The Ohio State University (Ohio State) is a land-grant research university with more than 600 faculty and research scientists in sustainability education and research; thousands of passionate students who take advantage of 900 courses that support sustainability learning; an enduring mission to serve its local and global communities; and a strong commitment to sustainability in its campus operations.
The complex challenges of sustainability and the need to improve social, economic, and environmental conditions underscore the need for the deep integration Ohio State has across a breadth of disciplines including natural and physical sciences, social and behavioral sciences, engineering, public health, business, law, planning, policy, arts, and humanities. These academic units and other internal partners such as research labs and centers, Student Life department, and Administration and Planning departments collaborate and leverage its research and knowledge toward a more sustainable and resilient campus and local and global communities.
Climate change is perhaps the most complex sustainability challenge Ohio State is tackling, from a new undergraduate carbon neutrality course taught by university President Kristina Johnson, to carbon sequestration and mitigation research innovation, to establishing ambitious operational carbon neutrality goals. As President Johnson said to the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to the United States team during their visit to Ohio State’s campus in advance of COP26: “We’re here unified toward one goal: Some people say to save the planet; I actually say to save civilization.”
Did you know?
Between 2015 and 2020, Ohio State reduced per capita potable water consumption by 29%, or 379 million gallons, saving the university $1.75 million in annual water purchase and sanitary sewer use costs.