Oct, 3, 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Northern Arizona University was honored with a special 50th-anniversary award at the Arizona Forward Environmental Excellence Awards late last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President Rita Cheng accepted the recognition for NAU, which was shared with our two sister institutions. It is an honor, she told the crowd at the Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix, to be part of an organization and culture that is so focused on sustainability and conservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt NAU, sustainability is about people,\u201d Cheng said. \u201cIt is\nabout understanding the world and shaping the information and practices that\ncan improve life in Arizona, now and in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since 1973, when NAU added an environmental studies degree\nto the curriculum, it has been a focus for the university. NAU researchers\naddress complex issues in environmental variability and ecosystem science as\nwell as forest restoration, land management and watershed protection. This work\ntakes researchers into the field, both in and around the region and the\nColorado Plateau and into more far-flung, diverse ecosystems in Africa, South\nAmerica and both the North and South poles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learn more about NAU\u2019s\nresearch efforts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NAU administrators also consider sustainability when\nbuilding facilities across campuses statewide, investing in efficient buildings\nand infrastructure and looking for options that reduce its environmental\nimpact, including recycling, composting, installing solar panels and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNAU students are extremely committed to sustainability, and that can be seen in the many efforts they support as they care for the Earth, but also in the sheer numbers who come to our classrooms to learn how to care for our forests, our water and our land,\u201d Cheng said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n President Cheng was joined by Regent Bill Ridenour, JoElizabeth Ridenour, Tom Cheng<\/strong>, Diane Vosick<\/strong>, Geoff Bernard, Bruce Hungate<\/strong> and Jane Marks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For 50 years, Arizona Forward has been bringing together\nbusiness, civic and educational leaders to advocate for responsible land use,\nmore environmentally friendly transportation options, improving air quality and\nconserving water. The annual awards recognize organizations and projects aimed\nat increasing sustainability in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n