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Canadian STARS-Rated Campus Sustainability Plans: Priorities, Plan Creation and Design

Author

Listed:
  • Lauri Lidstone

    (School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Kenneth C. Rowe. Management Building, 6100 University Avenue, Suite 5010, P.O. Box 15000, Halifax NS B3H 4R2, Canada)

  • Tarah Wright

    (Environmental Science Program, Faculty of Science, LSC 827, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, P.O. Box 15000, Halifax NS B3H 4R2, Canada)

  • Kate Sherren

    (School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Kenneth C. Rowe. Management Building, 6100 University Avenue, Suite 5010, P.O. Box 15000, Halifax NS B3H 4R2, Canada)

Abstract

The use of integrated sustainability plans is an emerging trend in higher education institutions (HEIs) to set sustainability priorities and to create a work plan for action. This paper analyses the sustainability plans of 21 Canadian HEIs that have used the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). The plans were coded thematically with a focus on the sustainability goals, process of plan creation, and aspects of plan design outlined in the texts. This paper finds that sustainability goals focused on the environmental aspects of sustainability, while social and economic aspects were less emphasized. Further, most plans were described as being created through a broad stakeholder-consultation process, while fewer plans assigned timelines and parties responsible to sustainability goals. This paper contributes to our understanding of the priorities of Canadian HEI institutions at the end of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and is useful for practitioners interested in developing their own sustainability plans.

Suggested Citation

  • Lauri Lidstone & Tarah Wright & Kate Sherren, 2015. "Canadian STARS-Rated Campus Sustainability Plans: Priorities, Plan Creation and Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-22, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:1:p:725-746:d:44524
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Paul Sylvestre & Tarah Wright & Kate Sherren, 2014. "A Tale of Two (or More) Sustainabilities: A Q Methodology Study of University Professors’ Perspectives on Sustainable Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-23, March.
    2. Philip Vaughter & Tarah Wright & Marcia McKenzie & Lauri Lidstone, 2013. "Greening the Ivory Tower: A Review of Educational Research on Sustainability in Post-Secondary Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(5), pages 1-20, May.
    3. Sharmila Moganadas & Victor Corral-Verdugo & Santhi Ramanathan, 2013. "Toward systemic campus sustainability: gauging dimensions of sustainable development via a motivational and perception-based approach," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1443-1464, December.
    4. Paul Sylvestre & Rebecca McNeil & Tarah Wright, 2013. "From Talloires to Turin: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Declarations for Sustainability in Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-16, March.
    5. Maria Manta Conroy & Philip R Berke, 2004. "What Makes a Good Sustainable Development Plan? An Analysis of Factors That Influence Principles of Sustainable Development," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 36(8), pages 1381-1396, August.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Maki Ikegami & Bart Neuts, 2020. "Strategic Options for Campus Sustainability: Cluster Analysis on Higher Education Institutions in Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-13, March.
    3. Sanjaya Acharya, 2021. "The Economics of Higher Education in Nepal: Developing a Sustainability Plan," Journal of Education and Vocational Research, AMH International, vol. 11(2), pages 23-35.
    4. Andrew Bieler & Randolph Haluza-Delay & Ann Dale & Marcia Mckenzie, 2017. "A National Overview of Climate Change Education Policy: Policy Coherence between Subnational Climate and Education Policies in Canada (K-12)," Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, , vol. 11(2), pages 63-85, September.
    5. Abolfazl Dehghanmongabadi & Şebnem Hoşkara, 2018. "Challenges of Promoting Sustainable Mobility on University Campuses: The Case of Eastern Mediterranean University," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-21, December.
    6. Andrew Bieler & Marcia McKenzie, 2017. "Strategic Planning for Sustainability in Canadian Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-22, January.

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