What is sustainability?

"Sustainable development is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." - Brundtland Commission of the United Nations on March 20, 1987.


Sustainability at colleges and universities typically entails:

  • Identifying and strengthening strategies for resource efficiency (energy, water, waste, transportation, etc.)
  • Working with faculty across disciplines to integrate sustainability across the curriculum
  • Working with Procurement and college vendors to identify and strengthen best practices, decrease negative impacts and inputs from services and projects, and use materials and products that are not wasteful or toxic
  • Raising awareness of sustainability/quality of life issues among employees, students, and the community
  • Engaging local municipalities and community groups to work towards overlapping goals

In the News

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How to get involved with sustainability efforts at Valencia

  • Become a sustainability intern.
  • Make a conscious effort to use less resources like energy, water, paper, etc.
  • Be a voice for sustainability. Demand sustainable products and less wasteful practices.
  • Support sustainability. Buy products that are recycled, recyclable, local, organic, and cruelty free.
Valencia's Sustainability Partner Organizations
  • SEED Initiaitve -- Sustainability Education & Economic Development
  • Energy Star
  • Stars - a program of AASHE
  • U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
  • Tree Campus USA
  • Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) member