According to Dictionary.com, sustainability is "to keep up or keep going, as an action or process; to supply with...the necessities of life." There are several definitions that describe sustainability, but whichever one you choose, you will see that sustainability is a highly important concept that impacts all of us - from our community, to the country, to the entire planet itself.  

A huge amount of scientific evidence has shown that many of the world's important resources are being rapidly exhausted.  Not only does this alarming news severely affect us, it also puts future generations in serious risk of living in a depleted world.  Sustainability is the key to halting and potentially reversing this devastating problem.  By seeking to conserve our remaining important resources and be more mindful of our use of electricity, paper supplies, gas emissions, and the like, we can turn Earth into a clean and self-sustaining planet that can be enjoyed through many more generations.  This future won't be easy to achieve by any means, but by working together with the countless dedicated recycling and sustainability programs throughout the world and making our own conscious decisions toward greener living, we can make this a reality. 

One of the purposes of UAA's Academic Plan is "to ensure that our graduates are citizens who can capably and quickly work to ensure the long-term health and vitality of our cultural, economic, environmental, and social systems in our city, state, nation, and world."  You can join UAA's cause simply by making a few small changes in your day-to-day life.  When everyone contributes, the impact is tremendous.  The sustainability of our planet is in your hands.

• 2015
  • The Office of Sustainability partners with Total Reclaim Alaska to host an electronics recycling event in celebration of Earth Day
  • The Office of Sustainability hosts a Free-Store Swap to promote reducing, reusing, and recycling during Sustainability Week
  • The Office of Sustainability co-hosts the "Successful & Sustainable: Career Clothing Fashion Show" with UAA Career Services Center to promote the UAA Professional Clothes Closet program during Sustainability Week
  • The Office of Sustainability holds a "Can Crushing" event to promote the office and help students relieve stress during midterms
  • The Office of Sustainability co-hosts a Climate Change Writing Workshop with the UAA English Department, UAA Bookstore, and 49 Writers
  • The Office of Sustainability offers free t-shirts to students, staff, and faculty who participate in the 2nd Annual Winter Bike to Work Day to promote alternative transportation
  • The Office of Sustainability donates bottle caps to continue the UAA Winter Design Project, "The Flow of Color," to raise awareness about the number of plastic bottles used everyday.
  • The Office of Sustainability hosts the "Send Valentines to Seniors" event, encouraging everyone to make Valentine's Day cards out of recycled materials to give to the residents at a local senior assisted living facility
  • UAA hosts the Director of Renewable and Appropriate Energy from UC-Berkeley during the Complex Systems Lecture Series
  • The Office of Sustainability co-hosts a Climate Change Concert with the UU Fellowship and 49 Writers
  • The Office of Sustainability attends the Resource Expo during Howl Days to promote sustainability to incoming students
• 2014
  • The UAA Office of the Registrar renews their Green Department Certification and receives the Living Tree Award for putting the UAA Catalog online 
  • UAA Students collaborate with Subway on campus to reduce plastic bag use
  • The Office of Sustainability partners with Total Reclaim to recycle over 7,000 lbs. of electronics on America Recycles Day
  • The UAA Interlibrary Loan Department becomes Green Department Certified and significantly reduces costs
  • UAA is one of five winners in the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree Campus USA contest (large school division)
  • UAA Facilities and Campus Services plants 300 trees at the UAA Alaska Airlines Center and roughly 5,500 trees between Ninilchik (2,400), the Matanuska-Susitna Valley (~1,000), and the Kenai Peninsula (2,100) 
  • UAA New Student Orientation renews their Green Department Certification for 2014
  • The Office of Sustainability reaches over 500 signatures pledging to use reusable water bottles and the hydration stations on campus 
  • UAA offers a free "Upcycling" sewing special that promotes repurposing household items
  • The Office of Sustainability hosts a "recycling game" during Campus Kick-Off to educate participants about what can and what cannot be recycled
  • The Office of Sustainability attends the Resource Expo during Howl Days to promote sustainability to incoming students
  • The Office of Sustainability donates over 6,000 water bottles to the Anchorage Museum for the "Plastic Fantastic" event
  • UAA partners with The Berry Company to place recycling bins on campus to collect old phone books for the sixth annual "Think Yellow Go Green" campaign
  • The Office of Sustainability partners with UAA Student Activities to host a BBQ for Bike to Work Day participants
  • The Office of Sustainability gathers 99 members to be on the Cycling Seawolves team for the 10th annual Bike to Work Day
  • The Office of Sustainability promotes sustainability during Staff Development Day with an educational booth
  • UAA hosts a yard sale to benefit the APU Consortium Library
  • University Housing promotes alternative transportation by using bikes (tricycles) during summer months to get work done
  • UAA launches its first Bike-Share program for students, staff, and faculty 
  • UAA hosts Sustainability Week to promote sustainability with the following:
  • Reduce/Reuse/Recycle Day
  • Local Foods Day
  • Clean Energy Day
  • Bike Day
  • UAA hosts its 3rd Annual EcoChic Fashion Show
  • UAA upgrades the Professional Studies Building Lecture Hall with energy efficient LED lighting
  • The Office of Sustainability gives prizes to students "caught" biking around campus
  • The Office of Sustainability donates seven pounds of plastic bottle caps to the UAA Winterfest 2014 Winter Design project
  • UAA replaces campus drinking fountains with new ADA-accessible and eco-friendly water bottle filling stations (hydration stations)
• 2013
  • The Office of Sustainability and the UAA Sustainability Club take part in America Recycles Day by informing the campus how to reduce, reuse, and recycle
  • The Transportation Working Group (TWG) has its first meeting to discuss transportation on campus
  • UAA becomes the first UA campus to join the Fresh Air Campus Challenge at the Silver Campus level (campuses currently working on a smoke or tobacco-free initiative)
  • UAA Facilities & Campus Services plants approximately 6,000 seedlings on university land in the Kenai Peninsula and 500 seedlings in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley
  • The Office of Sustainability hosts a contest during Campus Kick-Off to see who can guess the amount of paper UAA recycles each year (173,756 lbs in FY13)
  • The UAA Green Fee creates a Facebook page 
  • UAA is named a Tree Campus USA university for the third year in a row by the Arbor Day Foundation
  • The Office of Sustainability participates in the city's annual Bike to Work day event by offering a free BBQ and creating a Cycling Seawolves team (Anchorage also celebrates becoming a silver level Bicycle Friendly Community)
  • The Office of Sustainability hosts its 2nd Annual Sustainability Fashion Show - "Eco Chic" and offers free movie showings of "Kilowatt Hours" and "Trashed" during Earth Week
  • The Career Services Center promotes The Professional Clothes Closet, which provides gently worn professional attire (donated by UAA staff and faculty) to students to help them when they enter the workforce
  • UAA hosts its 3rd Annual Clothing Drive for the One Shirt National Collegiate Clothing Challenge
  • UAA begins recycling glass as glass recycling starts up again in Anchorage
  • The Office of Sustainability awards the Office of Chancellor and Anchorage's UAF Cooperative Extension staff with Green Office Certification
• 2012
  • The Office of Sustainability and the USUAA Sustainability Committee hosted the first ever "Eco Chic" Fashion Shows, where participants created clothing from repurposed or recycled clothing and materials
  • The second annual ONEShirt National Collegiate Clothing Drive is held, bringing in 492.2 pounds of donated clothing
  • UAA is recognized as a "Tree Campus USA" by the Arbor Day Foundation for the second year in a row
  • Staff members from the Office of Sustainability reach out and educate several hundred incoming students at various events, such as Howl Days and Campus Kickoff
  • Students, staff, and faculty volunteers come together to plant approximately 250 trees at the UAF experimental farm in Palmer
  • Hosted an event in conjunction with America Recycles Day, reaching out to approximately 300 people
• 2011
  • UAA receives AASHE Bronze Star Award
  • Purchased new plastic, can, and paper recycle bins
  • A base measurement was taken to determine the amount of plastic and can recyclables produced at UAA
  • First ever ONEShirt National Collegiate Clothing Drive, 870 pounds of used clothing donated- The carbon emission report entitled "Carbon Emissions Report 2010 University of Alaska Anchorage" is released
  • Second year in a row UAA wins the Sustainability Cup against UAF
  • Green Wolf newsletter is published to inform readers about sustainability initiatives around campus
  • Electronics Recycling Fair collected over 29,000 pounds of personal electronics and saved over $10,000
  • UAA is the first college in the State of Alaska to be named Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation
• 2010
  • UAA on and off campus recycle bin locations were plotted on a campus map
  • Educational campaign implemented to inform students about recyclable items in Anchorage and on the UAA campus 
• 2009
  • Old wooden "professor evaluation boxes" were reused and made into recycle bins
  • The first annual Seawolf Sustainability Students Social is held, highlighting UAA's actions to become more sustainable
  • UAA's first Sustainability Director, Paula Williams, begins work
• 2008
  • The carbon emission baseline entitled "Energy and the Environment at the University of Alaska Anchorage" is released by Facilities and ISER
  • Chancellor Ulmer signs the U-Med Agreement with the purpose of collaborating with seven other entities, including Providence Hospital and APU, to create an environmentally sustainable district in Anchorage
  • ISER completes its study of emissions relating to commutes to campus entitled "UAA Inventory:Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transportation" 
  • UAA Facilities department takes over operation of the recycling program
• 2007
  • UAA releases its new Energy Policy
  • Newly appointed Chancellor Ulmer reaffirms UAA's commitment to sustainability
  • USUAA receives an EPA grant to convert the recycling truck from diesel to vegetable oil
  • Chancellor Maimon signs the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)
• 2005
  • UAA faculty and administrator collaborate with APU faculty, students, and administrators to present information on sustainable communities, the Chester Creek Watershed Project, and updates on UAA/APU sustainability efforts at a U/Med Neighborhood Meeting
  • Sustainability Task Team members present workshop at Staff Development Day.  Shared UAF/UAA guest speaker Dr. Chris Uhl, Penn State Ecologist, holds UAA workshop on institutional ecology, and teaches course and presents public lecture on Developing Ecological Consciousness
  • Sustainability Task Team members present campus ecology workshop at USUAA Leadership Conference.  Students vote to approve initiative calling for all new buildings and major remodeling projects to be built to LEED standards
  • UAA hosts a three day conference, "Educating for a Sustainable Future: UAA's Next 50 Years and Beyond ~ Implementing the Talloires Declaration at UAA," featuring a showcase of UAA sustainability projects, public lectures, and university-community workshops to advance sustainability initiatives at UAA
• 2004
  • Sustainability Resource Room opens in the new Consortium Library, funded by the Vice Provost's office
  • UAA's first sustainability website is launched
  • GSS institutes a practice of supplying all GSS-maintained campus photocopiers with 30% post-consumer recycled paper
  • Chancellor Lee Gorsuch, Faculty Senate President Larry Foster, and USUAA President John Gondek sign the Talloires Declaration
• 2003
  • Faculty Senate and USUAA approve the Talloires Declaration University Leaders for a Sustainable Future and urge Chancellor Lee Gorsuch to make UAA a signatory
  • UAA Faculty Senate establishes an ad hoc committee on sustainability