Reducing, reusing, recycling and beyond. In every possible way, President Machen aims for UF to have a positive impact on our planet.

What are you most proud of about UF's sustainability efforts?
I like that this is an initiative that attracts faculty, students, staff and alumni - and even the community. Unlike most causes at the university, which appeal to one constituent or another, this one involves everybody. It brings people together.

What do you think is the biggest obstacle to making UF more sustainable?
It's not attitude! Partly, I think it's our size. A small liberal arts college can attempt change on a relatively large scale. But we have huge logistics problems with any significant initiative. We have another obstacle in finding the up-front resources to convert from old ways to new ways. Even if it's going to be cost-effective, there is a conversion cost, and that can make it difficult.

Couldn't UF do more to improve energy efficiency?
We're a mature campus, meaning we have a lot of old buildings. For those buildings, you might change the windows or put on a new roof, but to really make them green is very expensive. New buildings are another matter. We try to make every new building we build as efficient as possible because the upfront cost is relatively small compared to the energy savings over the life of the buildings. Another problem with our older buildings is that they are not individually metered, which means we have no way of monitoring electricity use and we can't reward people who conserve. We're putting meters in all of our new buildings.

How do you respond to critics who question whether UF's endowment is invested in environmentally and socially responsible ways?
The UF Board of Trustees accepts that as their responsibility, and the Board does what the state recommends to be not only environmentally, but also socially, responsible. Essentially, we take directions from the state about where we should or should not invest.

What's the most radical but realistic step UF can take to set an example for others?
Look, this is more about a cultural change than anything else. If the country accepts that sustainability is the right way to go, then we will all get into the swing of it. To be successful in the long term, the process has to be more driven by "we want to do this" than "if you don't do this, look out."