The U.S. Department of Education recently named Colorado Mountain College as one of its nine recipients of the Green Ribbon School Postsecondary Sustainability Award.

The prestigious national award aims to inspire schools, districts and higher-education institutions to strive for 21st century excellence by highlighting work to reduce environmental impact and costs, improve health and wellness for students and staff, as well as provide environmental education. The selection process puts an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, curriculum, civic skills and green career pathways.

“At CMC, we try to ‘walk the talk’ on sustainability,” Carrie Besnette Hauser, the community college network’s president and CEO, said in a news release. “We are honored to receive this designation on behalf of the many faculty, students and staff dedicated to implementing sustainable practices at CMC.”

Since signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment in 2009, the 11-campus mountain system has focused its environmental efforts on reducing its carbon footprint through direct action, integrating sustainability into all operations and using its position as an educational institution to teach students and community stakeholders about the changing nature of our surrounding natural environment. The Colorado Department of Higher Education nominated CMC for the award.

For more information about the federal recognition, visit http://ed.gov/green-ribbon-schools. Resources for all schools to move toward the goals of the program may also be found at greenstrides.org.