You say you want a revolution? Universities have a long tradition of cultivating avant-garde ideas, from the merely weird to the downright worldchanging, long before they enter the mainstream. Now, a growing number of North American universities have committed to powering their campuses with sustainable energy.

From Unity College in Maine to Western Washington University, students are often strong advocates for the change -- this spring WWU students voted themselves a $19/quarter fee in support of their renewable electricity initiative. As commercial entities, universities, like other large institutions, have enormous reach, impacting local cultures, environments, and economies. Just as important, students from these institutions will move into the business world with the sure knowledge that sustainable energy works, even on a large scale--and with practical experience implementing sustainable strategies into existing organizations.

Rebecca Blood is an author and the creator of the pioneering blog, Rebecca's Pocket.