East Stroudsburg University Champions Sustainability with Comprehensive Green Campus Initiatives

East Stroudsburg University, located in the heart of the Pocono Mountains, is leading the way in environmental stewardship through its Green Campus Initiative, a multifaceted program dedicated to promoting sustainability across campus operations and community engagement.

The initiative encompasses five key groups:

• Botanical Landscaping: This group aims to provide learning opportunities for students in green agriculture projects through community partnerships. The group also maintains ESU’s arboretum, that serves as a living museum, showcasing a diverse collection of trees and providing educational opportunities for students and visitors. ​
• Energy and Efficiency: The university has implemented energy-saving measures such as LED lighting in facilities like Dansbury Commons and Koehler Fieldhouse arena, and motion sensors in offices and classrooms. Several buildings are LEED-certified or built or being built to LEED standards. The under-construction University Center is designed to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly, and ESU is applying for LEED Silver certification. Among the project’s green features will be a green roof, LED light fixtures, Geothermal heating and cooling systems, tinted exterior windows, energy efficient plumbing fixtures, low emitting indoor building materials, etc.
• Green Stormwater Infrastructure: ESU is educating the campus community about Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) to reduce water pollution, erosion, and flooding. The group is collecting information on existing GSI techniques and hopes to explore more possibilities on campus. The new University Center will also feature an underground watering filtration system to take runoff water and store it to re-water the surrounding grass rather than diverting it into the sewage system
• Recycling: The university has introduced single-stream recycling bins and organizes events like yard sales to collect items when students move out at the end of each academic year, with proceeds supporting the Warrior Food Pantry.
• Wildlife and Habitat: With the goal of making the community more aware of the rich diversity of wildlife around campus, the group keeps inventory of wildlife habitats on campus. This includes some small animals like birds, reptiles, amphibians and some insects.

The Green Campus Initiative is coordinated through leadership from various faculty and staff members. The program actively involves students in sustainability projects, fostering a culture of environmental responsibility within the ESU community.​

Learn more about ESU’s Green Campus Initiative by visiting esu.edu/green.

Search

Recent Posts