About Sustainability
What is sustainability?
Ask 10 people what sustainability means and there will be 10 different definitions. Definitions of sustainability vary widely but in general include the 3 P’s, people, planet, profit and a statement that the three should be in balance. One of the most common definitions came from the Brundtland Commission from the late 1980’s which defined sustainable development as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. This widely used definition is a great place to start but lacks a statement about nature existing for its own sake and the term “needs” leaves a lot of room for interpretation.
Going back farther in history, a more holistic understanding of sustainability came from the 1969 Environmental Protection Act (which established the Environmental Protection Agency) which defined sustainable development as “creating and maintaining conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations”.
At California State University Monterey Bay, we:
- Understand that education for sustainability is a lifelong learning process that leads to an informed and involved citizenry having the creative problem-solving skills, scientific and social literacy, and commitment to engage in responsible individual and cooperative actions to support strong communities.
- Support sustainability through classroom instruction, learning opportunities (including service learning) as well as partnering with community organizations and operational departments on campus to utilize our campus as a “living lab”.
- Recognize the integration and application of systems thinking applied to the three areas of sustainability.
- Acknowledge the disproportionate impact environmental degradation has on low-income and/or minority populations and communities.
- Strive to achieve excellence in all areas of operational sustainability.
- Support individuals in their efforts to align their personal behaviors and practices to support campus sustainability goals.
Sustainability efforts are guided by the 2030 Campus Sustainability Plan.
It can be hard to keep track of all the sustainability projects across campus. We’ve done the hard work and compiled it here to explore.
The Sustainability Tour includes the most important sustainability projects across campus.
The Nature Rx Map shows the multitude of ways to explore nature, right on campus
While sustainability takes everyone on campus, sustainability programs and initiatives are managed within the Sustainability Office, a part of the Safety, Risk & Sustainability Department.
Derek Martin
Associate Director of Sustainability
Chair, President’s Sustainability Committee
Amanda Armstrong
Waste Education and Outreach Coordinator
Estephanie Escobar
Student Assistant
Alex Lopez-Veilmas
Student Assistant
Malina Wong
2026 Energy Engagement Intern
Vincent Hendrickson
2025-26 Sustainability Senator
Associated Students
Questions about sustainability? Contact us at sustainability@csumb.edu