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Civic Engagement

students gathering at table on college green

As Penn is part of a larger ecosystem, it is important for us to consider our impacts and how we can best engage with our neighborhood and beyond. Be a part of the transformative power of civic engagement, and create meaningful change for a sustainable future.  

Civic engagement is central to the intellectual experience at Penn. Civic awareness and action are woven into campus life with programs like Creating Canopy, the Civic Sustainability Fellows program, and environmental justice events. 

Our community spirit grows while learning and working in service to society, service made possible through Penn’s programs and partners. The impact of Penn’s civic outreach begins in our immediate neighborhoods and expands across our region and beyond. 
 

Our History

a portrait of a campus building with castle-like features. It is nestled among pink and white trees in full bloom..

Penn’s vision for a sustainable future stretches far into the past. Penn has long championed a clear vision for environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Our commitment to sustainability can be traced back to key milestones, such as having the first Ivy League President sign the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) in 2007 and developing our first climate action plan in 2009.

This dedication follows through to today. We continue to forge new paths by actively engaging with other universities and institutions, fostering collaborations that amplify our collective impact. As we move forward, our goals remain clear and transparent, guided by the CSAP. 

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many people walking thru engineering quad and trees with cherry blossoms

The Penn Green Campus Partnership

The Penn Green Campus Partnership was an umbrella organization established in 2007 with a clear mission: to promote sustainability planning and policy development at Penn. By coordinating a range of programs and initiatives, the goal was to create a more sustainable campus for all. 

An aerial view of West Philly from Harnwell Hall taken on a fall afternoon

Rebranding to Penn Sustainability

In line with our commitment to continuous improvement, The Penn Green Campus Partnership underwent a thorough assessment of peer university offices and departments dedicated to environmental sustainability. As a result, in late 2017, we became Penn Sustainability. This rebranding allowed us to align with our academic counterparts and reinforce our shared vision for a greener future.

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Our Progress

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First - Penn is the first Ivy League school to sign on, in 2007, to the President's Climate Commitment for carbon neutrality.

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Climate action plans since 2009 helping mitigate climate impacts.

45%

Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2009.
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Penn's Green Campus Partnership Overview

Dan Garofalo, Penn's first Director of Sustainability, describes the University's overall environmental sustainability planning in this Fall 2013 video.

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Message from Dr. Amy Gutmann

“Penn is proud to be an environmental leader among American colleges and universities. Our new Climate Action Plan outlines the next bold steps we will take to further reduce our carbon footprint, including strategies to promote recycling, increase energy efficiency and apply innovative design and construction methods. The health of our planet depends on our actions, and Penn is committed to leading higher education’s green revolution into the future.” 

Dr. Amy Gutmann, University President 2004-2022
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Recycling & Waste

Two students wearing T-Shirts that read "Penn Sustainability" and masks are standing over a cardboard box next to a pair of recycling bins. Behind them is a full recycling dumpster with broken-down cardboard.

At Penn, we like to recycle, reuse, and repeat. Single-stream recycling is the Penn standard, with specialty recycling programs positioned across campus. Our recycling and waste initiatives focus on holistic minimization and diversion.

Penn’s 2009 Climate Action Plan paved the way for significant waste diversion progress. Today, innovative and effective solutions continue to come from Penn’s Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee’s (ESAC) Waste and Recycling Subcommittee.

We believe that every individual plays a crucial role in reducing our environmental footprint, and recycling is a fundamental part of this effort. By understanding what can be recycled and how to do it properly, we can collectively contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future. Learn the types of materials that can be recycled on our campus, as well as the locations of specialty recycling and tips for effective recycling practices.

Penn also implements recycling programs like Green2Go and PennMoves, helping limit disposable items headed to the landfill. Regular waste and recycling audits continue to identify trends and find new ways to ensure a clean future. 
 

Transportation

A bus is seen waiting at a stop sign at an intersection on Locust street. The perspective is taken from a car waiting behind the bus. The bus has a wrapper advert with a large Penn emblem on the back, and below that it reads “University of Pennsylvania” and in a larger font: “www.upenn.edu/PennTransit”. The bus also advertises "Powered by BIODIESEL" which appears above the bus license plate.

Penn Transit champions sustainable transportation in and around our campus. A portfolio of programs and initiatives encourages staff, faculty, and students to commute sustainably and creates a more accessible campus.

Penn’s focus is on reducing single-occupancy vehicles and transitioning to a more holistic approach to transportation, including on-demand subsidized transit, fixed bus routes, and increased cyclist resources. The University supports a diverse portfolio of programs to encourage faculty, staff, students, and visitors to reduce traffic and create a cleaner future.

The Association of Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) recognized Penn's transport sustainability success as a top performer in the 2021 Sustainable Campus Index, ranked 5th in transportation.   
 

Food

The gloved hands of a cafeteria worker are shown spooning portions of corn, beans, quinoa and shredded meat onto a plate from a buffet

Nourishing the community starts in our kitchens. Healthy, economically viable, and flavorful food sustains Penn. Practices that respect farmers, workers, and animals enhance our culinary endeavors. 

Local food has a profound impact on health, community, and culinary enjoyment. A sustainable future through food comes from Penn Dining’s commitments, including our partnership with Bon Appétit Management Company. The campus is dedicated to plant-forward ingredients and is in support of environmentally friendly and humane farming methods.

Sustainability is the backbone of Penn’s menu: It shows up in the locally-sourced ingredients, our kitchen principles, and waste reduction practices. Our actions to reduce food waste and environmental impact and support fair food systems have earned Penn the second-highest score in the Association for Sustainability in Higher Education’s STARS Food & Dining subcategory! 
 

Natural Environment

students walk down a path between a brick building and lush vegetation

Penn is a natural haven found within the heart of Philadelphia. Undoubtedly urban, our university is firmly integrated into West Philadelphia, but our environment does not end at campus borders. The organic system we foster — the trees, soils, and wildlife — all contribute to the greater environment. Penn helps to reduce urban heat island impacts, capture air pollution, reduce stormwater runoff, and provide necessary biodiverse urban habitats.

Penn’s natural environment mission is to reduce our environmental footprint by adopting best practices for ecological landscapes. This commitment to sustainable land management has created a balanced, naturally resilient, and beautiful campus ecosystem. 

Under the Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0,  the Ecological Landscape Stewardship Plan (ELSP) builds on Penn’s landscape best practices. ELSP improves ecological design and management of landscapes and open spaces across campus, fostering diverse beauty and balance throughout. Penn’s main campus, for example, is located in the center of a metropolis and is a level-2 certified arboretum. ​​

Bird-Friendly Penn

Reducing Bird Strikes

Penn's campus is located along the Atlantic Flyway, making it an important stopover spot for birds during migration. The Bird-Friendly Initiative seeks to reduce bird strikes and building collisions through implementation of bird-friendly building design and campus outreach. 

Reducing Bird Strikes

Penn's campus is located along the Atlantic Flyway, making it an important stopover spot for birds during migration. The Bird-Friendly Initiative seeks to reduce bird strikes and building collisions through implementation of bird-friendly building design and campus outreach. 

Overview

Since 1970, North American bird populations have plummeted by nearly 30% - a particularly alarming figure given that birds are essential for human and environmental health and wellness, providing pest control, pollination, seed propagation, and adding cultural and economic value. In the Fall of 2020 alone, over 1,000 birds were found dead after they flew into buildings and skyscrapers across Philadelphia, in part due to Philadelphia’s central location along the “Atlantic Flyway,” a common migration route for over 500 different species of birds. When these migratory birds encounter the unfamiliar urban landscape, they’re often unable to recognize the see-through and sky-reflecting glass of urban buildings, crashing into them at fatal speeds. These bird deaths are entirely preventable. 

Today, members of the Penn student body, faculty, and staff are working together to make Penn’s campus more environmentally conscious by reducing the number of bird strikes as part of Bird-Friendly Penn. This initiative is spearheaded by the FRES Landscape Architecture Group in partnership with Audubon Mid-Atlantic, Bird-Safe Philly, and Penn Sustainability. Ongoing research is being conducted to document the frequency and location of campus bird strikes, and novel solutions to integrate bird-friendly technology into building architecture, such as UV reflective coatings, are being tested. Outreach materials such as a logo, lawn signs, and brochures were created through a partnership between Colleagues in the Stuart Weitzman School of Design.

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Get Involved

Students, staff and faculty, and all members of the Penn community are encouraged to become involved in bird-friendly efforts.

Yellow bird perched on plant in Penn Park
Students | Staff | Faculty

Citizen Science

The Penn Community is active in documenting the frequency and location of bird strikes as well as bird sightings on our campus. Available on Android, iOS, and web browser, iNaturalist is an easy-to-use citizen science application that empowers users to map and observe biodiversity across the world. Collecting this data allows us to better understand campus hotspots and prioritize mitigation efforts.

Report a bird strike

Log a bird sighting

Buildings

Lauder College House
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Campus as a Living Lab

Our campus operates as a dynamic living lab, blending academic study with hands-on experimentation across fields like sustainability, technology, and urban planning. This immersive approach equips students to tackle real-world challenges, fostering creativity and problem-solving skills essential for addressing complex issues post-graduation. Below are a few examples where students, staff, and faculty, combined this concept of campus as a living lab and bird-friendly initiatives:

Penn Housekeeping staff are often the first people on campus each day, and since many bird-strikes occur around dawn, they are in an ideal position to assist with campus bird-strike monitoring. Every spring and fall migration, Housekeeping staff monitor buildings on campus for bird-window collisions and alert the Penn Bird Strikes team when they find a dead bird. This information gets entered into the iNaturalist Penn Bird Strikes website. As monitoring occurs on a grassroots basis, this strategy allows us to increase the amount of data we have about bird-window collisions on campus and determine hot-spots for future mitigation efforts.

In Fall 2022, Bird-Friendly Penn invited submissions for a Design Ideas Competition asking Weitzman students to design exterior window film for select buildings in order to reduce fatal collisions (“bird strikes”). Five winners were selected.

Birds are ubiquitous, intricately connected to habitat, sensitive to environmental changes and their presence can indicate ecosystem function. Situated along a major bird migration route, Penn provides important stop-over habitat for migrating birds and a foraging and nesting habitat for resident birds. Analysis of diversity, abundance, and behavior reveals how the campus landscape provides essential habitat. Point-count surveys and area searches at representative habitat typologies on campus were conducted during migration and breeding seasons in 2018 and 2019. Systematic and incidental data collection resulted in 84 species from 34 families, with a total of 3,777 detections of birds recorded. Enhancing bird-friendly design guidelines and improving campus habitat and management strategies could have a broad impact on landscape connectivity and bird species richness. Learn more by reading this capstone project written by Chloe Cerwinka, Penn's Landscape Planner.

Penn’s Green Fund welcomes ideas from students, faculty, and staff about ways to improve social, environmental, and economic performance on Penn’s campus. With support from the Green Fund, partners from the Perelman School of Medicine, Vet School, and Facilities and Real Estate Services retrofitted glass windows at the Johnson Pavilion and the Vet School to reduce bird strikes.

During the 2019/2020 academic year, student Eco-Reps Ryan Lam (SEAS ‘22) and Avni Limdi (SEAS ‘21) worked with staff at Facilities and Real Estate Services (FRES) and the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) to track bird strikes on campus by documenting bird species and determining where strikes are most common. They also researched best practices at other institutions and developed messaging to raise awareness about this critical environmental issue.    

During the 2021/2022 academic year, student Eco-Reps Ennie Akinwunmi (SAS '23), Gabriel Torrebiarte (WH '23), and Lorraina Rojas (SAS '22) used Penn's campus as a living lab to improve bird habitat in an urban setting by monitoring bird strikes on campus and identify opportunities for outreach initiatives.

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Wellness

a group of students are doing landscaping work in a field of shrubbery and small trees. A sign in the background says "Penn Park Orchard."

Penn focuses on promoting inclusive, innovative, and impactful initiatives for campus wellness. Not only are these initiatives for sustainability overall but they also raise the well-being of our communities. Weaved into our university’s fabric, sustainability is as a formal component of the Wellness at Penn Initiative.

Penn Wellness’ vision is to create a campus experience that integrates the science, theory, and practice of wellness. We are accomplishing this by infusing eight domains of Wellness throughout the Penn experience. The domains of Wellness include physical, emotional, social, intellectual, environmental, financial, occupational, and spiritual.

By focusing on wellness holistically, Penn is dedicated to supporting students, staff, and faculty while creating a campus-wide community of care. All wellness initiatives are grounded in collaboration and fueled by CARE: compassion, accessibility, respect, and empowerment. Our team and partners offer a range of opportunities to access support, clinical resources, education, and practical tools to engage with one's health and well-being meaningfully. 
 

Climate & Energy

a speaker holds her hands up mid-speech at at a podium. Behind her is a sign that reads "Climate Week at Penn"

An ambitious yet achievable climate goal is on the horizon.  Penn is committed to campus carbon neutrality by 2042, a commitment in the CSAP. Campus initiatives to address climate change and energy efficiency put these audacious goals within our reach. Our actions today have real, tangible results for the future. 

Renewable fuel sources and a long-standing focus on energy efficiency make our climate and energy goals attainable. Decarbonizing Penn’s campus isn’t the only benefit of renewable fuel sources. Avoiding energy consumption means we can reallocate funds saved. 

Penn’s successful energy management is due to strategic programs and initiatives, such as optimizing building designs and operations and empowering occupants to minimize energy consumption. Other strategies include the Century Bond Program, building recommissioning, and the Green Labs program.

Procurement

a pair of hands harvesting a bunch of carrots

Conscious procurement at Penn ensures the dollars we spend align with our values. All of Penn’s purchasing decisions have environmental and social impacts. We are actively identifying how to ensure Penn’s purchasing decisions consider its local, social, and environmental impacts. With sustainable procurement, we can contribute to an environmentally and socially resilient future.

Penn’s sustainable purchasing practices take a full-circle view of the University’s spending, from building materials and business-travel expenses to campus food. By coordinating our efforts and sharing knowledge, we are able to develop sustainable purchasing policies and procedures.

Penn is an active member of the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council. The Council is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support and recognize purchasing leadership that accelerates the transition to a prosperous and sustainable future.