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Greening Endowments

COLLEGES ACROSS THE NATION ARE TAKING STEPS TO CUT THEIR CARBON EMISSIONS.  BUT THE WAY THEY’RE INVESTING THEIR MONEY ISN’T SO GREEN, AS YOU’LL HEAR ON THIS ENVIRONMINUTE.

ORLOWSKI: LAST YEAR, ONLY NINE PERCENT OF SCHOOLS REPORTED THEY HAD SOME INVESTMENTS IN DIFFERENT RENEWABLE ENERGY FUNDS. THIS YEAR, THAT'S JUMPED FROM NINE PERCENT TO THIRTY-ONE PERCENT. BUT THAT SAID, THAT'S STILL LESS THAN A THIRD OF SCHOOLS.

THAT'S MARK ORLOWSKI OF THE SUSTAINABLE ENDOWMENTS INSTITUTE, WHICH GRADES THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE OF UNIVERSITIES.  THEIR LATEST REPORT REVEALS THAT SCHOOLS CAN BETTER USE THEIR SHAREHOLDER CLOUT TO MAKE LAGGING COMPANIES GREENER, INVEST MORE IN RENEWABLE ENERGY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LOAN FUNDS, AND SHARE MORE WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT THEIR INVESTMENT CHOICES. 

YOU CAN FIND YOUR SCHOOL'S GREEN INVESTMENT GRADES ONLINE AT ENDOWMENT INSTITUTE-DOT-ORG.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read the Sustainable Endowments Institute report.

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