Sustainability

President Crawford on Miami's path to carbon neutrality; new Climate Solutions scholarship

May 2021

Read President Gregory Crawford's Op-Ed in Higher Ed Dive.

"President Speaks: How one university plans to zero out its carbon emissions. Changing how it generates energy on campus isn't the only way Miami University is thinking green."

Student opportunity:

Hannon Armstrong Foundation selects Miami for inaugural Climate Solutions Scholarship. New needs-based scholarship to support underrepresented communities at Miami and Morgan State University.

March 2021

Watch the video of Jonathan Overpeck's lecture on Climate Change - The Challenge and the Opportunity”

Did you miss the the 2021 Drs. Gene & Carol Willeke Frontiers in Environmental Science Distinguished Lecture?

View the lecture on “Climate Change - The Challenge and the Opportunity” by Climate Scientist Dr. Jonathan Overpeck, Dean of the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, on your own time.

Watch the Video

February 2021

Residence Hall Students: Fill out our survey on campus mail delivery by March 12

Reducing fuel consumption and making the campus fleet more efficient is a step towards achieving carbon neutrality.

To reduce fuel consumption, Miami’s PFD has begun reducing the number of mail deliveries per week to academic and administrative buildings on campus. This was arranged with input from those affected by the change.

Now, PFD would like input from students living in Residence Halls on a proposed change to reduce mail delivery to Residential Halls from 5 days a week to 2 days a week.

Please fill out our Mail Delivery Survey here.

Oct. 2020

Climate Action Task Force seeking student representative: Apply by Oct. 18

Miami’s new Climate Action Task Force (CATF) executive steering committee is seeking students interested in sustainability and climate change to apply for the position of CATF Student Representative.

Formstack Application

Sept. 2020

Thank you!

Thank you to Miami President Greg Crawford, Second Nature's President Tim Carter, Oxford mayor Mike Smith and assistant city manager Jessica Greene; members of Miami’s new Climate Action Task Force; and nearly 100 attendees: The Autumnal Equinox (Sept. 22) signing of the Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitments (PCLC) was a memorable event! (link to Zoom recording posted soon).

Climate Commitment = Carbon + Resilience

Miami has joined more than 400 other colleges and universities that have signed Second Nature’s PCLC commitment to carbon neutrality and will join the 111 schools that have also committed to resilience through the climate commitment.

Next steps: Complete resilience assessment in 2022; Climate Action Plan in 2023.

The PCLC timeline starts upon signing the commitments. Miami has already met the first step of creating a Climate Action Task Force. Major steps are:

Within 2 years: Complete a Campus-Community Resilience Assessment (by September 2022).
Within 3 years: Develop comprehensive Climate Action Plan and set a target for achieving carbon neutrality (by September 2023).

Video Transcript

Read the full story: Moving off steam: Utility Master Plan provides a path toward carbon neutrality

♺ Recycling Tips

Miami's recycling and solid waste reduction efforts have come a long way since becoming part of campus operations in 1989. But what can be tossed into those blue recycle bins around campus?

Recyclable Items

Miami University is committed to sustainability in our academic programs, physical campus and operations, and university mission by promoting environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability for current and future generations. This commitment is a collaborative effort that involves students, faculty, staff and external partners.

Miami's various sustainability stakeholders include, but are not limited to, current and future students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, suppliers, contractors, residents of the communities in which we operate, and those who live both within and beyond the boundaries of the state.

Contact us at Sustainability@MiamiOH.edu.

Battery Disposal

Battery collection bins are conveniently located in King Library, Shriver Center, and the Rec Center. To begin recycling batteries in your building, submit a service request to Physical Facilities.

Request Battery Disposal

Sustainability Partnerships

Colorful flowers and grasses surround the stormwater management pond on Western campus

MU-Lean

MU-Lean is a method of organizing human activities to deliver more benefits and value to customers while systematically eliminating waste within processes.

Lean at Miami

Physical Facilities (PFD)

Physical Facilities (PFD) creates a more sustainable and green campus through proper waste management, energy conservation, and responsible construction practices.

PFD Initiatives

Recognition and Honors

STARS logo: Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System. STARS Silver a program of aashe

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS®) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. Miami earned Gold in its most recent STARS assessment.

President Crawford wearing a helmet and business suit rides his bike. The passing scenery is blurred.

Miami received the Bicycle Friendly University-Bronze Award in November 2018 from the League of American Bicyclists for promoting and enabling safe, accessible bicycling on campus.

Noted for a walkable campus, new bike paths, expanded transit, a major shift to geothermal heating and cooling, a comprehensive storm water master plan and a commitment to the purchase of local/organic food, Miami was included in the Princeton Review Guide to 399 Green Colleges for 2018.