Sustainability is an interdisciplinary topic requiring unique viewpoints, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and ongoing partnerships. Recognizing this, UMD leverages its influence far beyond its campus and the immediate College Park area. With this wide platform, UMD prioritizes connection and reciprocity to advance sustainability efforts in our communities, whether near its home base of Prince George’s County or elsewhere in the world.
To advance this work, students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to prioritize cost-effective initiatives that support progress on local, regional, state, and global sustainability goals. Central to this approach is community-engaged teaching as education fosters critical thinking among students, empowering them to apply lessons taught in lecture halls to larger community-based issues. Supported by resources like the Do Good Institute, Terps can mindfully partner with surrounding communities to address shared challenges like climate change, air quality, and flood resilience.
Measuring our Progress
A new dashboard is being built to track our progress toward this goal and will be available in fall 2027. In the meantime, explore our past metrics below to see how our current work builds on previous progress.
Books for Further Exploring
Not sure where to start? These recommended books aim to supplement on-campus learning by broadening perspectives about this goal area, sparking creative thinking, and inspiring conversations about how we can work together to apply these lessons to our campus.
