UCLA has spent over 50 years building one of the nation's most comprehensive campus sustainability programs, turning its grounds into a living laboratory where students, faculty, and staff experience environmental stewardship daily. From converting turf to native drought-resistant plants to installing California's first electric vehicle-charging roadway, the university demonstrates how institutional commitment to clean living can reshape operations at scale and influence policy across cities and states .

What Makes UCLA's Campus a Sustainability Model?

Since launching the first environmental studies program in the UC system during the early 1970s, UCLA has embedded sustainability into nearly every aspect of campus operations. The university has earned recognition including a gold star sustainability rating, a Green Grounds certification, and a Green Fleet Award. Most visibly, UCLA holds 73 Leadership in Energy and Design (LEED) certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council, making it a leader in sustainable building design .

The campus grounds themselves represent a quiet revolution in ecological management. Today, 90% of UCLA's campus grounds are managed sustainably without the use of pesticides, a shift informed by collaboration with members of the Gabrielino/Tongva tribe, the traditional caretakers of the land where the campus sits. Natural spaces like the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Gardens, Sage Hill, and Hummingbird Canyon now nurture biodiversity while serving as outdoor classrooms for students in biology, ecology, environmental science, and geography .

"Taking a moment to look around, to learn about sustainability at UCLA, can help give a different perspective on the campus," said Nurit Katz, UCLA's chief sustainability officer.

Nurit Katz, Chief Sustainability Officer at UCLA

How Is UCLA Transforming Transportation and Energy?

One of UCLA's most innovative sustainability initiatives addresses how people move around campus. The university is working toward complete electrification of its bus and vehicle fleet by the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics. A groundbreaking project will soon make UCLA the first site in California with an electric vehicle-charging roadway, where inductive charging coils installed below Charles E. Young Drive will allow electric passenger shuttles and heavy-duty buses to charge while in motion .

The shift toward cleaner transportation is already visible in campus commuting patterns. Despite the campus population continuing to grow, automobile commutes by employees and students have declined significantly. Nearly 4,000 employees and students now commute to campus via zero-emission vehicles each workday, putting UCLA's electric vehicle usage among the highest of any college in the country. Students benefit from transit passes that allow unlimited, fare-free rides on seven transit agencies serving the campus .

Ways UCLA Is Reducing Its Environmental Footprint

• Sustainable Grounds Management: Converting turf areas to California native, drought-tolerant plants and managing 90% of campus grounds without pesticides, reducing water consumption and supporting local biodiversity.
• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Power: Implementing solar power, energy-efficient systems, and sustainable building practices across campus operations, supported by 73 LEED certifications.
• Food System Improvements and Waste Reduction: Addressing food waste, improving campus dining sustainability, and reducing overall waste generation across all campus operations.
• Water Conservation Initiatives: Reducing water use through drought-resistant landscaping and efficient campus systems to address California's water scarcity challenges.
• Green Transportation Infrastructure: Electrifying vehicle fleets, installing EV-charging roadways, and promoting transit use to eliminate emissions from campus commuting.

How Is UCLA Extending Sustainability Beyond Campus?

UCLA's sustainability expertise reaches far beyond its campus boundaries. Climate scientists at the university are bringing their research to bear on efforts to improve sustainability across California. Students are advocating for equitable and ecologically sound policies at the state Capitol, while gaining hands-on experience through UCLA environmental law clinics. Biologists are working to protect Los Angeles' biodiversity and ensure a viable future for the city's mountain lions and other wildlife .

The university's commitment to environmental and social justice extends to disaster recovery and resilience. Following the January 2025 fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, UCLA faculty members from nearly every field, including environmental studies, urban planning, medicine, psychology, and biology, marshaled resources to ensure recovery and rebuilding processes are safe, resilient, and sustainable. A blue-ribbon commission announced by Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk leveraged expertise from across the UCLA campus to create policy recommendations and potential state legislation for more resilient and equitable rebuilding .

UCLA's multidisciplinary approach demonstrates that institutional sustainability is not a single initiative but an ongoing commitment woven into operations, research, teaching, and community engagement. By treating its campus as a living laboratory, UCLA shows how large organizations can model clean living practices while simultaneously developing solutions that influence policy and practice across cities, states, and beyond.