National Wildlife Federation Announces Its ‘Chill Out’ Contest Winners

Longwood U. was among the winners of this year’s Chill Out competition, sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation.

The National Wildlife Federation has announced its annual Chill Out awards, which recognize various institutions for their efforts to reduce energy use and emissions. The Massachusetts Maritime Academy won the grand prize for various sustainability initiatives, including incorporating sustainability into the curriculum and setting up renewable-energy generators, like the academy’s wind turbine.

Other winners include the chancellor’s office of the California State University system, for its support for solar power in the CSU system; California State University at Northridge, for its 1-megawatt fuel-cell power plant, which covers a fifth of the university’s power needs; Humboldt State University, for subsidizing an unlimited-ride bus pass for all Humboldt students that led to a 30-percent increase in ridership; Middlebury College, for various climate projects, including its new biomass plant; and Oberlin College, for an project to replace incandescent bulbs with compact florescents. Longwood University and the University of California at San Diego won awards for videos that highlight sustainability efforts on campus.

The winners will be featured in a Webcast today on the National Wildlife Federation’s Chill Out page.