The Climate and Sustainability Ambassadors program is an initiative of the Sustainable Administration Hub. The Ambassadors are an energetic and enthusiastic group of students who assist in the implementation of the Ohio University Sustainability and Climate Action Plan. You can find them leading the Earth Day Sustainability Parade; instructing Bobcats fans on proper disposal of game day waste; teaching in the local middle schools; labeling our storm drains with "drains to river" markers; and more!
Office of Sustainabilty
Updates
Ohio University is a signatory of Second Nature's Carbon Commitment. Please click here to read Second Nature's public statement: "There is No Climate Justice without Racial Justice"
The Office of Sustainability is open virtually throughout the 2020-21 academic year. Please subscribe to our newsletter for monthly updates or email sustainability@ohio.edu with questions.
What is Sustainability
Ohio University defines sustainability as the capacity to simultaneously benefit people, the planet and prosperity now and in the future. Life-cycle analysis, life-cycle costing, social financial proxies, and multi-criteria decision analyses are tools that are used to evaluate sustainability. Also used at Ohio University is a popular but less actionable definition, adpated from the Bruntland definition of sustainable development: sustainability is the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Mission
Ohio University’s Office of Sustainability facilitates the implementation of the Ohio University Sustainability and Climate Action Plan by providing services and support to the campus community and ensures fulfillment of institutional commitments to environmental, social and economic well-being.
Donate
Donations made to the “Ohio University Sustainability Fund” will be used to enact infrastructure, curriculum, and research projects that can help advance success toward the goals within the Sustainability and Climate Action Plans of Ohio University. Projects will not be housed in one single department or division. In fact, it is the intention of the OHIO Foundation that these funds will be utilized by all divisions for various sustainability-related projects hoping to advance institutional sustainability efforts. Donations made to this fund will be added to a generic pool of sustainability funding and used toward projects agreed upon by various stakeholders. Donors who wish to contribute to a particular project are urged to reach out to the Office of Sustainability (sustainability@ohio.edu, 740-593-0460) before making a donation so that proper funding allocations occur.
News and Announcements
BS Environmental Science & Sustainability ...
January 15, 2021
The Ohio University Board of Trustees approved a new environmental science and sustainability degree program and discussed new strategies for scholarship and aid optimization during its meetings Jan. 14-15
Winter Break 2020 Energy Conservation Acti...
December 11, 2020
Facilities Management and Safety requests that employees who have been working in campus facilities during fall semester take energy conversation actions before leaving buildings for the furlough period and winter break closure.
Sustainability and Climate Action Plan Rev...
December 10, 2020
Ohio University has launched online public forums to elicit feedback for revisions drafted for its 2021 Sustainability & Climate Action Plan.
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, January 27
SPRING SUSTAINABILITY FILM SERIES | PUBLIC TRUST Panel Discussion
7:00 PM
Wednesday, February 10
SPRING SUSTAINABILITY FILM SERIES | INTO THE OKAVANGO Panel Discussion
7:00 PM
Monday, February 15
Virtual Sustainable Living Hub Seminar
5:00 PM — 6:00 PM
Office of Sustainability Featured Programs
-
Sustainability Tracking and Evaluation Program (STEP)
The Sustainability Tracking and Evaluation Program (STEP) is a sustainability certification program which aims to recognize departments or offices across campus for their sustainable efforts, whether they be existing practices or new changes.
-
OHIO Sustainability Series Podcasts
During the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic, the Ohio University Climate & Sustainability Ambassadors are creating a weekly podcast series following the monthly themes of the Office of Sustainability. Please subscribe on YouTube or on Apple Podcasts to listen to their stories each week!
Sustainability Hubs
We welcome participants to our Sustainability Hubs! The Hub Seminar Series for Spring 2021 will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, please sign up for our newsletter or visit our Hub webpages. For events (all in person events are cancelled at present), please visit the Calendar of University events, and search for the keyword "sustainability".
