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SUSTAINABILITY AT HARVARD

News & Events

Explore sustainability news at Harvard, as well as upcoming talks, webinars, conferences and other events on campus and beyond.

 

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Upcoming Sustainability Events

October

09

Thursday
7:00 pm-8:30 pm GMT+0000

Protecting America’s Public Lands

Join Patagonia Cambridge for an event focused on recent and ongoing threats to public lands and how to defend against them, led by the Emmett Environmental Law & Policy Clinic at Harvard University.

One third of the United States is publicly owned. This figure includes National Forests and Parks and arid lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. These lands are under multiple threats and so are the lifeways of Native peoples who have lived on these lands for time immemorial. Learn about some of these threats and issues from Harvard Law students working with the Emmett Environmental Law and Policy Clinic.

The student volunteers will be presenting on a variety of public land law topics, including the proposed rescission of the Roadless Rule, oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and subsistence fishing in Alaska.

All are welcome! Come mingle, have food and drink, and learn about public lands issues!

October

13

Monday
All-day

Application Deadlines

Apply by Monday, Oct. 13: Student Sustainability Grants

Student Grants
Students

The Student Grant program funds creative projects that contribute to Harvard’s commitment to climate and health and help create a more sustainable community. Applications are due Monday, October 13, 2025.

October

14

Tuesday
2:30 pm-3:30 pm GMT+0000

Open to Harvard Community

Recycling Webinar + AMA 

Recycling
Zero Waste
Zero Waste Month

Confused by what goes in which bin? Join Harvard staff from Recycling & Waste and Environmental Health & Safety for a fun webinar on October 14 at 2:30 pm, where we’ll cover the dos and don’ts of recycling and composting, new waste programs on campus, and why your pizza box is recyclable after all. Stick around for an Ask Me Anything session where we’ll answer your waste-related questions live!

October

14

Tuesday
5:00 pm-7:00 pm GMT+0000

Climate Connection Event: The Salata Institute Climate Collaboration Grant Session 2

Student groups interested in applying to the Salata Institute’s Climate Collaboration Grant Program should have members attend one or both of the Climate Connection Events that will be hosted as part of the program. Student leaders will have the opportunity to present speed pitches about their organization, with the purpose of sparking connection and inspiring collaboration with others in the room. The presentations will be followed by a networking hour. Dinner will be provided.

October

15

Wednesday
11:00 am-2:00 pm GMT+0000

October 2025 Freecycle at Smith Campus Center (SCC)

freecycle
Zero Waste

Stop by the Smith Campus Center for an October Freecycle! Drop off reusable goods you no longer need, and browse a fantastic selection of items brought by others. Find some secondhand items to gift this year. Popular items include books, clothes, and working household goods.

Everyone is welcome, and no donation is necessary to shop.

October

15

Wednesday
11:00 am-2:00 pm GMT+0000

Freecycle at Smith Campus Center (SCC)

freecycle
Zero Waste

Stop by the Smith Campus Center for an October Freecycle! Drop off reusable goods you no longer need, and browse a fantastic selection of items brought by others. Find some secondhand items to gift this year. Popular items include books, clothes, and working household goods.

Everyone is welcome, and no donation is necessary to shop.

October

15

Wednesday
4:30 pm-6:00 pm GMT+0000

Climate Crossroads: Debating Energy’s Next Frontier with Patrick Pouyanné

Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, joins Harvard Business School Professor George Serafeim for a discussion about the future of energy. At a pivotal moment in the global energy transition, Pouyanné will reflect on TotalEnergies’ transformation into a multi energy company, the complex trade-offs between decarbonization, energy affordability, energy security, and investor expectations, and the company’s views on the complex and evolving role of climate and energy policy. The conversation will be followed by an audience Q&A.

The Salata Institute’s speaker series, Climate Crossroads: Debating Energy’s Next Frontier, brings leading voices to Harvard University to confront the intertwined challenges of climate change and the global energy transition. The Institute is guided by the conviction that durable progress is forged through rigorous, intellectually honest dialogue. By openly presenting competing ideas—including those that provoke vigorous disagreement—the Institute intends to cultivate deeper understanding, illuminate pragmatic pathways, and inspire collaboration.

October

20

Monday
12:00 pm-1:15 pm GMT+0000

Community Event

Exxon Mobil’s Approach to the Energy Transition

Energy
Policy

In this Energy Policy Seminar, Vijay Swarup, Senior Director of Climate Strategy and Technology at Exxon Mobil, will give a talk entitled, “Our Approach to the Energy Transition.” His talk will examine energy’s critical role in advancing global progress. It will highlight how affordable, reliable energy continues to enhance quality of life and explore how accelerating policy and technology adoption can enable a successful transition to lower-emission energy solutions. Through cross-sector collaboration, we can meet rising energy needs while advancing shared climate goals.

October

28

Tuesday
11:00 am-2:00 pm GMT+0000

Open to Harvard Community

Freecycle at HGSE Gutman Cafe

freecycle
Zero Waste

Stop by the Gutman Cafe for a Freecycle event! Drop off reusable goods you no longer need, and browse a fantastic selection of items brought by others. Popular items include books, clothes, and small household goods. Open to Harvard-ID holders only, and no donation is necessary to shop.