Active Members of the  Sustainability Coalition

The Sustainability Coalition at Chapel Hill was created in April 1999 in response to two events. First, a student proposal to institutionalize green practices on campus was submitted to university administrators. Second, then Governor Hunt issued Executive Order 156 mandating environmental sustainability at state agencies. Areas specifically addressed in the order include: waste reduction and recycling, environmentally preferable procurement, pollution prevention, and reduced environmental impact associated with energy, water, building and transportation systems. Bruce Runberg, Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning & Construction, was appointed as the first campus sustainability officer. In August 2001, this responsibility was assumed by Carolyn Elfland, Associate Vice Chancellor for Campus Services. 

Staff, students and faculty from across the campus have given generously of their time to put the university on a better path – economically, environmentally and socially. They have looked at university operations and infrastructure, course content and purchasing policies. They have suggested changes and improvements. And they are making a positive impact. In April, the university hired the first full-time sustainability coordinator in the UNC System to magnify and accelerate the efforts already underway.

The entire Sustainability Coalition meets the second Friday of the month at the Student Union. In the interim, eight task groups convene separate meetings to advance their specific agendas. 

View annual reports of the Sustainability Coalition