Published since 1989, National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Campus Ecology sustainability case study database has become a valuable resource for students, faculty, administrators, community leaders and others interested in the role of colleges and universities in protecting the public health and welfare by reducing waste, pollution, and congestion in their communities.

The University of Chicago submitted a case study featuring recycles, the free campus bike share program launched in 2009. In addition to community building through the program’s partnership with Blackstone Bicycle Works, recycles encourages the University community to try two-wheeled transportation, whether that’s attending a meeting or class across campus, running errands in the neighborhood, or going for a leisurely spin. The bike share program has been resoundingly successful and over the course of the past several years, UChicago has experienced an increased interest in cycling and commitment to cycling infrastructure, leading to an Honorable Mention designation as a Bicycle Friendly University from the League of American Bicyclists.

The only catalog of its kind, National Wildlife Federation’s campus sustainability case study database is available online. In addition to the 2011 submissions, the database includes more than 600 case studies from campuses across the U.S. spanning more than a decade.