Environment

Through an initiative to strengthen ties between the industrial and academic domains of sustainable energy and environmental technology, the University established the Princeton Energy and Environment Corporate Affiliates Program earlier this semester. PSEG, the parent company of the nation’s largest electric and gas company PSE&G, became the program’s first charter member as of Nov. 30.

Environmental groups are scrutinizing the University’s plans for property near Route 1 where a pair of bald eagles has been nesting since 2004. The University purchased the property, located in West Windsor, from Sarnoff Corporation in 2001 for future academic use.

Lisa Jackson GS ’86, the first African-American Environmental Protection Agency administrator, is leading the EPA’s first steps to regulate greenhouse gas emissions as part of the Obama administration’s agenda to combat climate change. The EPA has announced regulations over new power plants and refineries in the past week and will announce regulations for existing facilities within the next year.

In terms of reducing both energy use and waste, the University and its students have made great progress. However, there is still room for several easy, low-cost changes that could have a big impact on the University community’s use of resources.

Trash turned into treasure when students made clothes out of garbage in celebration of the 40th annual Earth Day on Thursday.

“In the fashion world, caring for the environment has gotten more trendy,” explained Sarah Chen ’13, a member of both Greening Princeton and Students United for a Responsible Global Environment, or SURGE. “It’s not a bad thing at all.”