There is no bigger problem than climate change and Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Indiana’s urban research and academic health sciences campus, is meeting that challenge. 

Jessica Davis, Director at IUPUI Sustainability, who describes climate change as “like throwing lighter fuel on a fire”, says that the United Nations has set the bar for the global community: 

“When we think about the future of the human race, we have to solve climate change. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals have created a compelling framework and vision for what a sustainable world looks like. These goals are incredibly ambitious and having that ambitious vision allows us to work towards something in common together. Oftentimes we think, ‘how could an entire country or a city run on renewable energy?’ It starts by imagining that can actually happen.” 

IUPUI truly lives that sustainability mission, starting with the campus grounds itself. Jesse Beck, Grounds Program Manager at IUPUI, says that sustainability is not just an academic idea that exists in the research lab: it is part of everyday life at the university: 

“Three years ago we developed a Sustainable Landscapes internship position; that student created a  GIS database of all trees on campus. We track invasive species, we’ve had interns write grant applications for us to purchase equipment and worked with organisations to spearhead native plant installations. Our interns allow us to do projects and research we don’t have time to do on our own.” 

This attitude can be felt in the wider community, says Paula Brooks, Environmental Justice Coordinator at Hoosier Environmental Council, an organisation which puts environmental issues on the agenda to encourage issues to shape laws, create jobs and improve our quality of life. Brooks adds: 

“We support students to learn more about careers in sustainability as well as the field of environmentalism. For example, we have a graduate student that I’m working with from Nepal. She is assisting me in background research on a land use planning project that we are currently embarking on. She’s also helping with outreach to the Asian population.”

Sitashma Thapa, Student at IUPUI, says that the need for such action is urgent: 

“As human beings we are always thinking and talking about the future. Even though we think about tomorrow so much, I feel like we do very little to ensure there is a tomorrow. Sustainable practices are the simplest way to safeguard our future. IUPUI is known in Indiana for teaching students about sustainability that goes beyond a traditional classroom setting.” 

For Jessica Davis, the responsibility towards sustainability has turned into a formal adoption of some 42 separate sustainability goals: 

“High level, we focus on academics, operations and engagement. Academically we want as many IUPUI students as possible to learn about sustainability through the lens of their field of study – how does sustainability impact what you’re going to do and how are you going to take these solutions and implement them post-graduation?

“Operationally our overarching goal is that we want to mitigate our environmental footprint as an entire university. We are committed to carbon neutrality and working to align our spend on products and companies that have the same values we do as an institution.

“The last category is engagement: we can be the most sustainable campus in the world but if we’re not helping our community, our state, our country and the world along with us, then what’s really the impact? It’s always important for us that people take what they learn here home with them.” 

IUPUI is offering a blueprint for a better future.