The Role of Green Areas in University Campuses …
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the university “green campus” works towards being innovative and a pioneer on the
search for a sustainable future. In order to achieve this sustainability in a university,
Thomashow suggests nine key elements, allied to goals that must be reached on a
campus. In this case study at University of Passo Fundo, it is possible to highlight
the presence of some of them, like the incentive to local agriculture, leadership to
engage people in the pursuit of sustainability, environmental comfort, union of the
built environment with the local ecosystem and wise exploration of the landscape.
In the view of Bortoluzzi et al. (2004), the large circulation of people opposing
the vast and exuberant landscape of a university campus is the guarantee that the
benefits produced in this environment are ecological, social and economic. Tzoulas
et al. (2015) says that when universities disregard the ecological potential of their
campuses, these socio-economic and environmental benefits can be lost, and also
affirms that biodiversity is a key element in the sustainable development of university
campuses.
Xypaki (2015) describes some successful practices that occur in the Green Dragons university city and that can be used in SDGs 4 and 15. Some of the practices
are: to promote sustainable livelihoods in campuses, to have students and communities committed to projects aimed at reducing environmental impacts caused by
campus activities, and to encourage sustainable trade and ethical procurement. All
these alternatives are actions that promote a sustainable culture among academics
and go far beyond the implementation of disciplines with the environmental theme
in the curriculum. Therefore, student engagement is developed in a practical way
and becomes a key factor for students to experience sustainability and to be able to
promote it locally.
Based on this, it is evident that universities can contribute to the dissemination of
a sustainability culture, locally, by optimizing the green areas of their campuses.
3 Methodology
The main campus of University of Passo Fundo is located in the city of Passo Fundo,
in Rio Grande do Sul state—Brazil (Fig. 2) and, due to the great regional visibility
of the institution, its actions reach a significant extent in the state. In addition, given
the vast ecological potential of the green areas of the campus, it can be considered
a living laboratory for social and environmental practices, which contribute with
experiences and learning to the users (Melo and Severo 2007).
The paper methodology followed the steps below:
Step I: primary data collection, through elaboration of a questionnaire with questions
regarding the use of green spaces at Campus I of the UPF, that was made available
to students, professors and employees of the institution;
Step II: gathered information about the way the institution explores these spaces
through the promotion of events on campus using the institutional website of the
university as a search source;
51
the university “green campus” works towards being innovative and a pioneer on the
search for a sustainable future. In order to achieve this sustainability in a university,
Thomashow suggests nine key elements, allied to goals that must be reached on a
campus. In this case study at University of Passo Fundo, it is possible to highlight
the presence of some of them, like the incentive to local agriculture, leadership to
engage people in the pursuit of sustainability, environmental comfort, union of the
built environment with the local ecosystem and wise exploration of the landscape.
In the view of Bortoluzzi et al. (2004), the large circulation of people opposing
the vast and exuberant landscape of a university campus is the guarantee that the
benefits produced in this environment are ecological, social and economic. Tzoulas
et al. (2015) says that when universities disregard the ecological potential of their
campuses, these socio-economic and environmental benefits can be lost, and also
affirms that biodiversity is a key element in the sustainable development of university
campuses.
Xypaki (2015) describes some successful practices that occur in the Green Dragons university city and that can be used in SDGs 4 and 15. Some of the practices
are: to promote sustainable livelihoods in campuses, to have students and communities committed to projects aimed at reducing environmental impacts caused by
campus activities, and to encourage sustainable trade and ethical procurement. All
these alternatives are actions that promote a sustainable culture among academics
and go far beyond the implementation of disciplines with the environmental theme
in the curriculum. Therefore, student engagement is developed in a practical way
and becomes a key factor for students to experience sustainability and to be able to
promote it locally.
Based on this, it is evident that universities can contribute to the dissemination of
a sustainability culture, locally, by optimizing the green areas of their campuses.
3 Methodology
The main campus of University of Passo Fundo is located in the city of Passo Fundo,
in Rio Grande do Sul state—Brazil (Fig. 2) and, due to the great regional visibility
of the institution, its actions reach a significant extent in the state. In addition, given
the vast ecological potential of the green areas of the campus, it can be considered
a living laboratory for social and environmental practices, which contribute with
experiences and learning to the users (Melo and Severo 2007).
The paper methodology followed the steps below:
Step I: primary data collection, through elaboration of a questionnaire with questions
regarding the use of green spaces at Campus I of the UPF, that was made available
to students, professors and employees of the institution;
Step II: gathered information about the way the institution explores these spaces
through the promotion of events on campus using the institutional website of the
university as a search source;