Each month, GCSE spotlights one Member organization and the importance of sustainability at the institution and the institution's role in informed environmental decision-making.
Duke University has been a GCSE member since 2009. Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment provides opportunities for purpose-driven individuals to learn about or pursue careers that make positive contributions to the environment and the world. Students of the Nicholas School are bright, talented and ambitious people from across the globe who study a broad range of environmental topics including conservation, climate change, and everything in between.
A student researcher collecting tree core samples.
The Nicholas School is located in North Carolina in a region known as the Research Triangle. The school is located in close proximity to marine, forest, and mountain ecosystems and boasts world-class facilities and research centers. The 70,000-square-foot home of the Nicholas School has been designed to meet or exceed the criteria for LEED Green Building platinum certification, and incorporates state-of-the-art green features and technologies inside and out.
In addition to the Nicholas School’s main facilities, they also boast a Marine Laboratory located in coastal, historic Beaufort, North Carolina. The Marine Laboratory operates year-round to provide educational, training, and research opportunities to about 3,500 people annually.
The Nicholas School develops environmental leaders through an undergraduate academic program designed to provide an understanding of the Earth and of environmental ethics and a professional master's program that provides the next generation of environmental professionals with the skills needed to devise and implement effective environmental policies and practices in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. The PhD program is dedicated to developing world-class scientists, researchers, and educators in the environment.
Did you know?
The Duke Forest - another important resource for Nicholas School students and faculty - comprises just over 7,000 acres of land, lying primarily in two counties adjacent to the Duke University campus in Durham, North Carolina. This forest is used primarily as a resource for educational and research opportunities.
Bahir Dar University is a public university in Ethiopia with strong commitments to regional sustainability and environmental education. Bahir Dar currently offers a bachelor’s degree in water resources engineering and master’s degrees in engineering hydrology, irrigation, and environmental engineering. Bahir Dar Energy Center does research in renewable energy sources and accessibility to rural households; it also offers graduate studies in sustainable energy. Researchers at Bahir Dar have recently been working to find an innovative approach to increasing water sustainability. Bahir Dar also works with farming communities to educate them about sustainable farming technologies and more nutritional crop production.
Students introducing dry period irrigation in rural communities to produce vegetables using a solar pump that draws water from shallow wells.
Bahir Dar University is involved with sustainable water management and integrated ecosystems design for the region. This includes interventions to improve crop productivity per unit area or provide access to alternative energy so that energy access, incomes, and nutrition levels of smallholder farmers can improve without compromising the environmental sustainability in the highland.
Bahir Dar Institute of Technology at Bahir Dar University has developed programs in water resources education and research. Bahir Dar also offers a water resources engineering and management PhD program, whose students have produced and published their work in scientific journals since 2013. Blue Nile Water Institute was established in 2003, and also helps strengthen the multi-disciplinary collaborative research in water resources at Bahir Dar. Students research integrated and innovative approaches to increase water sustainability in the Ethiopian Highlands. This research recommends finding ways to capture greater quantities of water during Ethiopia’s 4-month rain season.
Did you know?
As part of the National Green Legacy to build a green climate resistant economy, Bahir Dar University has planted more than 5,000,000 trees in the northwestern part of the Ethiopian highlands since 2019 and will continue planting 1,000,000 trees every year as part of the Government’s plan to plant 20 billion seedlings by 2024. (Demeke, H. (2020, July 18). Ethiopia: National Green Campaign Underway Aimed At Greening Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Herald. Retrieved February 8, 2022)
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 supportsustainability learning; an enduring mission to serve its local and global communities; and a strong commitment to sustainability in itscampus operations.
Kristina M. Johnson, president of The Ohio State University and Alan Gogbashian, Her Majesty’s Consul General for Chicago, lead a campus discussion about climate change solutions.
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 undergraduatecarbon 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 theirvisit 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.”
The Centre for Climate Change and Development at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, Nigeria is edging towards becoming a world-class think tank and leading centre of research, innovative learning, and policy guidance on climate change, environmental sustainability, and green development in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. The centre cultivates local knowledge on climate change, builds capacities, and raises the quality of Nigerian think tank research to international standards. It facilitates genuine and solid relationships among international and African academic, government, NGO, and private sector entities, generating a better understanding of the complex challenges and opportunities related to addressing poverty and inequality in Africa through the lens of the green economy.
The Centre for Climate Change and Development has an interdisciplinary approach with emphasis on four focal areas: (i) Climate Policy and Justice, (ii) The Green Economy and Sustainable Development, (iii) Climate Adaptation and Resilience, and (iv) Climate Information Services. The Centre brings together an extensive network of collaborators and provides a unique interface between science, management, humanities, and technology that is vital for cutting-edge research in these areas.
Nigerian residents receive healthier more environmentally friendly cooking stoves through the Enhancing Liquefied Petroleum Gas Access for Semi-Urban Populations program. Photo credit: Alex Ekwueme Federal University
The Nigeria Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project (DPP), a collaboration between French Development Agency (AFD) and The Foundation Institut du Développement Durable et des Relations Internationales (IDDRI) that builds the capacities of African researchers to produce robust analyses of country-specific low-emission and policy relevant development scenarios and strategies; and
Engaging A Critical Mass of Change Agents Through Climate Action, a project funded by the Association of Commonwealth Universities in partnership with Dr. Jennifer Rudd, aimed at educating a critical mass of teachers on climate change and carrying out climate actions including the formation of climate change clubs and tree planting exercises in schools.
Did you know?
Nigeria’s first 2.8MW solar hybrid plant was commissioned at Alex Ekwueme Federal University as part of the Energising Education Programme (EEP), an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria in collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency and the National Universities Commission.
Harvey Mudd College recognizes sustainability as one of this century’s biggest challenges and is committed to seeking new ways to address climate change and to reducing its impact on the environment.
The centerpiece of Harvey Mudd’s sustainability effort is the Hixon Center for Climate and the Environment, a locus for new climate studies courses as well as other curricular, co-curricular, and research endeavors at Harvey Mudd and the Claremont College consortium.
Since 2008, when Harvey Mudd President Maria Klawe signed the Presidents’ Climate Commitment, the College has implemented many programs and initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint and overall energy use, including constructing new campus buildings that meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standard (or equivalent), using electric vehicles, increasing employee rideshare, composting on campus, recycling, decreasing water and electrical use, and reducing waste. Faculty, students, and staff are deeply engaged in creating new academic courses, research projects, and internships in environmental studies and sustainability.
Chemistry professor Lelia Hawkins and students research how air pollution affects climate and anthropogenic climate change, analyzing Los Angeles air pollution in real time.
Harvey Mudd’s sustainability efforts have included:
Establishing the Hixon Center for Sustainable Environmental Design that provides courses, research, and data gathering on sustainability
Creating an HMC Sustainability Committee to establish and implement the College’s Sustainability Program
Approving a policy that new buildings on campus meet at least the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standard (or equivalent) and premium-rated or ENERGY STAR-certified products be purchased for use on campus wherever possible
Adopting a College Sustainability Policy Statement
Creating a Green Fund for new Facilities and Maintenance projects that increase sustainability (two recent projects included a campus-wide LEED retrofit project and a Smart Lab project)
Implementing many programs and efforts to reduce energy use, increase rideshare, reduce waste, compost on campus and create new courses, research projects and internships in environmental studies and sustainability
Submitting the college’s first-ever STARS Report (Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment and Rating System) to AASHE, and being rated STARS Bronze, thus achieving a STARS rating for the first time in college history.
Replacing turf with low water consumption landscaping
Building a solar photovoltaic cell carport which supplies around 10% of the College’s power needs
Installing new dual port EV charging stations
Installed ceramic window film tint to Sprague Library and Platt Campus Center exterior windows to reduce the building energy consumption of the HVAC system
Did You Know?
In 2015, Harvey Mudd created the Green Fund, which provides financial support for improvements to the campus that support the College’s sustainability efforts while reaping financial benefits over time.
Heritage University (HU) has been a GCSE member for over 10 years and is located on the ancestral homelands of the Yakama Nation in Washington State. As one of two universities in the United States that is both a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and a Native American Serving Nontribal Institution (NASNTI), HU is committed to providing opportunities for underrepresented students to participate in STEM research, internships, and hands on programs at the intersection of environmental and social issues.
Dehlia Wolftail, an HU Environmental Studies major, presenting at the 2021 AISES National Conference, where she won 1st place for her research: "Quantification of the Colville and Spokane Tribe Water Right Adjudication and Potential Impacts to Current Junior Water Right Holders." All HU Environmental Science & Studies undergrads are given the opportunity to do summer research experiences.
The Heritage University Chapter of GCSE EnvironMentors is housed in the Center for Indigenous Health, Culture & the Environment (CIHCE). High school students from the Yakama Nation Tribal School conduct research on topics that include community air quality and natural resource management in forestry, wildlife and fisheries. The high school students are assigned HU undergraduate Environmental Science majors in the role of near-peer mentors. They are also paired with HU STEM staff, faculty and community mentors from the Yakama Nation and Ecotrust. While the COVID-19 pandemic initially presented challenges, the HU EM chapter was able to successfully pivot to distance education, utilizing trail cameras and Zoom. Dedicated partners from Yakama Forest Products uploaded videos of animals captured by the trail cameras and students were able to develop hypotheses, analyze the data, and complete research posters. This program was featured in Northwest Public Broadcasting in 2020.
HU also provides their Environmental Science & Studies students with international study abroad experiences in Panama and Costa Rica, with the goal of building global partnerships to empower indigenous peoples and promote sustainable culturally vibrant communities. The CIHCE runs the Panama-Heritage University Indigenous Intercambio Program (PIIP), a science and cultural exchange that emphasizes mutual learning and interconnectedness between Indigenous communities around the world. Native American and Latinx STEM students from Heritage University collaborate with Indigenous community members from the Ngäbe and Buglé Indigenous peoples of Panama on scientific research and community development projects. The CIHCE devotes significant effort to fundraising to ensure that all costs are covered for student participants, including stipends, thereby lessening the financial barrier that often prevents LatinX and Native American students from engaging in international study abroad.
Did you know?
The Heritage University People of the Big River Field Class connects students with tribal elders, scientists, and natural resource managers across the PNW region for a unique study that blends Western science with traditional ecosystem knowledge.
Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) has been on the forefront of sustainability action since 2006. It was the first community college district in Arizona to hire full-time staff for its sustainable operations. Since 2008, the MCCCD Governing Board committed to the Sustainability Resolution and adopted the “Triple Bottom Line” to address sustainability through environmental responsibility, social equity, and economic measures.
Students at MCCCD have opportunities to showcase sustainable artwork and innovations. Kimberly Gluscic created this sculpture using recycled wine corks.
Maricopa has converted all of the exterior lighting across its ten colleges to LED lighting and is in the process of converting all interior lighting to LED by the end of 2021. Through this effort, lighting costs will be reduced by 50%.
Water conservation is one of the most important projects for the MCCCD community in Arizona. Their water conservation program includes xeriscaping, installation of low-flow fixtures, and connecting to the local water canals, which will save 40 million gallons of water annually.
The MCCCD annual E.A.R.T.H. Forward event, which focuses on Education, Adaptation, Resiliency, Technology and Humanity, provides a platform for students to showcase their talent and innovations. The 2021 event took place virtually with more than 200 participants.
Arizona is one of the sunniest states in the US, and DCCCD is always working with its local utilities to expand solar installations across their colleges. Currently four of their ten colleges have solar installed, producing up to 60% of the needed daily energy for each location.
Each college has established a Food Bank to better support the daily needs for students. The Office of Sustainability is supporting these efforts through grants wherever possible, including a $5000 grant for South Mountain Community College.
All ten of the DCCCD colleges offer a variety of classes on sustainability. They offer a number of degree and certificate programs related to sustainability and the environment. Their sustainability course catalogue is constantly growing, and they partner with local universities to ensure a smooth transition for students to their future academic endeavors.
Tennessee State University, located in Nashville, TN, has been a long-time member of GCSE. Through the College of Agriculture and the Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research (IAGER), TSU conducts a considerable amount of research on soil, water, plants, and animals to sustain and enhance natural resources. The College of Agriculture promotes student training in the environmental sciences and brings together faculty from across the campus through an Environmental Sciences Focus Group to discuss and promote environmental awareness and programs at the university.
One of 19 HBCU Land-Grant institutions, TSU proudly commits to sustainability and the environment through various projects such as:
The Dream Machine Recycling Rally, a nationwide school recycling program designed to raise awareness of the importance of recycling and encourage students to make recycling part of their everyday lives. Since its inception in 2010, the initiative has recycled over 2 million pounds of plastic across 34 states.
Tennessee State University has many opportunities for students to participate in research in agriculture, the environment, and sustainability, both in the lab and out in the field. Image Credit: Tennessee State UniversityResearch seeking to understand how climate change factors alter soil microbial processes and the degree to which these changes influence long-term carbon and nutrient cycling in soils and terrestrial ecosystems (e.g., bioenergy cropland).
Interdisciplinary research integrating field and laboratory observations and modeling approaches to address questions that intersect external disturbances and terrestrial biogeochemical cycles.
Improving soil model predictions in response to climate warming through research in thermal variations on mineralization of soil organic matter in croplands and assimilating long-term field and incubation data.
Assessment of the use of cover crops in the Brassicaceae family in conjunction with soil solarization, an environmentally friendly process of using solar energy to kill soil pathogens and control Phytophthora nicotianae in boxwood production. The results of this research will help to promote the adoption of biofumigants by documenting their effects in multiple nursery systems and demonstrating their potential as a sustainable field-grown nursery production system for nursery producers in the Southern region.
Identifying agricultural and environmental sciences in its long-term strategic plan to maintain its leadership in providing quality education and to have vital programs for recruiting and retaining students. The Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences includes 51 faculty, 20 of whom are involved in the Environmental Science concentration.
The university also supports several sustainable living projects through the Family and Consumer Sciences program, such as sustainable living community workshops and encouraging locals to “go green” and make environmentally friendly life choices. As part of a USDA Capacity Building Grant, the department led the “Go Green North Nashville HUD” initiative, which provided 100 Nashville homeowners with energy retrofits such as programmable thermostats, weather stripping, and storm windows to educate homeowners on the cost savings of sustainable living. Additionally, TSU participates in paper, cardboard, and electronic shredding and recycling programs.
Did you Know?
Since 2010, the TSU Greenhouse Plastic recycling initiative has helped recycle over 250 tons of greenhouse plastic in the middle Tennessee region.
The Chancellor's Environment, Sustainability and Resilience Commission (CESRC) was reinvigorated in 2018. It provides strategic recommendations and ongoing advice to the Chancellor related to the environmental, social, and economic well-being of University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) and its stakeholders. The CESRC promotes the socially responsible stewardship of resources and the creation of resilient systems that are adaptable and recoverable to short- and long-term environmental and technological changes. The CESRC developed the 2020 Environment, Sustainability, and Resilience Master Plan that identifies ten aspirational goals related to many facets of sustainability and resilience that are applied across campus.
In a year that held many unprecedented challenges, UNL staff, facility, and students remained dedicated to their work to promote sustainability in their campus communities.
Each new recycling station is made from about 1,000 recycled plastic milk jugs. Image credit: University of Nebraska - Lincoln
A new Recycling Renovation Pilot Project was initiated in 2020 to help standardize the recycling process on campus. The new recycling stations are each made from about 1,000 recycled plastic milk jugs! At the end of the station’s life, the material can be recycled again.
An “Infusion of Sustainability and Resilience into Curriculum” workshop was held for the second time to help teachers integrate sustainability into their coursework. This program has impacted nearly 25 teachers. This program aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4.
In April 2021, students organized EarthStock, a month-long celebration preparing for Earth Day. Each week highlighted different campus groups and diverse topics. Events included a clothing swap, a sustainable roundtable, and an international sustainability talk.
In 2021, biodigesters were installed in some on campus dining service locations, diverting 50,000 pounds of food waste from local landfills. Dining also utilizes reusable OZZI containers and works with local farmers, producers, and manufacturers in their Nebraska. Local. Program.
Did you know?
UNL has been a foam free campus since 2016. The sale, procurement or distribution of foam packing or polystyrene (EPS), such as Styrofoam in food and packaging containers is prohibited, and the policy applies to all faculty, staff, students, and vendors.
The University of California San Diego has been a member of GCSE for 13 years. Established in 1960, UC San Diego has been shaped by exceptional scholars who aren’t afraid to push boundaries, challenge expectations, and redefine conventional wisdom in order to make our world better, including pioneers of climate change research like Roger Revelle and geochemist Charles David Keeling of the Keeling Curve. UC San Diego has built upon that visionary legacy to become a leader in sustainable solutions.
To do this, UC San Diego has established and acknowledges a set of Principles of Sustainability. These principles guide sustainability efforts across the ten campuses and other university facilities inten areas of sustainable practice: climate protection, clean energy, green building, transportation, sustainable operations, waste reduction and recycling, sustainable procurement, sustainable foodservice, sustainable water systems, and standards for UC Health.
Sustainability highlights include:
UCSD has 250 electric vehicle charging stations powered by renewable energy that serve commuters, the general public, and travelers.
At the end of 2020, our campus had 250 electric vehicle charging stations powered by renewable energy that serve commuters, the general public, and travelers. Over the past four years, UC San Diego has become San Diego County’s largest multipurpose hub of EV charging plazas by delivering 2.5 GWH to more than 5,500 unique drivers.
Housing*Dining*Hospitality launched the Triton2Go Mobile Ordering App and Reusable Container Program, which replaced the use of 75,000 disposable containers during Fall Quarter 2020
UC San Diego Fleet Services maintained a 70% or better sustainable vehicle fleet for the past three years and was recognized 15th greenest fleet by 100th Best Fleets Government Fleet Awards.
A new on-campus residential area opened Fall Quarter 2020 and the neighborhood is expected to become the fifth LEED Platinum project on campus. The project received a 10th Annual Sustainable Innovation Award from the USGBC LA Chapter.
The campus reduced total water consumption by approximately 110,000,000 gallons (17% reduction) compared to the previous year.
UC San Diego's Green Labs program helps laboratories reduce their environmental footprint without compromising research or safety.
UC San Diego has signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment and is committed to reaching carbon neutrality.
In May 2021, UC San Diego earned its fourth Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education STARS Gold rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements. Only 170 colleges and universities worldwide have this distinction.
