As Princeton University recently recast its motto from “in the nation’s service” to “in the nation’s service and the service of humanity,” Sustainability Office Founding Director Shana Weber noted that the University’s “focus on the ethos of service aligns perfectly with the objective of sustainability. It’s all part of the same desire for healthy systems for people and planets.”

Princeton University last month celebrated the tenth anniversary of its Office of Sustainability, which “supports, monitors, and connects initiatives across campus focused on cultivating positive global and local impacts in the environment.” As she looked ahead to the coming decade, Ms. Weber wondered, ”What are the local, regional, and global impacts we can have, given our strengths?”

In accordance with its sustainability plan developed in 2008, the University has reduced waste and resource use, and increased recycling, local purchasing and alternative transportation use — making impressive strides towards its ambitious goals in three areas: greenhouse gas emissions reduction; resource conservation; and research, education, and civic engagement.

Unsurprisingly, however, there are also many opportunities to move forward, as Sierra Magazine pointed out in its most recent annual rankings, where Princeton ranked 102nd among America’s greenest universities based on sustainability practices.

Ms. Weber, in echoing doubts of many colleagues at universities throughout the country, questioned the rankings as “inherently counter to the spirit of the field, which is all about positive collective impact,” but she did accept the Sierra Magazine article’s suggestion that at Princeton, and “in all higher education, as in the society at large, there is much room for improvement.”

Emphasizing the spirit of teamwork that prevails among universities striving for sustainability, Ms. Weber said, “We’re all basically doing this job for the same reason. We all want to make a difference. Every institution has a different skill set, a different energy, a different climate and social and economic challenges, and we’re all looking to apply what we’re best at to meet the challenges.”

The Sierra Club magazine based its rankings on data submitted from 202 colleges that responded to an extensive questionnaire. “Our scoring system reflects the broader priorities of the Sierra Club,” they wrote. “For example, we award a significant percentage of points in the areas of campus energy use, transportation, and fossil fuel divestment because the Sierra Club believes that progress in these sectors is essential for addressing the climate crisis.”

Princeton University, more accustomed to magazine rankings of #1, 2, or 3, scored a total of 541.14 out of 1000 points on the Sierra “Cool Schools” tally, with the top-rated university scoring 783.41. Among Princeton’s Ivy League rivals, Harvard ranked 19, Cornell 32, Columbia 9, and Brown 160. Yale, University of Pennsylvania, and Dartmouth apparently did not submit data in response to the Sierra Club questionnaire and were not ranked.

The Sierra Magazine survey ranked universities on 11 different criteria, but acknowledged that “while our ranking is fair, transparent, and accurate, we make no claim that it is the ultimate arbiter of campus sustainability.” They added that “many schools that care about the environment don’t appear on Sierra’s list.

As Ms. Weber looked back on the past decade and forward to the future at Princeton, she noted a major change in perspective. “How do we shift our ethos, our identities around these issues?” she asked. “We’ve learned a tremendous amount about changing the way we do things to have less of a negative impact. We’ve encouraged related academic and research interests. There’s been good foundational work and a lot of terrific thinking on campus.”

She emphasized the need for shifting attitudes and behaviors, a shifting relationship to the environment, shifting of basic identity, ”shifting to a place that supports the kind of thinking that leads to a healthy environment.”

Describing the Princeton campus of the next decade as “a living laboratory,” Ms. Weber called for a blending of the natural and engineering sciences with the humanities and social and behavioral sciences. “We need all these perspectives to move toward a healthy culture in the next decade.”

The new focus for Princeton’s sustainability efforts, Ms. Weber said, would be outward, taking on the broader challenges of the University’s impact on the community and the world.

Over the past decade, the University’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have included the construction of a 27-acre solar field and a geothermal heating and cooling system for the Lakeside graduate housing community; improvements in building and energy plant systems; reducing commuter cars; and encouraging conservation among campus energy users.

Conservation of resource initiatives have included decreasing water and paper use; recycling more construction waste; increasing donation options for students at move-out; and purchasing more food locally and sustainably.

Sustainability operational highlights from 2015 included 12 percent fewer commuter cars, 22 percent less water used, 34 percent less waste per person, 44 percent less pesticide used, 63 percent less paper purchased, 70 percent more local food purchased, and 39 percent more commuters using alternative transportation.

The University has funded numerous student and faculty research projects as well as student and staff initiatives, complementing the increasing number of sustainability-related courses and programs offered.

The High Meadows Foundation Sustainability Fund was established in 2008 and has supported efforts such as water quality research on Lake Carnegie, green roof performance monitoring, materials studies, installation of a pilot indoor urban farming system, internships, and solar picnic table design.

A renewed sustainability plan will be presented in 2017 as part of the 2026 Campus Plan. “The next Sustainability Plan more fully acknowledges and embraces the idea of sustainability as service to local communities and the world,” Ms. Weber said. “It will emphasize the opportunity to link teaching and research in all disciplines with the campus social and operational systems to explore sustainable solutions.”