Auraria is now the top Colorado college campus purchasing renewable energy, as ranked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership. The campus is ranked seventh nationally for colleges and universities.

Last month, the campus increased its purchase of wind energy credits to represent 100 percent of annual electricity use on the campus. The Boulder-based company Renewable Choice Energy will be providing the Auraria campus with approximately 40 million kilowatt hours per year of nationally sourced wind energy renewable energy credits over the next three years.

Since fall 2004, students have paid an additional $1 to $4 fee per semester to fund a variety sustainability programs. The Auraria Campus had been 45 percent wind-powered since July 2006. Then in April 2007, over 90 percent of students at Auraria voted to renew and expand the sustainable campus program (see http://www.mscd.edu/~collcom/artman/publish/bot_twv5091207.shtml). The increase in student fees will fund the new three-year purchase of renewable energy credits, as well as a robust single-stream recycling program launched in January of this year that has already reduced campus landfill waste by 25 percent, water efficiency projects, and building energy efficacy projects that will begin this school year, in addition to related educational programs on campus.

"With this commitment, Auraria Campus students have clearly demonstrated their steadfast support of sustainability and the mission of Greenprint Denver," said Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. "We applaud the University of Colorado Denver, the Community College of Denver, and the Metropolitan State College of Denver for pursuing renewable energy opportunities to help our community save energy, improve air quality and protect the environment. These students are setting a positive example for others in our community to follow."