Menino, Aoun pledge green Hub
Marc Larocque
Issue date: 4/18/07 Section: News
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Two major proposals to combat global warming both on and off campus were announced in Boston Thursday.
At Northeastern University, President Joseph Aoun signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, joining 175 other college presidents. The university commitment is modeled after the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which has secured the signatures of more than 400 mayors around the country.
The commitment calls for Northeastern to take clear, comprehensive steps to become "climate neutral." This includes completing an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, and within two years, developing a plan to mitigate emissions as much as possible.
"Sustainability will factor into ... all of our decisions and plans for new services, building designs, and product choices," Aoun said in a statement. "I appeal to all faculty, staff and students to take their own individual steps toward making Northeastern an exemplar in sustainability."
At the Children's Museum, Mayor Thomas Menino presented his goal for reducing the city's greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. He signed the United States Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and announced an executive order to raise Boston's rank from its current status as the nation's seventh most energy-efficient city. By reducing emissions seven percent before 2012, he intends for Boston to become the country's foremost city in energy efficiency.
"Despite what the White House says ... global warming is real," he said during the event, which was attended by politicians and energy conservation proponents. "If we don't take action now, we could face severe consequences."
Amidst the declarations, four panelists - a Northeastern environmental law professor, two spokespersons for non-profit city groups and the director of the city of Boston's Environmental Department - united at the Curry Student Center for a F.O.C.U.S. (Forming Opportunities for Collaboration, Understanding and Service) forum on the environment and public health.
At Northeastern University, President Joseph Aoun signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, joining 175 other college presidents. The university commitment is modeled after the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which has secured the signatures of more than 400 mayors around the country.
The commitment calls for Northeastern to take clear, comprehensive steps to become "climate neutral." This includes completing an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, and within two years, developing a plan to mitigate emissions as much as possible.
"Sustainability will factor into ... all of our decisions and plans for new services, building designs, and product choices," Aoun said in a statement. "I appeal to all faculty, staff and students to take their own individual steps toward making Northeastern an exemplar in sustainability."
At the Children's Museum, Mayor Thomas Menino presented his goal for reducing the city's greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. He signed the United States Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and announced an executive order to raise Boston's rank from its current status as the nation's seventh most energy-efficient city. By reducing emissions seven percent before 2012, he intends for Boston to become the country's foremost city in energy efficiency.
"Despite what the White House says ... global warming is real," he said during the event, which was attended by politicians and energy conservation proponents. "If we don't take action now, we could face severe consequences."
Amidst the declarations, four panelists - a Northeastern environmental law professor, two spokespersons for non-profit city groups and the director of the city of Boston's Environmental Department - united at the Curry Student Center for a F.O.C.U.S. (Forming Opportunities for Collaboration, Understanding and Service) forum on the environment and public health.
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