<p>I've been impressed with UMD's commitment to going green. My S (HS Sr.) is interested in Engineering and we visited the campus in Spring. We've been inundated with letters, cards and shiny brochures from a multitude of colleges, but UMD has stood firm and only sent e-mails. Just wondering how much a part of the UMD college life this "green" initiative has become??</p>
<p>I’ve also been pleased to see this happening. There are recycle containers very generously placed around campus. Outside the dorms are huge dumpsters, and then separate places to recycle cans/bottles/glass and paper. There are separate containers on D’s dorm floor, too. Last year at parent’s weekend, they boasted that all the paper products were recyclable, which was pretty cool.</p>
<p>D2 is majoring in Environmental Science and is in the Environment, Technology, and Economics program in College Park Scholars. So far, UMD “walks the talk”. The new building on campus (just W of the Stamp Union)—I don’t remember what it is, but they said that it was designed and is being built “green”. They send a few things in the mail once your kid becomes a Terp (a few reminder postcards, info on parents weekend, etc.) but nearly all their communication is online.</p>
<p>well they’ve been trying to do a lot with it. Like, we don’t hand out applications or course catalogs, that’s all online. And most of our buses use recycled fuel (actually, I don’t know as much about that, but I know they use some kind of green fuel) and I was reading the Diamondback and they are def encouraging kids to use bikes more. And the new building is Knight Hall, the new journalism building 
And I think from now on, all new construction will follow the green guidelines for construction. And the diner does raffles and stuff for kids who eat in and use the reusable plates and stuff instead of takeout. But, all of our takeout materials are recyclable now And in addition to the Scholars, we just started an EcoHouse Living Learning Program. So I think Maryland is really working on becoming environmentally friendly</p>
<p>Impressive–thanks for replies!</p>
<p>I think that there is probably a business aspect to this also, because they get tax credits, and/or grants for going green which in the long run will save them money on top of recruiting kids who are environmentally motivated. I believe the buses are like our school buses we have hear in VA, they are a hybrid, they use gas and electric. The reason I think this is I have noticed that the bus has the identical shape, it sits lower to the ground. </p>
<p>I do agree they send very very little in mailers, but that is also a cost issue too on top of being green. Most colleges know that kids who are interested will search them out, thus sending email helps their case. Our DD is applying to schools right now and every day she gets 5 or more fliers, letters, brochures…99.5% of them are never opened they go straight from the mailbox into her hand and then into the garbage without even being looked at. That is a large expense if you think about a college like UMD that had @29K applicants last yr.</p>
<p>Into the garbage, not the recycling bin?</p>
<p>Touche! </p>
<p>b&p, nice to see UMD has found a win/win (environment & their bottom line).</p>
<p>No Terp, I guess now, I should be cognizant of where we place it, but in our area, we recycle only grass clippings, and glass/cans.</p>
<p>Ha! You can drive a box of paper to recycle over to UMD and take S to lunch!!!</p>
<p>Yeah, and it will only take me 4 gallons of gas :D:D:D:D</p>
<p>Hey check out my new thread about groceries, you might be interested in it since DD1 is in an apt.</p>
<p>One of the green initiatives that really impressed me when we went up for Open House was the refillable water bottles. What a great cost saver for kids as well as keeping them hydrated and eliminating the need for endless plastic water bottles everywhere. :D</p>
<p>Timely article…
[The</a> Diamondback - Univ. in the running for a $5,000 environmental prize](<a href=“http://www.diamondbackonline.com/news/univ-in-the-running-for-a-5-000-environmental-prize-1.623821]The”>http://www.diamondbackonline.com/news/univ-in-the-running-for-a-5-000-environmental-prize-1.623821)</p>
<p>Go Terps! Wishing them well in this competition. We’ve been to a lot of campuses from DC to Boston and I have to say that UMD stands out in this regard.</p>
<p>Terps win! [Maryland</a> Named Top Green Campus :: University Communications Newsdesk, University of Maryland](<a href=“http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/uniini/release.cfm?ArticleID=1996]Maryland”>http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/uniini/release.cfm?ArticleID=1996)</p>
<p>woo hoo! Thanks for the update (not that I would have ever heard about it from my ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY terp D!!). Ha, when I sent her the link from the Oct 1 article, I told her that I assumed she was “all over” it. Her was response was something like, “um, yeah. Duh…!!!” She was able to sit in on a discussion yesterday (in a smallish setting) with a person from the State Department, with many years with the EPA, discussing some complicated (troubling) Ocean issue (ok, so maybe I wasn’t listening that closely when she told me about it!!) It was yet another “how cool is that?” moment at UMD.</p>