Berkeleyan

Campus issues statement of environmental commitment
An expression of our role as university citizens

30 January 2008

In recent years the Berkeley campus has focused, with ever-growing urgency, on measuring and mitigating its impact on the environment. The hiring of a director of sustainability is a milestone in this developing history; so is the issuance of a campus "statement of commitment to the environment" that has been in development for two years.

The Office of Environment, Health, and Safety (EH&S), in collaboration with the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS), drafted the initial version of the statement, continuing to shape its language as feedback came in from a range of campus stakeholders. Chancellor Birgeneau solicited further comments from the Academic Senate, the ASUC and Graduate Assembly, and his Cabinet, noting at that time that the statement "is consistent with existing campus policies, [requires] no new procedures ... [and] is intended to focus our collective attention on environmental protection and enhancement in all our undertakings."

The statement was approved as campus policy in November 2007.

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University of California, Berkeley
Statement of Our Commitment to the Environment

University of California, Berkeley, students, faculty, and staff are committed to taking a leadership role as responsible stewards of the physical environment and to using educational and research activities to promote environmental awareness, global thinking, and local action. This commitment includes:

. Protecting and enhancing the campus environment;

. Purchasing environmentally preferable products, minimizing the use of toxic substances, and handling wastes responsibly;

. Conserving natural resources through their sustainable use in building projects, transportation, and campus operations;

. Significantly reducing campus greenhouse- gas emissions;

. Conducting innovative research on sustainable technology and practices;

. Increasing awareness of these values through instruction and example; and

. Collaborating with a diverse and engaged campus community on these issues to help fulfill the university's mission.

We are making this commitment because:

. UC Berkeley is a world leader in education and research, and must also be a leader in environmental stewardship;

. Realizing these values will create a healthier educational and work environment;

. Resource conservation helps save valuable resources for future generations and lowers operating expenses; and

. Our commitment serves as the foundation of a system to assess, prioritize, and implement campus environmental programs and sustainability initiatives.

By embracing these values and integrating them into all university activities, we can better fulfill the university's mission of teaching, research, and public service.