On October 5, 2006 New York University Executive Vice President Michael C. Alfano presented a charge for the NYU community to become more "green." This challenge has resulted in the creation of the NYU Sustainability Task Force and subsequently the Green Action Plan. The mission of the Sustainability Task Force is:

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of NYU's environmental sustainability efforts
• Recommend a prioritized plan - Green Action Plan - to improve NYU's environmental footprint and save energy
• Engage faculty, students and administrators in securing the successful implementation of the plan
• And develop a method to award funds for research and demonstration programs in environmental sustainability.