Sustainability and Resiliency

Our Commitments

Brown is committed to leading by example, taking rapid and aggressive steps to diminish the University’s environmental footprint while promoting positive impactful change beyond Brown.

Our Commitments

Brown is committed to leading by example, taking rapid and aggressive steps to diminish the University’s environmental footprint while promoting positive impactful change beyond Brown.

Brown recognizes that the future of life on Earth will be irreversibly changed in this century without a dramatic shift in the way people go about their daily lives and the way organizations do business. Brown’s sustainability efforts, as outlined in the Sustainability Strategic Plan, revolve around a set of focused commitments informed by two critical questions:

  • What issues need to be tackled first based on the scale of those problems?
  • In what areas is Brown best positioned to effect positive change? 

With those guiding questions in mind, Brown will focus on measurable objectives in five areas of major sustainability challenges facing the world today:

Reduce Nutrient Pollution

Brown is committed to reducing nutrient pollution (specifically nitrogen and phosphorus) by 25% by 2025, and by 50% by 2030.

Preserve Biodiversity

Brown will source materials used by the University with biodiversity preservation in mind, and reduce the overall purchase and disposal of materials to lessen negative impact on biodiversity.

Reduce Water Impacts

Brown is committed to reducing its impact on water resources by lowering campus use and by managing stormwater runoff, which can pollute waterways with pesticides and fertilizers.

Beyond these commitments, sustainability permeates daily life at Brown, from classroom education, research and scholarship to transportation, waste disposal and beyond.