ONE VCU Sustainability Plan Draft Recommendations
Building on VCU’s history of sustainability achievements and initiatives, a team of subject-matter experts and other stakeholders from the VCU, VCU Health and local communities have worked together to create a research-based plan to consider how VCU can better embed sustainability into our culture; how we can restore the the natural environment for our students, patients and community; and inspire sustainability in education, research and healthcare in our community and beyond.
We are now seeking feedback from the VCU community and the public on our draft recommendations that will form the foundation of the ONE VCU Sustainability Plan. Tell us what you think about the draft recommendations by completing the feedback form linked below.
Ourselves: Embed sustainability into the One VCU culture
Draft strategy: Infuse sustainability into the academic curriculum
- Engage faculty to consider: interdisciplinary sustainability 101 course; sustainability course tracking; discipline-specific sustainability course modules; sustainability-related experiential learning opportunities; student-led sustainability projects
- Draft strategy: Embed sustainability into operations
- Student orientation; employee orientation; graduation; RamStrong (health and well-being); sustainability expectations in procurement solicitations; and other operations as appropriate
- Draft strategy: Optimize VCU’s physical infrastructure
- Embed sustainability in design, construction and/or renovations (continue LEED building standards); establish “green operating room” and “green labs” processes and procedures; downsize fleet; add electric vehicle charging stations; increase native and diverse plantings; replace gas-powered equipment with electric over time; establish a schedule for building system recalibrations
- Draft strategy: Establish a standing One VCU sustainability advisory committee
- Committee charged with supporting, sharing (dashboards) and monitoring sustainability plan progress; committee membership includes students, faculty, staff, VCU Health team members and community members
Our community: Enhance student, patient, workforce and community health and well-being by restoring the natural environment and minimizing VCU's environmental impact
Draft strategy: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and work to achieve carbon neutrality
- Establish a project team (employees and students) to identify and model viable options to achieve the university’s carbon neutrality by 2050 goal; bring viable option(s) forward for adoption and implementation
- Draft strategy: Work toward becoming a zero-waste campus
- Strengthen waste and recycling program to increase waste diversion; reduce single-use plastics and food waste; reduce hazardous waste relative to our growth; increase reuse (e.g., Free Store); report current levels, develop reduction targets, and share and monitor progress
- Strengthen waste and recycling program to increase waste diversion; reduce single-use plastics and food waste; reduce hazardous waste relative to our growth; increase reuse (e.g., Free Store); report current levels, develop reduction targets, and share and monitor progress
- Draft strategy: Reduce potable water consumption and protect the James River
- Expand metering; implement reduction measures in areas of high use; report current levels, develop reduction targets, and share and monitor progress
- Draft strategy: Enhance biophilic connection
- Grow and improve campus green space; pursue Bee Campus USA certification; pursue Tree Campus Higher Education recognition through the Arbor Day Foundation
- Draft strategy: Engage with the Richmond communities on sustainability
- Examples include: lecture series, collaborative projects and RVA Green 2050
Our world: Inspire sustainability innovation in research, education and healthcare to advance environmental health, human health, health equity and economic vitality
Draft strategy: Increase cross-disciplinary sustainability research
- Build on the work of the Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment (ISEE) and the Center for Environmental Studies; encourage researchers to cooperate and develop joint sustainability projects
- Draft strategy: Develop the next generation of clinical workforce, faculty, researchers, civic leaders and professionals with expertise in sustainability
- Explore the creation of multidisciplinary bachelors, master’s and/or doctoral sustainability degree programs; prepare a clinical workforce to address health related impacts of climate change
- Draft strategy: Foster sustainability-focused partnerships at VCU, in our community and around the world
- Identify VCU faculty and staff who are engaged in sustainability-related research, education and healthcare; foster potential partnerships in our community and around the world; identify gaps
- Draft strategy: Broadly share VCU’s sustainability impact
- Develop and execute strategic communications plan
Tell us what you think
Fill out the feedback form below to share your feedback on the draft recommendations and let us know if anything is missing.