Sustainability at Lehman College
Sustainability can be defined as “meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Brundtlandt, World Commission on Environment and Development 1987). For a process to be sustainable, it must preserve the environment, stimulate economic growth, and improve society—endeavors that have often worked against one another.
Incorporating sustainability at a college campus presents a unique opportunity to reduce operating costs, improve efficiency in using resources, develop new curricula, simplify maintenance, and reduce the campus’ environmental impact, among other benefits. The spectrum of individual sustainability initiatives run from small to large to produce results on immediate to long-term timelines.
On June 6, 2007, Chancellor Matthew Goldstein publicly accepted Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC challenge to universities to reduce their carbon footprint by 30 percent by 2017.
Sustainability at Lehman College is divided into separate, but interconnected “Pillars:” Water, Energy, Green Procurement, Nutrition, Recycling and Composting, Transportation, and Education and Outreach. The New Science Building comprises the final Pillar of Sustainability at Lehman College, a world-class educational and research facility that has sustainability as a prominent feature in its design, construction, maintenance, and operation (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold).
Last modified: Oct 13, 2011
