Sustainability: What is our Plan?

Binghamton University Sustainability Plan

In recognition of our responsibility as an institution of higher learning to lead by example, Binghamton University commits ourselves to a comprehensive sustainability plan. Guided by our dedication to environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic prosperity, we endeavor to integrate sustainable practices into every facet of our campus community. To achieve our goals we plan to build on our academic and research successes as a R1 university, build a culture that values sustainability, set measurable objectives related to all aspects of sustainability, and track our compliance with Executive Order 22. This plan serves as our blueprint to foster education, and empower our community to embrace sustainable principles in all our endeavors. Green is not just our school color! Together, we pledge to uphold these values, honoring our commitment to a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future.

The Binghamton University Strategic Plan, also known as the Campus Road Map, outlines goals and objectives for Binghamton University that encompass the equity and economy dimensions of sustainable communities as well as research, education, and engagement. Therefore, this plan focuses largely on the environmental aspects of sustainability.

Defining Sustainability

The term sustainable is used in many different contexts, we have adopted the following definitions to guide the development of this plan.

Sustainability:

“Sustainability means enduring into the long-term future; it refers to systems and processes that are able to operate and persist on their own for long periods of time” (Robertson, p. 3)

Sustainable Development:

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (WCED 1987, p. 43)

Sustainable Communities:

“A sustainable community is the aggregate of functionally and socially connected individuals and organizations that share collective resources in such a way that engages members in self-determination governance processes resulting in the equitable provisioning of the health, educational, and material well-being among its residents while not negatively affecting future generations or other communities’ uses of these resources” (Mischen et al., 2019)

Sustainable University:

A sustainable university is an educational institution that:

  • educates its communities for sustainable development, 
  • offers relevant insights into urgent societal challenges,
  • actively assesses and strives to reduce the negative and enhance the positive environmental and social impact of its campus operations and growth, 
  • empowers students, faculty, and staff to act, and 
  • makes sustainability a central priority.

Previous Plans

Climate Action Plan