University of Florida
ER-5: Sustainability Course Identification

Sustainability can be defined as “meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs." Sustainability is a framework which includes social, environmental, and economic factors in decision making. Social: Contributing to long-term maintenance of well being, social equity, and diversity. Environmental: Maintaining biological systems diversity and productivity over time; supporting the well being of the natural world and the responsible use of natural resources. Economic: Considering the full life cycle cost, externalities and financial stability of personal enterprise and the larger economic system. “Sustainability-focused” courses concentrate on sustainability, including its social, economic and environmental dimensions, or examine an issue or topic using sustainability as a lens. The courses provide valuable grounding in the concepts and principles of sustainability. “Sustainability-related” courses include sustainability as a course component or module, or concentrate on a specific sustainability principle of issue. The courses help build knowledge about a component of sustainability or introduce students to sustainability concepts during part of the course.

Courses were identified by faculty member volunteers within some colleges, through an online survey through the textbook adoption process, and through graduate student review of the course catalog.