To: Shane Tedder, Sustainability Coordinator, Bob Wiseman, Vice President for Facilities Management & Chief Facilities Officer, and Eli Capilouto, University President
University of Kentucky: Transition to Cleaner Energy
I stand with Greenthumb’s vision of a university that prioritizes the health of students, the Lexington community, and the natural environment. In light of the urgent environmental issues facing our planet, we believe that the University of Kentucky should seek to promote a more sustainable future for all people, and that, as the state’s flagship university, UK can play a powerful role in moving Kentucky towards those goals.
Currently, the university produces energy for heating and cooling through three on campus plants which all burn fossil fuels, polluting the air students and staff breathe every day. Furthermore, the University of Kentucky’s electricity is purchased from Kentucky Utility (KU), which burns fossil fuels to produce energy. As young people concerned with the future of the environment and the UK community, I support the following initiatives:
• Ending the practice of burning coal on campus
• Investing in renewable energy sources in order to provide long-term, sustainable energy
• Avoiding energy sources that require the extraction and burning of natural gas by environmentally detrimental means
• Using resources of all kinds more efficiently on campus
Currently, the university produces energy for heating and cooling through three on campus plants which all burn fossil fuels, polluting the air students and staff breathe every day. Furthermore, the University of Kentucky’s electricity is purchased from Kentucky Utility (KU), which burns fossil fuels to produce energy. As young people concerned with the future of the environment and the UK community, I support the following initiatives:
• Ending the practice of burning coal on campus
• Investing in renewable energy sources in order to provide long-term, sustainable energy
• Avoiding energy sources that require the extraction and burning of natural gas by environmentally detrimental means
• Using resources of all kinds more efficiently on campus
Why is this important?
Sustainability and energy usage are issues among the most important issues being faced today. It is vital that institutes of higher learning such as the University of Kentucky step up and take leadership regarding these issues. As the University of Kentucky grows and invests in its campus, energy and sustainability must be made a serious priority. Now is the time to start making the crucial transition.