UNE's Saco River Ferry among National Wildlife Federation's Best Green Campus Projects

The National Wildlife Federation on Nov. 28, 2012 announced that UNE's Saco River Ferry project was one of the NWF Campus Ecology program's 112 Best Green Campus Projects of 2012.

A photograph of the ferry, which ran for three weeks in spring 2012 and seven weeks in fall 2012 from Camp Ellis in Saco to UNE's Biddeford Campus, was displayed on the homepage/introduction of the announcement.

In its seven weeks of operation fall 2012, the ferry averaged 73 one-way riders per week and eliminated a total of 483 vehicle trips from local roadways and 4,347 miles worth of carbon emissions.

The UNE river ferry is the first active ferry service on the Saco River since 1925.

The university-wide project was spearheaded by UNE Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Noah Perlut, his Introduction to Environmental Issues class, and Sustainability Coordinator Alethea Cariddi.

Funding for the project was provided by the UNE President’s Office and Undergraduate Student Government, evidence of the collaborative leadership and sense of value and importance shared by administration and students. Read the NWF introduction and the UNE case.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.