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Sustainability News at UH
Celebrating 300K Genki Balls and counting to clean the Ala Wai Canal
The Genki Ala Wai Project reached 300,000 Genki Balls, and the City and County of Honolulu proclaimed April 2026 as “Genki Ball Month.” This post first appeared on University of Hawaiʻi System News.
Historic Bachman Hall secures LEED Gold certification
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Bachman Hall building has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification on April 22. This post first appeared on University of Hawaiʻi System News.
Planting seeds for change: Honolulu CC student discovers his purpose
After years of serving his community and overcoming personal hardship, Scott “Uncle Scotty” Garlough is planting new seeds for growth. This post first appeared on University of Hawaiʻi System News.
UH Mānoa reaches sustainability milestone with STARS Silver
This achievement recognizes the university’s sustainability efforts across academics, research, operations and campus engagement. This post first appeared on University of Hawaiʻi System News.
UH Definition of Sustainability
To pursue sustainability means actively fostering conditions in which we aloha ‘āina and live in balance with the ecosystems upon which we depend, supporting the well-being of present and future generations. - Executive Policy 5.232
The University of Hawai‘i has a rich history of teaching, research, and service to Hawai‘i, ushering national and international communities towards a more sustainable future. The University has important commitments towards sustainability, both in its own campus operations and in the focus of its teaching, research and service. Efforts to reduce energy consumption and waste generation, and increase renewable energy sources across UH campuses are led by the Office of Sustainability. The Institute for Sustainability and Resilience was established in 2017 as a complementary initiative to facilitate UH Mānoa’s teaching, research and outreach programs across multiple domains of sustainability. In 2024, UH Mānoa was ranked among the nation's top green colleges.
What We Do
The Institute for Sustainability and Resilience (ISR) provides campus-wide leadership and coordination for interdisciplinary education, research, and outreach related to climate change, environmental sustainability, and community resilience in Hawaiʻi and beyond. ISR:
- Equips students with the knowledge and skills to address critical local and global environmental challenges.
- Conducts collaborative research to address the climate crisis and other environmental change.
- Brings communities and other decision-makers together to share knowledge about environmental sustainability and community resilience.