NAU Office of Sustainability
At the Flagstaff campus, students live, learn, eat, play, make purchases, use energy, and participate in every possible aspect of life—NAU is a micro-community! As such, NAU has the opportunity to demonstrate to larger cities, the nation, and the world what a truly healthy and sustainable environment can look like. The Office of Sustainability is an integral part of the NAU culture of sustainability.
NAU’s Commitment to Sustainability
In the Earth Day 2022 newsletter, NAU President José Luis Cruz Rivera declared an environmental emergency. Our engaged community understands that when it comes to advancing carbon neutrality solutions with regional applications and global reach, NAU must lead the way. The whole announcement can be read here.
Our mission is to create, maintain and enhance our campus through continuous improvement and sustainable practices.
Our vision is to be a leading university for sustainability and inclusivity by creating forward-thinking, impactful, and resourceful leaders.
Our objective is to showcase a living laboratory where students study and participate in the development of social equity, economic stability, and environmental stewardship.
Who We Are Accordion Open
The Office of Sustainability is a committed group of individuals that strive for sustainability and innovation across NAU and the Flagstaff community. With strong organizational leadership from Chief Sustainability Officer Erik Nielsen, the Office of Sustainability reaches to accomplish NAU’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.
Meet our Office of Sustainability Staff
What We Do Accordion Closed
The Office engages NAU students, employees, departments, and community members around sustainable initiatives to fulfill our vision. Our work is guided by the NAU Carbon Neutrality Action Plan. We work to promote environmental stewardship in the areas of Recycling and Waste Minimization, Transportation, Operations, Procurement, Water, Energy and Carbon Neutrality, Academics, and Research.
Read our brochure on Creating a Culture of Sustainability to see specific examples of how NAU is living, learning, researching, community building, and advocating for sustainability.
Green Fund Accordion Closed
The Northern Arizona University Green Fund supports projects, initiated by university students, staff, and faculty, that reduce the environmental impact of campus operations and promote a culture of sustainability. Funding comes from a $15 per semester Green Fee; these funds are overseen by a student committee that is supported by staff and faculty members.
Learn more about the Green Fund or submit a proposal here!
Contact the Office of Sustainability
Have questions or want to reach out? Here’s who you can connect with on our team.
- Erik Nielsen (Chief Sustainability Officer) – erik.nielsen@nau.edu
- NAU Climate Action Plan, university-wide sustainability policies, sustainability academics
- Avi Henn (Manager of Sustainability) – abraham.henn@nau.edu
- NAU Climate Action Plan, university-wide sustainability policies, recycling, waste minimization, Green Fund
- Danielle Linthicum (Conservation Programs Coordinator) – danielle.linthicum@nau.edu
- Behavior change, education, and conservation programs; sustainability events; sustainability campus partnerships
- Dayna McKay (Sustainability Data Analyst) –dayna.cook@nau.edu
- STARS, NAU sustainability data
- Erin McAnally-Trejo (Energy and Water Conservation Manager) – erin.mcanally-trejo@nau.edu
- NAU energy and water systems