Archive Year

In partnership with Ameresco, Inc., Northwestern University offers an annual Sustainability Fellowship (NU Sustainable Fellows) as well as two paid internships enabling students to apply energy and sustainability concepts to real-world problems and grow as leaders in sustainability. One of the two projects to receive funding is Project Green Bus, an ongoing initiative aimed at evaluating the electrification of Evanston School District 65’s bus fleet.

Don't let figuring out what does and does not go in the recycling bin be a headache. With this handy guide to recycling at Northwestern and the surrounding community, you’ll be a pro in no time! 

As many of us learned, studied, and worked from home last year, we often intentionally or unintentionally found ourselves living more sustainably. These earth-friendly habits can carry over to our on-campus lives as well! Check out our tips for maintaining sustainable habits as we return to in-person activities.

Northwestern University announced a five-year partnership with Ameresco, Inc., a leading clean technology integrator specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy. The initiative will help Northwestern significantly reduce its carbon footprint across both campuses while also providing learning opportunities for students.

Americans throw away 14 million tons of clothing annually. That is nearly double what it was 20 years ago. The increase can be partly attributed to the rise of fast fashion, which replicates and mass produces high-fashion designs and trends at low costs and with low-quality materials.

Thank you for celebrating Earth Month 2021 with sustainNU! Regardless of location, members of the Northwestern community came together during the month of April to take action by participating in sustainNU’s virtual and, for the first time ever, hybrid events.

For the second year in a row, Northwestern University has earned the ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year—Sustained Excellence Award, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE).

The Welsh-Ryan Arena and Trienens Performance Center renovation projects have achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) on December 2nd, 2020, adding to the University’s impressive list of LEED-certified buildings.

sustainNU has released its 2019-2020 annual report. This report highlights Northwestern's progress in addressing our impact on the environment and commitment to sustainability.

With a reduced campus population due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Northwestern’s Facilities Management and Direct Digital Controls (DDC) team leapt into action this past spring to identify measures to reduce energy consumption across both the Evanston and Chicago campuses.

As the pandemic forced Northwestern to transition to virtual instruction, student leaders of nearly 20 environmental student organizations had to figure out how to continue their activities remotely. Without in-person events to bring students together, organizations had to find new ways to foster a sense of community and engagement.

If you’ve eaten in one of Northwestern’s campus dining halls lately, you are likely familiar with the reusable purple OZZI to-go container. These containers are not only a handy and secure way to transport your meal, they also help make Northwestern a little more sustainable.