Greening

Whitman is among 52 colleges and universities in the nation included in the “Greening the Bottom Line: The Trend toward Green Revolving Funds on Campus” report released in February 2011.

“Based on the first survey ever conducted about green revolving funds (GRFs) in higher education, ‘Greening the Bottom Line’ details how GRFs help cut operating expenses and greenhouse gas emissions at 52 schools,” according to the Sustainable Endowments Institute. "The breakthrough in this approach is how cost savings are used to replenish the fund for investment in the next green upgrades.”

Whitman's Sustainability Revolving Loan Fund, established in 2008, is a $50,000 line of credit designated for campus improvements that significantly benefit Whitman’s sustainability efforts by conserving resources and improving efficiency. All loans are expected to generate savings that result in a 100 percent pay-back within five years, and the fund is replenished through the savings from the implementation of the projects.