What You Can Do

The efforts of everyone at Stanford—students, faculty and staff—are crucial to creating a more sustainable campus. Riding a bike instead of driving, carpooling, recycling, turning off unnecessary lights, making double-sided copies, keeping the thermostat low in the winter and high in the summer—these are among the simple but meaningful acts that reduce our environmental footprint.

Students are leading the sustainability charge on many fronts and driving change across the university. As a student, you can play a significant role by cutting energy use, making environmentally sustainable choices and promoting a sustainable campus. Go to Students to find peer-tested tips and check out the many student groups dedicated to sustainability and environmental action.

Faculty and staff are in a prime position to create a culture of sustainability. You can take advantage of programs encouraging car sharing and public transit use, purchase energy-efficient office equipment and environmentally friendly supplies, and model conservation practices. Learn more at Faculty & Staff.

Initiated in 2010, the Office of Sustainability now coordinates and publicizes campus-wide conservation campaigns targeting specific resources. Campaign outreach includes electronic messaging and educational webinars. Aimed to create greater institutional awareness surrounding events in which Stanford already participates, conservation results will be tracked to determine the added effect of campus-wide marketing and increased support for behavioral change. Learn more at Be Cardinal Green.

For more suggestions on what everyone can do—at home, at the store and on the road—see the School of Earth Sciences’ Sustainable Choices website. You’ll find tips and resources, plus a downloadable, wallet-size reference card.

“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means.”
— Albert Einstein
“Every student has a role in the stability of our future. It is this ‘niche’ that grounds our position in what we can do personally for the sustainability of our communities, a niche that begins and evolves here on campus.”
— David Geeter II
Co-President, Students for a Sustainable Stanford
“Students can play a major role in promoting sustainability at Stanford. Since we both live and work on campus, every aspect of our daily lives and behavior can have some impact on campus sustainability.”
— Kevan Christensen
Past Co-President, Students for a Sustainable Stanford
“Students can play a major role in promoting sustainability at Stanford. Since we both live and work on campus, every aspect of our daily lives and behavior can have some impact on campus sustainability.”
— Kevan Christensen
Past Co-President, Students for a Sustainable Stanford
Faculty and staff are in a prime position to create a culture of sustainability throughout the university and beyond.
“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means.”
— Albert Einstein
“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means.”
— Albert Einstein
“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means.”

Do you have an idea about how we can help your department or office be more sustainable? See something in need of improvement? Tell us about it.