The U.S. Department of Education announced that Gateway Technical College is among the 2018 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees.

Gateway was nominated by the University of Wisconsin System as the post-secondary institution to represent the state, and was one of only six nationally to receive the designation.

 “It is an honor to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for our commitment to sustainability,” said Gateway Technical College President and CEO Bryan Albrecht. “Gateway values our environment and promotes social responsibility.”

Across the country, 46 schools, six school districts and six post-secondary institutions were honored for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impacts and utility costs, improve health and wellness and ensure effective sustainability education.

Gateway received the designation as a result of the number of ways it has worked toward attaining a culture of sustainability and health. The award takes into account three areas, called pillars.

Some examples in Gateway’s Pillar 1 – reducing environmental impacts and costs – include reducing its greenhouse gas emissions over the past eight years, reducing paper use and initiating sustainable event planning. Examples of Pillar ll – improving the health and wellness of students, faculty and staff – include clean air quality, reducing chemicals, operating an urban farm, holding events throughout the year encouraging healthy lifestyles and being named a WELCOA Well Workplace Gold Winner. Examples of Pillar lll – environmental and sustainability education – include ongoing programs of the Center for Sustainable Living, the colleges’ curriculum, environmental events for the public and working with K/12 districts to provide hands-on education tailored to their environmental education.

All award recipients can be found here: www2.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools/awards.html