Notre Dame to stop burning coal entirely by end of 2019

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – In 2015, the University of Notre Dame announced that they would end coal burning by 2020, but they achieved their goal a year in advance.

The move is part of an environmental initiative aimed at cutting half of the University’s carbon footprint by 2030.

Notre Dame President Father Jenkins delivered the last load of coal to demonstrate that the University is committed to sustainability.

Notre Dame has already made efforts in reducing the amount of energy they use, and they are also increasing their energy sources and evolving their energy infrastructure.

“They won’t solve every problem,” Father Jenkins said, “but I hope they’ll provide an example of how we can have a sustainable future. We can have a relationship to the earth and our environment.”

The University has already enacted a conservation strategy through implementing energy efficient lighting, creating temperature set points, limiting building operating schedules and using low-flow water devices.

Carol Mullaney, who is the Director of Sustainability and Continuous Improvement at Notre Dame, says that energy conservation is a collective effort.

“We’re all in this together,” Mullaney said. “So what we do here to the local community and what the local community does impacts us as well, so it is truly a partnership and I think working together on some of these solutions is very important.”

Conservation efforts have not only reduced Notre Dame’s carbon emissions, but have also saved the University an estimated 2 million dollars annually.