In October 2006, a handful of education leaders launched the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), an initiative that aims to make all campuses climate neutral. Of the 4,300 colleges and universities in the United States, more than 550 have signed on, from community colleges to Ivy League schools. Pledges come from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. “The diversity of the schools is incredible,” says co-organizer Lee Bodner, executive director of ecoAmerica, one of three organizations helping promote the initiative.

The ACUPCC encourages general measures to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, such as pursuing LEED certification for new construction, off-setting greenhouse gas emissions from air travel, and implementing purchasing policies that mandate energy-efficient appliances. It also urges schools to integrate sustainability into the curriculum. Recent signatory Tulane University for example, made Elizabeth Kolbert’s Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change required reading for all freshmen.