2025 Campus Sustainability Goals for U-M

As announced by President Mary Sue Coleman  on September 27, 2011 as part of her broader Sustainability Address, the University of Michigan is building on its history of sustainability accomplishments by pursuing to the following 2025 sustainability goals:

CLIMATE ACTION

GUIDING PRINCIPLE: We will pursue energy efficiency and fiscally-responsible energy sourcing strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions toward long-term carbon neutrality. GOALS: 

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 2006 levels.  
• Decrease the carbon intensity of passenger trips on U-M transportation options by 30% below 2006 levels.

WASTE PREVENTION

GUIDING PRINCIPLE: We will pursue purchasing, reuse, recycling, and composting strategies toward long-term waste eradication.  

GOAL: Reduce waste tonnage diverted to disposal facilities by 40% below 2006 levels.

HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS

GUIDING PRINCIPLE: We will pursue land and water management, built environment, and product sourcing strategies toward improving the health of ecosystems and communities. GOALS:

• Purchase 20% of U-M food in accordance with U-M Sustainable Food Purchasing Guidelines by 2025.
• Protect Huron River water quality by minimizing runoff from impervious surfaces and reducing the volume of land management chemicals used on campus by 40%.

COMMUNITY AWARENESS

GUIDING PRINCIPLE: We will pursue stakeholder engagement, education, and evaluation strategies toward a campus-wide ethic of sustainability.

GOAL: While there are no official goals for this theme, the Campus Sustainability Integrated Assessment (CSIA) report recommends investments in multiple actions to educate our community, track behavior, and report progress over time.

For details about how the university arrived at these goals, please visit the CSIA webpage on Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute website.