Universities’ efforts to protect the environment: an interview with the head of the steering committee of green university at FUM

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Universities’ efforts to protect the environment: an interview with the head of the steering committee of green university at FUM
Environmental issues threaten humanity and all living organism and thus go beyond geographical and political borders. All nations, ethnicities and cultures need to find solutions through cooperation and serious determination in order to optimize energy consumption, and reshape patterns of consumption.

In an interview the head of the steering committee of green university at FUM, who has been leading the Office of Green University since its establishment 4 years ago, Dr Fatemeh Tabatabaei Yazdi explained the need to revise the current trends in energy consumption according to the guidelines for green universities and conventions to which Iran is a signatory. According to Dr Tabatabaei, there is no room for mistakes anymore.

It’s time we stopped paying lip service; we must start taking fundamental actions to change the course of Iran’s development and progress. Ferdowsi University of Mashhad has made efforts to achieve this objective through increasing the involvement of upper-level managers in green initiatives.

Green transportation, replacing fossil fuels with renewables, extending automation and information technology to reduce carbon footprint, water and waste water management and fostering education and outreach are the guiding principles at FUM when it comes to sustainable development and green management.

A revision of the overarching principles of transportation is a center piece of green management in urban areas as well as university campuses. As in previous years, FUM celebrated the “clean air day” on the 23rd of January with various activities and a ceremony.

In line with our objectives to promote green transportations, the Ferdowsi University will unveil its FUM Bike program as a part of The First International Conference on Green University, to be held at the University on the 17th and 18th of February.

Pointing to the challenges facing the widespread use of bikes such as unavailability of the bikes to women, economic limitations and the slow process of habit forming, Dr Tabatabaei expressed hope for FUM and Mashhad to make strides in terms of sustainable development and reducing their ecological footprint.

Category: Conference News

Written by Hamed Bidel

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