Sustainability

As part of the university's vision to achieve positive transformation in the world, Emory has identified sustainability as a top priority.

Sustainability is the inspiration for a lot of creativity on campus:

• Students get involved in environmental issues through a range of organizations, such as the Emory Environmental Alliance, the Emory Outdoor Organization and the Emory Undergraduate Global Health Organization.
• Students, faculty and staff participate in an annual university-wide competition to limit energy use.
• Faculty and staff submit "green" ideas for sustainability incentives awards; previous winners range from a proposal to harness energy from exercise to the creation of a bluebird trail.
• Educational food gardens enhance the campus and educate the community about healthy food choices.
• Community members collaborate with a variety of programs and partners.

The university vision calls on the Office of Sustainability Initiatives to help restore the global ecosystem, foster healthy living and reduce the university's impact on the local environment. Progress is assessed using environmental, economic and social impact measures.

• Emory has set aside more than half of the university's campus as protected greenspace. This largely forest land features some of the richest biodiversity within metro Atlanta. The Emory as Place initiative enhances awareness of the campus's beauty and diversity.
• The university has a well-established program in green building, currently having one of the largest inventories by square footage of LEED-certified green building among campuses in the nation.
• Emory runs the Cliff shuttle system, one of the largest shuttle fleets in metro Atlanta. The free shuttles run entirely on alternative fuel, with half using a biodiesel blend made from used cooking oil from campus cafeterias. And Cliff is just one of many forms of alternative transportation promoted on campus.
• The university and Emory Dining are working toward an ambitious goal of serving 75 percent local or sustainably grown food in all cafeterias and hospitals by 2015. The campus hosts a farmers market in season.
• Working through Emory Recycles, the community diverted more than half of its overall waste-stream to recycling in 2008, and is moving toward its goal of 65 percent overall – 100 percent for electronic waste, and 95 percent for animal bedding, food waste and construction debris.
• The university's nationally recognized Piedmont Project is the longest-running faculty development programs in sustainability in the country.