About Sustainability

About Sustainability

The Sustainability Department resides in the Facilities Division. Sustainability is responsible for coordinating and implementing initiatives in the areas of operations, academics, co-curricular learning as well as policy and planning which advance sustainable practices and understanding. Sustaining Pacific works specifically to engage campus users in sustainability efforts. 

Sustainability efforts are driven by the University Commitment to Sustainability and guided by recommendations from the Sustainability Committee, feedback from the Pacific community and the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System^TM (STARS). See Planning & Policy for details on how sustainability efforts are determined and assessed. 

History

John Muir and Pacific

Pacific honors the history of environmental awareness through its identity as home of the John Muir Papers and the John Muir Center. As a renowned naturalist, explorer, writer, and conservationist, John Muir is considered a forefather of the modern environmental movement. He was a key figure in the establishment of the National Park System and a founder of the Sierra Club.

Several of Muir's descendants attended University of the Pacific during the 1940s and 1950s. In 1970, the heirs of Muir's two daughters, Wanda Muir-Hanna and Helen Muir-Funk, entrusted University of the Pacific with the majority of John Muir's manuscripts and personal papers. The unique resource consists of over 10,000 items, including his journals, correspondence, writings, drawings, and photographs which attract scholars from around the world. Approximately 75% of the extant papers of Muir are preserved here. To learn more, visit the University Library's Holt-Atherton Special Collections where the papers are housed, help transcribe the Papers or visit Pacific's John Muir Center.

Sustaining Pacific Highlights

Year	Highlight
2009
	Sustainability adopted as one of Pacific's seven Institutional Learning Objectives for all three Pacific campuses as a means of integrating it into the teaching, learning, outreach, and operations.
2010
	Pacific becomes a member of the U.S. Green Building Council.
	Green Building Policy goes into effect.
	First AASHE STARS report submitted.
	Sustaining Pacific established with the hiring of a part-time Sustainability Coordinator.
	Sustainability Month and Green Fashion Show established.
2011
	Green Purchasing Policy passes.
	April dedicated as Sustainability Month.
	Full-time Sustainability Director position replaces part-time Sustainability Coordinator position.
	Implementation and roll-out of recycling across campus begins.
2012
	First phase of Ted and Chris Robb Garden complete.
	Sustainability Project Investment Fund created.
2014
	Pacific Green Team established.
2016
	Pacific Garden Program established.
2017
	Sustaining Pacific expands to two full-time staff.
2018
	Green Event Guide published.