The Pennsylvania State University has been an NCSE Member Institution for 11 years. Penn State views sustainability to be the “simultaneous pursuit of human health and happiness, environmental quality, and economic well-being for current and future generations,” and looks to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Agenda 2030 as framework to advance efforts that improve the health and prosperity of people and the planet. With 24 campuses located throughout Pennsylvania, plus a world-campus with more than 658,000 alumni worldwide, Penn State is uniquely positioned to incorporate sustainable approaches and solutions to the way we all learn, live, and work. Penn State is a leader in research, and especially transdisciplinary research, an area where there are limitless opportunities for people to work across disciplines in order to co-create knowledge and apply real-world solutions to meet today’s global challenges.
Did You Know? Penn State used its last shovel of coal to power the University in April 2016, and just three years later, signed a Solar Power Purchase Agreement with Lightsource BP that will provide 25% of the university’s total purchased electricity over 25 years. The solar arrays that will provide the electricity are currently being installed on 500 acres of leased agricultural land in Franklin County, PA, providing a secure source of revenue to those landowners and providing 250 local jobs to small, rural communities.