SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES

Student does research in the sustainability garden.

The future of our world depends on the sustainable policies and programs we enact today.

Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. With approximately 7.8 billion people on Earth, we must find ways of reducing resource consumption if we are to avoid environmental degradation and the potential collapse of the global ecosystem. This is a particularly important challenge for Americans who consume more per person than any other people. As a Catholic institution of higher learning, Villanova has an obligation to exercise leadership in promoting environmental responsibility by integrating ethical, social, economic and ecological values of sustainable development into its curriculum, research and institutional policy and practice.

WHY SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES?

Sustainability is important for environmental quality and the security of future generations—in order to have healthy, sustainable communities, we need clean air and water, sufficient natural resources, food, energy, and a nontoxic environment.

Sustainability and an understanding of sustainable practices is one of the most sought-after skill sets in the business world. Jobs in the sustainability are in high demand.

Sustainability maintains the health and biocapacity of the environment. Sustainability supports the well-being of individuals and communities. Sustainability promotes a better economy where there is little waste and pollution, fewer emissions, and more jobs.

Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or the Villanova School of Business should contact:

Francis A. Galgano, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Geography and the Environment

Students in the College of Engineering should contact:

Virginia Smith, PhD
Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering