Catawba College News Service

SALISBURY — Catawba College has been honored by the Association of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). In its 2024 Sustainable Campus Index (SCI), the college was recognized as a top performer in air and climate reporting.

Using data from its Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS), AASHE recognizes the top-performing colleges and universities worldwide in 17 impact areas. Catawba College’s performance in the air and climate impact area ranks fourth amongst all reporting institutions.

John Poston, Catawba’s former sustainability specialist assistant, researched open-source national lab emission factor tools to assist in the calculations of the additional air pollutant categories for the College. Poston, who now serves as sustainability coordinator for Georgia Southern University, said that the recognition was “a representation of all of the hard work of the entire college to reduce its impact on the planet, and it shows one way that good goes far at Catawba College.”

Dr. Joe Poston and Catawba College ornithology students are also recognized in the 2024 SCI. The report’s final page showcases Dr. Poston’s class using the Fred Stanback Jr. Ecological Preserve as a living-learning laboratory.

Global climate change has many negative impacts worldwide, including increased frequency and potency of extreme weather events, sea level rise, species extinction, water shortages and more. The impacts are particularly pronounced for low-income communities and countries. In addition, institutions that inventory and take steps to reduce their air pollutant emissions can positively impact the health of the campus community and the health of their local communities and regions.

This ranking reflects the College’s recent efforts, which have built upon its longstanding history of leadership in sustainability. Contributing factors include reporting annual emission calculations for air pollutants such as NOx, SOx, and PM2.5, among others.

Catawba was the first college in the Southeast to be certified carbon neutral seven years ahead of their 2030 goal and the first campus in the US to add Haven solar shelters. The college recently completed work on a new geothermal system to provide efficient and clean heating and cooling for the Corriher-Linn-Black Library. New solar parking canopies have also been added on campus.