As VSU aspires to be a national green university, it launches #GoGreen project

Details: Written by Marianne C. Bayron; Published: 19 June 2024

To push for a sustainable campus environment, VSU officially launched its Going Green Project, which is an initiative driven toward the realization of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.

On May 29, 2024, VSU unveiled the project’s core objectives with the official branding elements, including the GoGreen logo and the VSU Sustainability Portal, a microsite developed by the University Integrated Media Center that collates stories and articles about VSU's sustainable practices and initiatives.

Dr. Ma. Rachel Kim L. Aure, the OIC Project Leader of GoGreen highlighted that VSU plays a crucial role in building a sustainable environment, especially since VSU is now a growing community.

“Sustainability is not about the environment. But also about the human, economic, social, and cultural aspects. All these are interconnected from each other, which is more challenging in attaining sustainable communities,” said Dr. Aure during her talk on the project’s rationale.

Living up to its vision as a globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation, VSU is working on becoming a national green university by integrating the Go Green Project in its instruction, research, and extension programs.

In her welcome message, VSU President Prose Ivy G. Yepes stated that VSU’s abundant natural resources and vibrant ecosystem provide a unique opportunity to lead in sustainability.

“By leveraging these resources wisely, we can implement innovative technologies, promote sustainable practices, and create an eco-friendly campus that not only enhances the learning experiences of our students and even our faculty and admin staff. But also sets a standard for environmental responsibility.”

“VSU recognizes that the challenges of the 21st Century require bold and visionary approaches. And our commitment to sustainability is not just a goal, but a guiding principle that influences every aspect of our operations – from our academic programs to our campus infrastructure, and from our research initiatives through our community engagements,” she added.

Invited speaker Associate Professor Marco M. Polo from De La Salle University Dasmariñas (DLSU-D) shared the university's sustainable practices and how it has remained the top-ranked Most Sustainable Philippine University for 11 years.

Meanwhile, Dr. Dan Hartenberg and Ms. Efia Boakye Addo from the University of Twente in the Netherlands presented Empowering Sustainable Changemakers, Accelerating the Transition by Mobilizing Citizens on Campus, their Green Hub Twente project, and how they champion the sustainability efforts in their university.

Last year, the GoGreen team, led by former project leader and VSU President Edgardo E. Tulin, benchmarked at the University of Twente to identify sustainable initiatives that VSU could replicate and develop.

Dr. Aure revealed that more activities and projects will be implemented as VSU aspires to be a National Green University.