As global populations grow and affluence increases the use of natural resources, pollutant emissions and greenhouse gas emissions are increasing while undisturbed natural ecosystems are disappearing. As a result of unsustainable practices, the world is confronting increasing environmental challenges.

Princeton University can help lead the world to a more sustainable path. Under President Eisgruber’s leadership, Princeton University is planning substantial commitments to increasing sustainability on campus as both a vehicle for education and for environmental leadership. The role of this task force is to consider specific initiatives under the umbrella of sustainability and provide carefully researched guidance and recommendations on opportunities to move Princeton towards more sustainable policies and opportunities for Princeton’s policies to influence decision-making off-campus.

This task force will research and provide recommendations to senior Princeton administrators and the Ivy Plus university sustainability consortium on a variety of opportunities including: 1) Campus sustainability culture; 2) Campus recycling; 3) Energy efficiency and renewable energy use; 4) Architecture and building sustainability; 4) Food service and vendor criteria; 5) Central purchasing criteria; 7) Campus conservation planning; 8) Outreach: How to scale up campus successes to the Princeton town and national communities; 9) Career services needed for those wishing to consider professional environmental opportunities. Each student will be asked to choose one of these topics on which to write their independent junior research paper. The senior commissioner will write a synthesis document that summarizes the research and recommendations of the individual papers. The class will present their findings in a session to senior Princeton administrators during spring reading period.

As part of the task force’s analysis the technical foundation of these issues will be examined, cost-benefit analysis of various more sustainable options will be considered, outreach mechanisms to students, staff and off-campus organizations and government will be identified, and psychological aspects of decision making processes will be explored.

To inform analysis at Princeton, the task force will also examine initiatives that are underway at other universities and analyze the opportunities and challenges that have been encountered during their implementation and determine which might be applicable to Princeton. The ultimate goal of the task force will be to make recommendations to senior members of the Princeton administration on effective policy measures that Princeton can implement to become a world-leader in sustainability initiatives and in the leveraging of these initiatives for broader education and implementation beyond the university.