Social Sustainability – The Unmapped Pillar at the University of Washington
The sustainability map at the University of Washington has allowed students, faculty, staff, and visitors to learn about the sustainable resources available to them, as well as what our campus contributes to the overall narrative of sustainability throughout our communities. However, the sustainability map has not been updated in over a decade leaving users without an accurate and relevant list of sustainability resources that can be found across our sizable campus. The purpose of this research project was to collaborate with the Office of Sustainability at the UW to update the content on the map so its relevance increases for contemporary users. In order to achieve this, I engaged in several forms of research, including data mining and hosting a focus group, to maximize my results so they reflect the needs of a diverse student body. Findings show that the current sustainability map at the University of Washington inadequately reflects the needs of current users as it lacks social sustainability resources that exist for students, faculty, and staff across our campus. Social sustainability is also known as the “people” category in the three P’s of sustainability: people, planet, and profit. This means that displaying this content targets the needs of students with the goal of making happier, healthier, and sustainable lives more accessible than it once was. Sustainability is an ever-changing field that must adapt to contemporary generations; mapping is an excellent way to ensure sustainability remains accessible to everyone.
