part to the Energy Conservation Measures program, the Temperature Set-Point Policy, and increased participation in sustainability education and outreach programs.

The Report Card cited several advances made this past year, including the LEED Gold certification of and and the introduction of the car-sharing program. The University also received an A on Food and Recycling for the first time, owing to ongoing efforts by Food Services to expand local and organic food sourcing and recycling efforts.

Notre Dame received an A in Student Involvement for the third year in a row, a testament to the dedication of student leaders in GreeND and Students for Environmental Action.

“Student involvement is critical to the progress any university makes toward sustainability,” said Heather Tonk, director of at Notre Dame. “Fortunately, Notre Dame students truly understand the importance of the issue and are passionate about making a difference. Our students have had a profound impact on our progress thus far.”

The Report Card is an independent sustainability evaluation of campus operations and endowment investments. Published by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, a special project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, it assesses 300 public and private colleges and universities with the largest endowments each year.

Contact: Rachel Novick, Office of Sustainability, rnovick@nd.edu

Eaton Corporation is providing the University of Notre Dame with state-of-the-art charging stations and Mitsubishi Motors North America is loaning the University an iMiev electric car for the next several months in order to test out the utility of incorporating electric vehicles into the campus fleet.

The iMiev and demonstration charging stations will be displayed on the Irish Green this Friday and Saturday (Oct. 8 and 9) during the pep rally and tailgating for the Notre Dame-Pittsburgh football game.

“We are looking forward to demonstrating this new and innovative technology at Notre Dame,” said John Affleck-Graves, executive vice president of Notre Dame. “The project will help us to further understand the potential of electric vehicles as we strive to reduce our energy consumption and carbon footprint on campus.”

The iMiev, or Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle, is a four-seater that can travel up to 100 miles on a single charge. Its carbon footprint is 70 percent less than that of a gasoline-powered mini automobile. The iMiev currently is available for sale in Japan and will be available in Europe and North America in 2011.

“Through our collaboration with Notre Dame, Eaton is paving the way for the development of the infrastructure leading to the adoption and expanded use of electric vehicles,” said Jerry R. Whitaker, president of Eaton’s Electrical Sector, Americas Region.

Eaton and Mitsubishi representatives will be present on the Irish Green to answer questions about the vehicle and capabilities of the charging stations.

From: Rachel Novick, Office of Sustainability, rnovick@nd.edu

The University of Notre Dame community will celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of the environment, on Monday (Oct. 4), with festivities, thought-provoking discussion, and opportunities to follow in the footsteps of Saint Francis, who was known for his love for nature and the poor.

Mass will be celebrated at 5:15 p.m. by Rev. William Lies, C.S.C., at Notre Dame’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart. At 8 p.m., Dan DiLeo of the will present “A Catholic Approach to Climate Change” in the Geddes Coffeehouse, followed by discussion and a reception.

The Coalition’s brings together families, parishes, schools and communities around the country in a commitment to reduce their carbon footprint and advocate on behalf of Creation and the poor.

Dinner at North and South Dining Halls will feature a nature-themed dessert buffet in honor of the Feast Day, and tables where students can sign pledges to better care for nature and the poor through service opportunities and simple everyday choices. The program is co-sponsored by the , the , the and .

This year’s Feast of Saint Francis comes at a time when the sustainability movement stands at a crossroads. Following international failure to reach a climate agreement through the United Nations Conference of Parties in Copenhagen last December, and domestic failure to pass comprehensive clean energy security legislation, both the United States and the international community have been unable to adequately respond to what Pope Benedict XVI has called “matters of grave concern for the entire human family.”

In response, Notre Dame has strived to call attention to the moral and spiritual dimensions of carbon pollution. The Feast of Saint Francis also marks the one-year anniversary of the first national conference on sustainability and Catholic higher education, held at Notre Dame in October 2009. Titled , the landmark conference brought together representatives from the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, as well as faculty, staff and students from more than 40 Catholic colleges and universities across the country.

“Father Hesburgh has given us a vision of Notre Dame as a university that serves as both a lighthouse and a crossroads,” said Notre Dame junior Patrick McCormick, one of the organizers of “Renewing the Campus” and the Feast of Saint Francis program. “On the Feast of Saint Francis, we recall the words of a saint who told us to ‘preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, to use words.’ The true celebration of the legacy of Saint Francis will be in the actions that we take in a world that all too often loses sight of the fact that a commitment to ecological justice is inseparable from a commitment to the dignity of the human person.”

The University of Notre Dame has released its first annual report summarizing University-wide achievements in sustainability.
Highlights of “Sustainability at Notre Dame 2008-2009” include the $4 million Energy Conservation Measures program, construction of the first campus buildings expecting LEED certification, a campus-wide shift to recycled-content paper, and the initiation of a comprehensive Game Day Recycling program.

The report describes initiatives undertaken in each of the seven focus areas of the Office of Sustainability: power generation, design and construction, waste reduction, transportation, procurement, food services, and water.

“This report clearly demonstrates that a great deal of significant work was accomplished during our sustainability program’s first year and that forward momentum was generated to accomplish even more in future years,” said Jim Lyphout, vice president for business operations.

“Sustainability successes have stemmed from the hard work of many individuals and departments,” added Erin Hafner, programs coordinator in the Office of Sustainability. “Our first annual report clearly illustrates the collaborative nature of Notre Dame’s sustainability efforts.”

The Office of Sustainability has been a catalyst for change during its first year of operation through researching best practices, creating educational programs, and initiating collaborative efforts across academic and operational disciplines.

The Energy Metrics section of the report illustrates Notre Dame’s performance in four key sustainability indicators: total carbon emissions from energy, energy intensity of campus buildings, carbon intensity of the power plant’s fuel mix, and total electricity usage. Notre Dame achieved reductions in all four indicators during 2008-09. These included a 7.5-percent reduction in total carbon emissions from energy usage and a 2.5-percent reduction in total electricity usage, the first such reduction since the late 1970s.

The report can be downloaded at the Office of Sustainability’s or a paper copy may be requested by e-mailing sustainability@nd.edu.

The University of Notre Dame received a B on this year’s College Sustainability Report Card, improving over last year’s B-. The higher grade came in response to a reduction in the University’s carbon emissions and a number of resource-saving policies promoted by the and the Energy and Environmental Issues Committee.

Notre Dame’s carbon emissions declined by 7.5 percent from 2008 to 2009, even as new construction added 70,000 square feet to the built campus. This improvement was largely due to the $4 million Energy Conservation Measures program, which is increasing lighting, heating and cooling efficiency in 24 buildings. The Temperature Set Point Policy, implemented this spring, also has begun to yield energy savings by standardizing thermostat settings in buildings with digitally controlled heating and cooling.

The University’s Green Loan Fund has begun to contribute to energy conservation by funding compact fluorescent light bulb exchanges in the residence halls and retrofitting lamp posts with ultra-efficient LED lighting. Energy conservation also has resulted from increased awareness on campus through programs such as the Dorm Energy Competition and the Main Building-College of Science Energy Challenge.

“This is the first year that campus electricity demand has actually declined since the late 1970s,” said Paul Kempf, Notre Dame’s director of utilities. “That’s a major milestone.”

The Report Card made special note of Notre Dame’s increased use of recycled paper. Through a collaboration with Office Depot’s corporate sustainability program this spring, Notre Dame’s Procurement Services was able to negotiate a lower price for recycled paper than for virgin paper. The result: recycled-content paper has skyrocketed from 10 percent to more than 80 percent of total paper purchases across the campus.

The Report Card is the only independent sustainability evaluation of campus operations and endowment investments. Published by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, a special project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, it assesses 300 public and private colleges and universities with the largest endowments each year.

Contact: Rachel Novick, Office of Sustainability, rnovick@nd.edu

The University of Notre Dame this fall will host “Renewing the Campus: Sustainability and the Catholic University,” the first national conference dedicated to advancing the engagement of Catholic universities with the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.

The conference, which will be held Oct. 9 to 11 (Friday to Sunday) on the Notre Dame campus, will bring together faculty, students, administrators and clergy from Catholic universities across the country to explore the connections between Catholic theology and social thought and the science and practice of environmental sustainability.

“Coming just after the Feast of St. Francis, this conference can go a long way to demonstrate not only practical ways in which Catholic colleges and universities can become more sustainable, but how these activities are an integral and powerful witness to God’s call for us to be stewards of the finite gifts of an amazing planet,” said Daniel Misleh, executive director of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, whose keynote address will open the conference.

���� addition, this gathering also can highlight how our collective actions can help ease the burden of climate change impacts on those who have contributed the least to the problem: the poor and vulnerable at home and around the world,” Misleh said.

Other prominent speakers include Kristie Ebi, a leading expert on human health impacts for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and Jim Ennis, executive director of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference.

The conference encompasses the multiplicity of approaches to environmental issues at Catholic institutions of higher learning, including those of theologians, scientists, sustainability practitioners, student activists and clergy. Participants in panel discussions and workshops throughout the weekend will include members of Catholic universities large and small from every region of the country.

The conference will take place in Geddes Hall, the first Notre Dame building expected to receive LEED certification. The event is sponsored by Notre Dame’s Office of Sustainability and co-sponsored by the Center for Social Concerns, College of Science, Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism, Department of Theology, Energy Center, Ford Family Program in Human Development 91��Ƶ and Solidarity, Graduate 91��Ƶ, Institute for Church Life, Mendoza College of Business, Office of the President, and Program in Catholic Social Tradition.

The deadline for registration is Sept. 10. More information is available online at .

Contact: Rachel Novick, Office of Sustainability, rnovick@nd.edu