Editing Brown University (section)

=== Sustainability ===
Brown has committed to "minimize its energy use, reduce negative environmental impacts, and promote environmental stewardship."<ref name="Brown's Energy and Environmental Mission">{{cite web |title=Department of Facilities Management, Energy and Environmental Advisory Committee |url=https://www.brown.edu/Facilities/Facilities_Management/energy_policy_recommendations.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724042058/http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/Facilities_Management/energy_policy_recommendations.php |archive-date=July 24, 2008 |access-date=May 28, 2008 |publisher=Brown University |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Since 2010, the university has required all new buildings meet [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design|LEED silver]] standards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Raymond |first=Mark |date=2010-11-12 |title=U. moves toward greener campus |url=https://www.browndailyherald.com/2010/11/12/u-moves-toward-greener-campus/ |access-date=2021-04-23 |website=Brown Daily Herald |language=en-US |archive-date=April 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423180817/https://www.browndailyherald.com/2010/11/12/u-moves-toward-greener-campus/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Between 2007 and 2018, Brown reduced its [[greenhouse gas emissions|greenhouse emissions]] by 27 percent; the majority of this reduction is attributable to the university's Thermal Efficiency Project which converted its central heating plant from a steam-powered system to a hot water-powered system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reed |first=Allie |date=2018-09-13 |title=University on track to meet sustainability goals |url=https://www.browndailyherald.com/2018/09/13/university-on-track-to-meet-sustainability-goals/ |access-date=2021-04-23 |website=Brown Daily Herald |language=en-US |archive-date=April 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423180816/https://www.browndailyherald.com/2018/09/13/university-on-track-to-meet-sustainability-goals/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2020, Brown announced it had sold 90 percent of its [[fossil fuel]] investments as part of a broader divestment from direct investments and managed funds that focus on [[fossil fuels]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pender |first=Caelyn |date=2020-03-04 |title=Brown sells 90 percent of fossil fuel investments |url=https://www.browndailyherald.com/2020/03/04/brown-sells-90-percent-fossil-fuel-investments/ |access-date=2021-04-23 |website=Brown Daily Herald |language=en-US |archive-date=April 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427004840/https://www.browndailyherald.com/2020/03/04/brown-sells-90-percent-fossil-fuel-investments/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2021, the university adopted the goal of reducing quantifiable campus emissions by 75 percent by 2025 and achieving [[carbon neutrality]] by 2040.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pender |first=Caelyn |date=2021-03-05 |title=University launches strategic sustainability plan |url=https://www.browndailyherald.com/2021/03/05/university-launches-strategic-sustainability-plan/ |access-date=2021-04-10 |website=Brown Daily Herald |language=en-US |archive-date=April 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411024735/https://www.browndailyherald.com/2021/03/05/university-launches-strategic-sustainability-plan/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Brown is a member of the Ivy Plus Sustainability Consortium, through which it has committed to best-practice sharing and the ongoing exchange of campus sustainability solutions along with other member institutions.<ref>name="Leadership Through Partnership">{{cite web|title=Leadership Through Partnership|url=https://sustainability.yale.edu/priorities-progress/leadership/leadership-through-partnership|access-date=November 17, 2023|publisher=Yale Sustainability}}</ref>

According to the [[A. W. Kuchler]] U.S. [[potential natural vegetation]] types, Brown would have a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian [[Oak]] (''104'') with a dominant vegetation form of Eastern [[Hardwood]] Forest (''25'').<ref name="Conservation Biology Institute">{{cite web |title=U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions) |url=https://databasin.org/datasets/1c7a301c8e6843f2b4fe63fdb3a9fe39 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703145441/https://databasin.org/datasets/1c7a301c8e6843f2b4fe63fdb3a9fe39 |archive-date=July 3, 2019 |access-date=August 14, 2019}}</ref>