Painting the Globe Green, Naturally By Stacie Jones
As home to one of the oldest and largest natural resources programs in the nation, the University of Idaho was sweeping the planet with strokes of green long before today’s booming popularity of “going green.” From developing green leaders through education and outreach to cultivating world-changing solutions for environmental sustainability and shrinking its own carbon footprint, the University of Idaho has emerged as a leader in the movement to preserve and protect the natural world – and the futures of all who live in it. “Our classes and research provide the knowledge that sets the standard for sustainability, conservation, agriculture and technology integration that are critical to a brighter future in the 21st century,” said President M. Duane Nellis. Here are just some of the many examples of the University of Idaho’s leadership toward a cleaner, greener world:
College of Natural Resources The University of Idaho College of Natural Resources, or CNR, has built a national reputation for degree programs in fields like wildlife resources, forest and land management, and ecology and conservation biology. It’s also known for one-of-a-kind outdoor learning opportunities, such as those found at the university’s Taylor Wilderness Research Station, dubbed “America’s Wildest Classroom.” Students spend 10 weeks on a remote 65 acres in central Idaho researching the environment in the heart of one of the nation’s largest wilderness areas. 6
Sustainable Agriculture College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, or CALS, researchers at eight major sites – from Salmon to Parma and Tetonia to Moscow – are working to help farmers become more sustainable. Their focus includes developing new livestock practices and creating new plant varieties that require less water, fertilizer and pesticides and are able to withstand potential climate changes. University of Idaho Extension offices in 42 counties help make that science-based information available to farmers and others. Among the beneficiaries are managers of dairy and cattle operations. Sales of beef cattle generate more than $1 billion annually, and Idaho now ranks as No. 3 nationally in milk production. Potatoes, of course, are Idaho’s most famous and valuable crop. Wheat runs a close second and is substantial enough to rank the state among the top producers nationally.
A Green Campus Community With the goal of being carbon neutral by 2030, U-Idaho is actively shrinking its environmental footprint across its campus communities through programs such as the U-Idaho Sustainability Center, or UISC. The student-run organization initiates projects through the center that have resulted, for instance, in a composting program to reduce food waste at campus dining centers by 90 percent, a recycling program at sporting events, a ride- and car-sharing