Eco-Friendly Commitments
(Hartford Courant)

In response to the March 9 article "UConn Plots Out Eco-Friendly Future' [Connecticut section], I would like to commend University of Connecticut President Philip Austin and Richard Miller, director of UConn's Office of Environmental Policy, for bringing a proposal to the board of trustees for strict energy and environmental guidelines for future construction projects of the university.

As a UConn faculty member, I strongly support the new guidelines and encourage the board to approve them.

Global climate change is a pressing issue and the state of Connecticut, through adoption of the Connecticut Climate Change Action Plan 2005, has taken a leading role in promoting implementation of changes to reduce human impact on climate change. Many of these actions have been effectively guided through the efforts of the Connecticut Climate Change Initiative of the Department of Environmental Protection.

In addition to adoption of the guidelines by the board of trustees, I encourage President Austin to join the president of Connecticut College and leaders at more than 125 other U.S. colleges and universities in signing the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment. Such an action would further publicly commit UConn and the state to a leadership role among U.S. academic institutions working toward a sustainable future.

William B. Upholt
West Hartford