Office of Sustainability

Sustainability

Who We Are

To live and work sustainably means to perpetuate the health and welfare of people, economies, and the environment. Sustainability is about ensuring that all people - today and into the future - can live in healthy communities and participate in productive local economies without sacrificing environmental integrity. It’s a simple yet powerful concept that ties together human happiness and well-being with the quality and health of environmental systems. Thus, sustainability issues incorporate such wide-ranging topics as biodiversity loss, climate change, social justice, and more.

West Chester University seeks to be a leader in local, regional, and global sustainability efforts. This website documents the university’s efforts in sustainability and provides numerous resources for individuals, organizations, and communities.

Join us as we carry out the single most critical task of the 21st century!

Sustainability Story Map

photo of parking day 2023 septa mobile key card truck

Sustainable Commuting Options at WCU

On Campus Gardens

Gordon Natural Area

Digital Commons Sustainable Research and Creative Activities at WCU

Sustainability Peer Educators (SPEs)

Two people at a table smiling and looking engaged as the person behind the tbale talks to them

Sustainability Council

Green Office Program

Two students using binoculars look up, trying to spot birds.

Bird Walks in the Gordon Natural Area

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Visit the WCU Online Thrift Store!

Browse the inventory of WCU's online thrift store and request items for delivery. All items and delivery are FREE! Have clothes you'd like to donate? Bins are located in residence halls and the Office of Sustainability.

Electronics Recycling
at WCU

Recycle your personal electronics at Sykes Student Union and Francis Harvey Green Library! Accepted items include laptops, tablets, printers, batteries, cameras, and more! Be sure to check Sycamore's full list of accepted items before donating.

News and Upcoming Events

Sustainability Research and Practice Seminar

Join us in Sykes 255 A/B or on Zoom on Wednesdays at 12:00pm this semester for the Sustainability Research and Practice Seminar. Learn from faculty, staff, students, and community members each week. Cookies and coffee provided!

Hybrid Event. Authoritarianism & Indigenous Resisteance: Climate Change, Miliatarism, & the Rise of AI. Janene Yazzie, Director of Global Programs, the Woven Project. Tuesday, April 14, 2026. 11am-12:15pm ET. Virtual lecture with in-person viewing in Sykes 252. A lecture in a speaker series organized by the University of Massachusetts' Consortium on Gender, Security, and Human Rights, and collaboration with the WCU Office of Sustainability. Click for PDF.

WCU Move Out Donation Drive

As you move out this spring, consider donating any items you no longer need to our move out donation drive! Donation bins will be located in Sykes Student Union, the FHG Library, the Student Rec Center, and all on-campus Residence Halls and apartments. Remember to donate usable items and check Goodwill's list of approved donations. The donation drive will run 4/29 through 5/11.

Live off campus and have a large furniture item you want to donate? Sign up for Student Experience's Move Out, Give Back program to donate to the Community Warehouse Project.