What is Boston University doing to work toward a “Green Campus”? What does this mean? What can we do to improve? Are there any financial paybacks for investing in sustainable technologies? Does recycling save or cost us money? These are but a few of the questions people may ask themselves when thinking about how an institution like Boston University can become more of a “Green Campus”.

The term “Green Campus” usually refers to an institution that uses resources both to satisfy the needs of the present generation and to preserve the ability of future generations to satisfy their own needs. The impacts are environmental, economic, and social — the so-called triple bottom line of sustainability: People, Planet, and Profit.

As a university we are charged both with educating students to understand sustainability and with operating the campus in sustainable fashion. While the curriculum leads to considerations in all three areas of the triple bottom line, the University’s operations focus mainly on economic and the environmental factors.

Learn what the University is doing NOW in a given category:

For the first time in history, humans are pervasive and dominant forces in the health and well-being of the earth and its inhabitants. For sustainability to prevail, it must be adopted and practiced by everyone. Here are some ideas about how YOU can help. Submit a comment or suggestion about how we can become greener.