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Craig School of Business

Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land

Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land

Fresno State is committed to environmental action both in its academic instruction and its on-campus operations. Over the years, interdisciplinary teams have collaborated at Fresno State to lead multiple sustainability-related initiatives that have benefited students and the University as a whole. In 2013, Fresno State's faculty and administration initiated a discussion to coordinate campus sustainability initiatives under a single, interdisciplinary sustainability program. Since the spring of 2018, student leaders have helped the University coordinate efforts across the University, with the overarching goal of integrating sustainability into all campus actions. Now, the University and community partners are working together to develop sustainability curricula to educate and engage with the greater community regarding water and sustainability issues and challenges in the San Joaquin Valley.

The broad vision for Fresno State's sustainability initiative is to establish Fresno State as a model for the practice, education, and research of water, agriculture and sustainability. In 2013, three geologists and two behavior analysts worked together and educated each other in an effort to promote sustainability-related research, education and practice.

Fresno State Initiatives to Support Life on Land

The mission of the Fresno State Sustainability Club is to create a conscious culture of sustainability on campus and in the community. The Sustainability Club additionally performs educational outreach activities in the community and is responsible for planning events such as Earth Day Fresno State. 

Fresno State students elect an ASI Senator for Sustainability who works with the Sustainability Club and Sustainability Task Force. 

The student-led Sustainability Task Force collaborates with campus leadership and partners to educate, inform, and gather data related to sustainability at Fresno State. One of their most recent initiatives in collaboration with Facilities Management was to educate the campus community on the Recycle 2020 Campaign.

The newly formed faculty-led Climate Action Plan task force is working on a draft campus climate action plan.

The Fresno State 1,000-acre University Farm Laboratory features more than 20 enterprises which play a vital role in providing hands-on educational and research programs within the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology and a living laboratory for complementary disciplines. Students explore the latest advancements in agriculture while managing livestock, field crops, a horticulture nursery, fruit and nut orchards, vineyards, commercial and research wineries, and raisin and nut processing operations, while providing products year-round to the Gibson Farm Market for a full farm-to-fork supply chain.

Fresno State's environmental research is conducted in cooperation with local community partners Earth Day Fresno, Tree Fresno and the Sustainable Parks and Recreation Community Initiative.

In alignment with the systemwide mandate to reduce Greenhouse Gases (GHG) from buildings, campus building renovations and new construction have contributed to a reduction in GHG emissions. 

Construction is nearing completion on a LEED-equivalent New Student Union. 

Currently in the design phase, the campus Central Utility Plant Replacement project will provide more energy-efficient and reliable heating and cooling across the Fresno State campus. 

Several sustainability initiatives have been implemented to reduce food and plastic waste. Resident Dining Hall wet food waste is disposed separate from paper and plastic waste to facilitate composting and recycling. Trayless dining is utilized to reduce overall footprint. Campus event coordinators continue to use Catered Cupboard to share leftover food with students and minimize waste. Campus-wide elimination of single-use plastic straws and plastic bags was implemented in early 2019.

The campus has made improvements to landscaping infrastructure to improve water efficiency and conservation.