University of Florida Office of Sustainability
Type: Policy
Status: Ongoing
Source File: http://www.sustainable.ufl.edu/mission.html
Description:
Mission and Guiding Principles of the University of Florida's Office of Sustainability
The mission of the Office of Sustainability is to make the University of Florida - in its operations, education, research, and outreach - a model of sustainability, integrating the goals of ecological restoration, economic development, and social equity.
In pursuing this mandate, the Office of Sustainability will encourage and facilitate the collaborative efforts of faculty, students, and staff to generate knowledge, acquire skills, develop values, and initiate practices that contribute to a sustainable, high quality of life on campus, in the state of Florida, and across the globe.
The Office of Sustainability supports faculty, students, and staff in assuming leadership to transform the following guiding principles into practices.
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.
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.
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.
Land and Resource Management
Manage lands in a sustainable manner to conserve, protect, and restore natural systems, natural resources, and biodiversity.
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.
Built Environment
Construct and renovate the built environment to high standards of energy, water, and materials efficiency with minimum impacts on local ecosystems.
Waste Reduction
Reduce waste streams and promote closed-cycle materials practices.
Procurement
Subscribe to procurement policies and practices that support environmentally and socially responsible products and services.
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.
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.
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.
Cultural Climate
Foster a cultural climate that supports a full range of creative expression, artistic experience, and recreational opportunity.
Stewardship
Encourage all members of the Gator Nation to take responsibility for the interdependent environmental, economic, and social consequences of their actions.