“Carl and Judy Ferenbach’s generous support is a critical catalyst for the University’s effort to decrease our environmental footprint,” said Executive Vice President Mark Burstein. “The resources they have provided allow us to link the institution’s sustainability goals to teaching, research, and civic engagement initiatives, strengthening our leadership position in this area.” 

Educational initiatives funded for the coming year include an enhanced sustainability curriculum for Outdoor Action; a one-month intensive training course in radio and video production by the Student Environmental Communication Network for students interested in communication on sustainability; and support for a technician to collaborate with students and faculty on an engineering course that evaluates energy usage in local homes and provides green retrofitting guidance as part of Engineering Projects in Community Service.

Research supported by the gift includes an examination of the Upper New York Bay area and the urban ecology of New York Harbor and its waterways, and the development of a computer database of water profiles of Lake Carnegie managed by the Princeton Environmental Institute. 

In the area of civic engagement, the High Meadows gift will fund the Forbes College Garden Project to construct a 1.5-acre garden, a weekly Farmers’ Market on campus that offers locally grown produce and other goods from area farmers and businesses, a bicycle and pedestrian program to promote a culture that supports zero-emission transportation alternatives, and a compact fluorescent light bulb exchange.

“The High Meadows fund will allow some of the most promising ideas that come before the committee to become reality,” said Michael E. McKay, vice president for facilities and Sustainability Committee chair. “It will also serve to encourage people who have innovative projects to come forward, knowing there is a venue for vetting and improving their ideas and a real possibility that resources can be identified to further their projects.”