June 07, 2007
Brooklyn, NY -
Bloomberg Enlists University Leaders as
‘PlaNYC Challenge Partners’ For New Initiative
St. John’s University will join eight New York City colleges and
universities in accepting New York City Mayor Michael R.
Bloomberg’s challenge to reduce its greenhouse gas footprint and
increase energy efficiency by developing and executing plans within
their own institutions. By accepting the Mayor’s invitation
to join forces as a new “PlaNYC Challenge Partner,” St. John’s will
work to develop best practices and to lead by example in reducing
its carbon footprint.
“We look forward to the power of collaboration and synergy as we
enthusiastically join other PlaNYC Challenge Partners to share best
practices,” James P.
Pellow, Ed.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer at St. John’s University.
Mayor Bloomberg was joined by representatives from Barnard
College; the City University of New York (CUNY); Columbia
University; Cooper Union; Fordham University; The New School, New
York University; Pratt Institute and St. John’s University who
stood united together at yesterday afternoon’s landmark press
conference to announce the partnership.
“It is a pleasure to be with such a distinguished group
representing the finest institutions of higher education, anyplace
in the world including New York. Today they have all come together
to join city government in accepting the grand challenge that we
laid out in PlaNYC,” Mayor Bloomberg said in his opening statement
at an outdoor press conference held at Pratt Institute. “Like city
government, they will commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions
30% over the next 10 years and each of these colleges will conduct
an inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions and produce a plan
of meeting the goal of 30 in 10.”
“Universities are really the right group to help lead the charge
on climate change. First of all, they are in the business of
shaping the leaders of tomorrow which means they have a huge stake
in the future. It is only right that they should also be leaders in
meeting the greatest challenge of our time,” Mayor Bloomberg
added.
PlaNYC was adopted in April 2007 by Mayor Bloomberg,
appropriately on Earth Day, and, with the help of a Sustainability
Advisory Board (comprised of leaders from the private, public and
non-profit sectors), he developed strategies that focus on five key
dimensions of the city’s environment: land, air, water, energy and
transportation. The Mayor’s call to action is now and he has
received support from many constituencies including the higher
education community.
“What’s different today certainly in the United States and other
parts of the world is that people have come to the realization that
the damage to the environment has increased and that there is a
greater awareness,” Mayor Bloomberg noted. “The most interesting
thing in this country in the last year has been a change in the
dialogue of whether global warming exists to an acceptance that in
fact it is bad, it does exist and that we have to do something
about it. Today the debate is what do we do about it and who’s
going to pay for it and how, but that (dialogue) is going in the
right direction.”
“Mayor Bloomberg has embraced a challenge that many thought
insurmountable. He has developed a thoughtful and realistic
strategy that takes the long view while establishing concrete short
term goals,” Dr. Pellow added. “And, by bringing together this
group of universities, he sends the message throughout New York
City and across the country that material change is within our
grasp. Mayor Bloomberg is a catalyst for positive change in our
city and in our culture.”
St. John’s, with more than 20,000 students and three million
square feet of facilities, has implemented several concrete
measures to fight to strengthen the environmental cause
including:
- Implementing a full energy audit to establish means and methods
for reducing usage and shrinking the carbon foot print of existing
facilities.
- Embracing LEED standards for 200,000 square feet of new
construction.
- Migration to dual fuel vehicles on all campuses.
St. John’s University is committed to do its part in the fight
against global climate change by having a positive impact on its
students through educating and engaging them in responsible
stewardship of their environment.
“The key to change, of course, is action. Mayor
Bloomberg’s vision, backed by his commitment to action, could be
the ‘tipping point’ that embeds this social movement in the
behavior of citizens everywhere,” Dr. Pellow said.
Each university representative also spoke briefly about their
responsibilities in taking on this new partnership with the Mayor’s
Office. The attendees were: Judith Shapiro, President of Barnard
College; Iris Weinshall, Vice Chancellor at City College of New
York (CUNY); Lee Bollinger, President of Columbia University;
George Campbell, Jr., President of Cooper Union; Rev. Joseph
McShane, S.J., President of Fordham University; Jim Murtha,
Executive Vice President of The New School; John Sexton, President
of New York University; Thomas F. Schutte, President of Pratt
Institute and Dr. Pellow representing St. John’s University.
Mayor Bloomberg closed the press conference with a brief
statement and question and answer session with the media. His words
of wisdom carried out the unavoidable message that global climate
change and global warming issues are real and need to be
addressed.
Laurie Kerr, Senior Policy Advisor on Sustainability for the
City of New York working in the Mayor’s Office of Operations stated
that the PlaNYC Challenge Partners would be contacted in the next
2-3 weeks to begin discussions on proposed plans for each
institution.
For information on Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC Initiative contact
Stu Loeser or John Gallagher at (212) 788-2958 or visit the Mayor’s
web site at www.nyc.gov/mayor. For
information regarding St. John’s University contact Dominic
Scianna, Director of Media Relations by calling (718) 990-6185 or
e-mail inquiries to sciannad@stjohns.edu.