Maryland College Drives Sustainability with Electric Vehicles

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) is driving toward a more sustainable campus by transitioning to a new fleet of vehicles that are less gas reliant.

CSM’s new fleet of Polaris GEM utility vehicles will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and lower the college’s carbon footprint. Plus, the vehicles will enhance on-campus safety and will lower operating costs for the school.

“We continually strive to improve our environmental performance by initiating projects and activities that further reduce our impact on the environment, and an electric and hybrid fleet makes a strong statement regarding the college’s commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Dr. Bill Comey, Vice President of Operations and Planning at CSM.

The transition to an electronic fleet has been something that CSM has talked about for a few years, according to Ronald Toward, the executive director of Facilities Management at CSM. In addition, CSM will soon acquire two E Transit vans and a pair of Ford Escape hybrid trucks for the larger tasks across campus.

Leading the way for Maryland, CSM is among the first community colleges in the state to make this change as it continues its sustainability efforts. The campus also boasts four LEED-certified buildings, has saved over 90,000 water bottles from landfills through water filling stations, and participates in energy-saving initiatives like “Code Green” Fridays during summer months.

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