Once again, the University is being recognized as a leader in environmental sustainability efforts. On March 22, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality notified the University it will be recognized for its fifth Environmental Leadership Program award, for the Refills Not Landfills program run last year.
“I am extremely proud of the effort LSU is making to reduce the amount of waste that reaches the landfill. Sustainability is important to our students, and their enthusiasm for Refills Not Landfills is the reason this award winning initiative was so successful,” said Tammy Millican, executive director of facility and property oversight, in a statement.
The Environmental Leadership Program was developed by the Department of Environmental Quality in conjunction with various industries in the state in 1995. The program was fully operational starting in 1997. Its mission is to promote pollution prevention and other efforts in pursuit of environmental excellence.
The current program consists of businesses of all sizes, federal facilities, municipalities, schools and universities. Membership in the program is open to all organizations dedicated to improving the quality of the Louisiana environment.
Participants in the program are expected to adhere to the core principles of the program. These include minimizing adverse health impacts on humans and the environment, having internal management systems which improve on environmental performance, using the waste management systems as guidance for managing environmental issues, and be proactive in the communicating environmental concerns with stakeholders.
The Refills Not Landfills program was financed by a Keep Louisiana Beautiful grant in 2016. The event gave away reusable water bottles and installed three new water bottle refilling stations on campus. The program is also responsible for the discounts offered by LSU Dining for using reusable bottles. The program was such a success that Millican was asked to give a presentation at the Keep Louisiana Beautiful state conference.