Iowa State University

Iowa State University is planning to adopt a formal sustainability policy and is also participating in a state government greening initiative. The Council on Sustainability was formed in 2003 and consists of faculty, staff, and students. The university is creating a sustainability office.

In cooperation with the Ames Municipal Utilities, the university is currently negotiating to purchase 10 to 20 percent of its electricity from wind generation. An energy task force recommends efficiency and conservation measures for the campus.

ISU sources food from 20 local farms and dairies, as well as the school horticulture program's organic farm, and aims to purchase 35 percent local, organic, sustainably produced food within five years. The university composts landscape and greenhouse waste at an on-campus compost site, in operation since 1993.

The university is in the process of formalizing a green building policy. Future building projects will target LEED Gold certification as the standard. ISU currently has one LEED Silver building, and three more LEED-certified buildings are currently under construction.

Students work on campus sustainability projects through clubs as well as the Leopold Center and a student-run campus farm.

In cooperation with the city, ISU students receive free bus travel. The university offers a vanpooling program for staff by underwriting the cost of the vans. ISU's agriculture department is collecting grease from one facility for conversion to biodiesel fuel.

The Iowa State University Foundation makes a list of endowment holdings available to the public by request, as per open records laws. The university does not make its shareholder voting record available.

The Iowa State University Foundation aims to optimize investment return and is exploring, but not currently invested in, renewable energy funds or similar investment vehicles.

The Iowa State University Foundation asks that its investment managers handle the details of proxy voting.