的 可持续发展中心

Pepperdine makes a distinction between simply making our campus "greener" and making 我们的校园可持续发展. While protecting the environment constitutes a large part of sustainability, it is by no means the full picture. 可持续发展的理念 itself has grown to encompass a wide and varied range of definitions and goals. 的 oldest and most widely known definition we have comes from the Brundtland Report, written in 1987, which states that sustainability is "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future 一代又一代 to meet their 自己的需要."

This definition underlies the idea of sustainability today, but even this does not take into account the complexity of the issue. Maintaining a certain quality of life for future 一代又一代 requires us to take a step 回来 and think about the big picture—environmental, economic, and social—and how these things together can help us "sustain" foundational systems such as food, biodiversity, water, and climate, for everyone as a 社区.

Commitment to 可持续性

Although all things "green" have gained momentum in recent years, Pepperdine's commitment to strive toward sustainability began in 1972 when a water reclamation program was 用于灌溉. As an educational institution, 365买球靠谱 has a unique obligation to not only engage in sustainability but also to educate our students. Likewise, as a Christian institution, we have a unique opportunity to view sustainability as a moral or ethical obligation, one that requires the protection of ecosystems to ensure justice for both current and future 一代又一代. This is necessitated by the fact that those of the lowest socioeconomic status are the most impacted by environmental 退化. This 值-centric framework for sustainability is consistent with the University mission of graduating academically knowledgeable and ethically responsible students with a lifelong commitment to purposeful service and leadership. 中心 for 可持续性 is a conduit for the advancement of sustainability through communication, implementation, and education.

What is the "triple bottom line"?

Today more and more businesses and institutions follow what is called the "triple bottom line" when it comes to sustainability. Simply put, this involves the simultaneous pursuit of economic prosperity, environmental quality, and social equity. 公司 aiming for sustainability need to perform not against a single, financial bottom line but against the triple bottom line.

Consider the following definition of sustainability given by the Global Institute of 可持续性: "A sustainable society considers the interconnectedness of environmental, economic, and social systems; reconciles the planet's environmental needs with development needs over the long term; and avoids irreversible commitments that constrain future 一代又一代." This suggests we have a bigger role to play in ensuring a good quality of life for future 一代又一代 than simply "greening" up our campus. 每一个决定 regarding the sustainability of our campus is given careful consideration of the environmental, social, and economic impact on our students, present as well as future.

Why is creating a sustainable campus so important?

Institutions of higher learning have always played a role in our cultural views and 值. 的y stand as an example to their students and immediate surrounding communities, and the research, teaching, and interaction that such institutions do with outside communities can help incite change in the larger issues that face us today.

Pepperdine takes seriously the task of creating a good example of sustainability, as well as ensuring that students leave here with an eco-minded awareness. 与问题 like the environment and sustainability, every little bit counts as a victory. We are continually working to improve our environmental practices and remain steadfast in our focus on sustainability through communication, practice, and education.