JERSEY CITY, NJ, Oct. 20, 2009 (Marketwire) --
JERSEY CITY, NJ -- (Marketwire) -- 10/20/09 -- Effective beginning January 1, 2010, the electricity purchased for all buildings on the Saint Peter's College Jersey City campus will be 100 percent renewable "green" energy for a minimum of one year. Saint Peter's will be the second private college in the state of New Jersey to purchase green energy as its sole source of electricity, thereby displacing an estimated 3,065 metric tons of carbon dioxide throughout the year, which is the equivalent of planting 2,761 acres of trees or removing 7,697,000 miles of vehicle travel from roadways.
"The purchase of renewable energy demonstrates Saint Peter's commitment to sustainable strategy," noted Saint Peter's College President Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., who signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment in 2008. "We look forward to identifying additional conservation opportunities and acquiring greener practices to support the College in its goal of carbon neutrality."
The green energy will be generated by 100 percent wind power, an attractive alternative to the typical use of fossil fuels to create electricity. The electricity generated by wind turbines prevents the contamination of air by omitting environmentally destructive pollutants.
The College has implemented a number of additional green initiatives: elimination of the use of Styrofoam cups and plates on campus; competitions between residence halls to encourage conservation measures; reduction of paper for communication messages; and the sole use of non-toxic cleaning supplies throughout the campus. The College is also equipped with MINI E cars, the latest generation of 100 percent electric, zero emission vehicles for the next year, as part of BMW Group's official field trial of the environmentally savvy cars.
The renewable energy that Saint Peter's has acquired is Green-e® Certified Energy. The most reliable renewable energy certification organization in the United States, Green-e® certifies that products meet environmental and consumer protection standards, developed in conjunction with environmental, energy and policy organizations.
"ConEdison Solutions is proud to supply Saint Peter's College Jersey City campus with clean and renewable wind power," said Robert E. Anderson, Vice President of Retail Commodity Services for ConEdison Solutions of White Plains, N.Y., which provides renewable energy, competitive power supply, and cost-effective sustainability services to national and regional clients.
