University of Florida’s Office of Sustainability Highlights
Below are a few highlights related to each of our guiding principles. For a more comprehensive look at UF’s work in a given area, please follow the link to that section on the homepage.
Teaching and Research
Stimulate and facilitate curricular development and research efforts in sustainability-related areas, including the promotion of service-learning and the empowerment of faculty, students, and staff to engage the campus community, university operations, and university lands as living laboratories for sustainability.
Highlights: Florida Institute for Sustainable Energy; Water Institute; myriad centers for environmental research, conservation, planning, design, policy, law; 110+ courses related to sustainability; many college-level certificates in sustainability; development of a Minor underway
Service, Outreach, and Extension
Facilitate the civic engagement of faculty, students, and staff and stimulate service, outreach, and extension efforts that promote sustainable practices within community and economic development.
Highlights: Florida Yards & Neighborhoods, Integrated Pest Management, Program for Resource Efficient Communities, Sustainability in Extension working group, Solutions for Your Life website, Pinellas Co./Bushnell Center for Urban Sustainability
Energy Conservation and Climate Change
Monitor and minimize energy consumption, reduce and offset greenhouse gas emissions, and promote the development and use of renewable energy sources.
Highlights: UF Carbon Inventory and Assessment, Dr. Machen first to sign
College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, development of carbon
neutrality action plan underway
Land and Resource Management
Manage lands in a sustainable manner to conserve, protect, and restore natural systems, natural resources, and biodiversity.
Highlights: Campus master plan designates conservation areas, including habitats; first campus to achieve Audubon Sanctuary certification; +90% of irrigation is reclaimed water
Agriculture
Promote diverse and sustainable agricultural practices that encourage the protection of farmland and the rural environment, establish food security, and support a high standard of nutrition on campus and in the community.
Highlights: Dining Services sources an average of 30% of produce regionally, Fresh Food Challenge, Organic Agriculture Major, anaerobic manure digester at IFAS Dairy Research Unit
Built Environment
Construct and renovate the built environment to high standards of energy, water, and materials efficiency with minimum impacts on local ecosystems.
Highlights: 17 LEED NC buildings, including 2 Gold; 35-building LEED EB portfolio under development; campus master plan supports sustainable urban planning, Energy Star policy for all appliances; green roof demonstration
Waste Reduction
Reduce waste streams and promote closed-cycle materials practices.
Highlights: Zero Waste by 2015; nearly 40% of solid waste is recycled;
about 60% of deconstruction waste is reclaimed and recycled; electronic
waste recovery policy; over 17,000 lbs of recyclable materials were collected
during the 2006 football games; best practices in research including, Helium
recycling and animal waste composting partnership
Procurement
Subscribe to procurement policies and practices that support environmentally and socially responsible products and services.
Highlights: Sustainable Purchasing Policy, Sustainable Product Trade Show, hybrid/alternative fuel vehicle policy
Investment
Explore and develop opportunities to engage in socially and environmentally responsible investing.
Transportation
Develop incentives and infrastructure for walking, cycling, ridesharing, and public transportation.
Highlights: Comprehensive suite of alternatives to single occupancy vehicle travel – RTS, carpool, GreenRide, FlexCar, planning for pedestrian and bicycle safety; alternative fuels in fleet vehicles
Health
Ensure a healthy working environment for faculty, students, and staff and work to ensure equitable access to healthcare on campus and within the broader community.
Highlights: Healthy Gators 2010 Campaign; Baby Gator; Green Seal certified cleaning products on campus, at Shands, and in Dining Services
Equity
Promote diversity among faculty, students, and staff. Establish policies that support living wages and fair remuneration. Facilitate a shared governance model for management of university operations and the sharing of perspectives and best practices.
Highlights: Livable wage for full-time employees, including benefits; UF wage for full-time contract vendor employees on campus; domestic partner benefits; graduate student health insurance; Sustainability Committee and Task Forces; labor code of conduct for contract vendor merchandise in bookstore
Cultural Climate
Foster a cultural climate that supports a full range of creative expression, artistic experience, and recreational opportunity.
Highlights: UF Cultural Plaza, Museum Nights, ACCENT, Recreation Center, Found Art competition proposal, myriad multicultural opportunities
Stewardship
Encourage all members of the Gator Nation to take responsibility for the interdependent environmental, economic, and social consequences of their actions.
Highlights: Gators for a Sustainable Campus, fourteen student groups supporting
sustainability; Student Renewable Energy Fee - .50/credit hour (78%); Green
Living Guide; Greeks Going Green
