A report released Oct. 7 rating universities’ sustainability for 2010 gave Carleton a B- overall, an improvement from the D- rating the university achieved in the 2009 report card. Carleton was given high scores in the administration and food and recycling categories, while receiving a D rating in the climate change and energy, and shareholder engagement.
 
This year, Carleton Dining Services committed to buying environmentally-responsible foods and to meet a target of 40 per cent waste diversion — simply, 40 per cent of what the cafeteria throws out is now to be either recycled or composted, according to the report card.
 
Carleton has taken steps to improve its energy usage by replacing 80 per cent of incandescent lights, but failed this year to set definite targets on greenhouse gas reduction, the report said.
 
Sustainability officer Murdo Murchinson said that improvements for these targets are to come.
 
Check next week’s issue of the Charlatan for a special report on sustainability at Carleton.