Sustainability planning helps make a greener campus
Learn more about the University's approach to sustainability. More »
Students, faculty, and staff can travel the campus and neighborhood quickly and cleanly using pedal power. More »
Free bike share program enters its fourth year
Green Campus
At the University of Chicago, we are addressing the everyday issues of sustainability with a data-driven approach to understanding our impact and measuring our results.
The University of Chicago's Office of Sustainability has been making great strides towards reducing the environmental impact of campus operations and activities. From incorporating sustainability into University-wide purchasing to establishing our nationally recognized recycles bike share program, to publishing the University's first Greenhouse Gas Inventory, sustainable practices and policies are gaining a foothold on UChicago's campus. This progress speaks to an evolving campus culture and an increasingly important dialogue around sustainability. All of this progress has been made possible through partnerships with various departments and enthusiastic individuals across campus.
So what exactly are we doing and how do we know we're making a difference? After a rigorous analysis of our carbon footprint, we've completed a Sustainability Strategic Plan (SSP) that outlines our goals through 2014 while tracking over 100 data points to measure our progress. The Plan details the steps necessary to develop the University's sustainability infrastructure and connects environmental metrics to broader University outcomes. The SSP touches on all aspects of sustainability, establishes baselines, and integrates sustainable practices into everything we do.
