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Sustainability Standards

The Office for Sustainability is committed to raising the standard of sustainability at Harvard. From the chemicals we use to clean our buildings, to the materials we use to construct state-of-the-art buildings, we are ensuring our operational choices are informed and intentional to contribute to a healthier, more sustainable future on our campus and beyond.


Upcoming Sustainability Events

April

22

Wednesday
12:00 pm-2:00 pm GMT+0000

Earth Day Freecycle

Join us for a Freecycle at the Earth Day Festival! 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.

April

15

Wednesday
12:00 pm-3:00 pm GMT+0000

Fixit Clinic

Have you been holding onto a broken item in the hopes of repairing it? (Or perhaps found a nearly-working item at a Freecycle?) If so, come to our Fixit Clinic at the Cabot Science Library! With help, you’ll disassemble your item, troubleshoot the issue, and (hopefully) repair it! Register your broken item ahead of time here.

Don’t have anything to fix but have some fixing expertise to share? Sign up to be a coach here!

Hosted by Harvard Libraries and Harvard Recycling & Waste. Contact dailey_brannin@harvard.edu with questions.

March

29

Sunday
2:00 pm-3:30 pm GMT+0000

‘Asunder’ and the California Wildfires

The devastating wildfires in California over the past several years have left the landscape starkly and in many cases permanently changed. Billie Mandle, Photography professor at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and Karen Haas, Curator of Photography at the MFA, come together to talk about Billie’s new photography book ‘Asunder,’ made up of stark and haunting photos of the aftermath of the 2020 Glass Fire in Northern California. They will be joined by Director of the Harvard Forest Jonathan Thompson who will share his research on how the wildfires have changed the very makeup of California forests, from mature trees to landscapes dominated by chaparral.

Join us for this unique panel talk that mixes science and art to look at some of the most devastating natural disasters of the past decade.

March

28

Saturday
10:00 am-11:30 am GMT+0000

Open to Harvard Community

Research Spotlight: Building with Fungi (for Arnold Arboretum members only)

Arnold Arboretum

Fungi are known for their decomposing properties, but did you know that also make great building components? Dehydrated fungal mycelium is waterproof, fire retardant, insulating, and sound absorbing, and GSD post-doc Noam Attias is on the hunt for new species of fungi in the Arboretum to create the next generation of eco-materials. Join Noam for a walk in the landscape highlighting her work and learn about the Arboretum fungi she is exploring.

March

26

Thursday
6:30 pm-8:00 pm GMT+0000

Open to Harvard Community

“A Fresh Start for Our Cities” featuring Bill McKibben ’82

For over 40 years, Bill McKibben has been raising the alarm about the climate crisis, starting with his groundbreaking book, The End of Nature. Now McKibben says, for once in his life, he is spreading good news. In his latest book, Here Comes the Sun, he explains why the recent boom in solar and wind power has given him hope for the planet’s future, and he implores everyone to buy in. We hope you can join us for this inspiring and important conversation. This event is supported by the Melissa Kaish and Jonathan Dorfman Makers Fund. It is co-sponsored by the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability through its Climate Crossroads: Debating Energy’s Next Frontier series, bringing leading voices confronting the intertwined challenges of climate change and the global energy transition to Harvard University.

April

18

Saturday
1:00 pm-4:00 pm GMT+0000

Cherry Blossom Celebration at the Arnold Arboretum

Come celebrate Japanese culture amongst the Arboretum’s beautiful cherry blossoms with taiko drumming, traditional Japanese dance, Japanese games and calligraphy, family activities, and the inside scoop on the Arboretum’s own cherry collection.

April

22

Wednesday
12:00 pm-2:00 pm GMT+0000

Community Event

Earth Day 2026

Earth Day
Earth Month 2026

Join the Harvard Office for Sustainability and Harvard Common Spaces for an Earth Day Festival on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 from 12 to 2 pm at the Science Center Plaza.

April

01

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

Open to Harvard Community

Spring 2026 Freecycle at Smith Campus Center (SCC)

Earth Day
Earth Month 2026

Join us at our Freecycle in the Smith Campus Center! 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.

April

22

Wednesday
10:00 am-12:00 pm GMT+0000

Charles River Clean-Up 2026

Earth Day
Earth Month 2026
Harvard Kennedy School

Take action on Earth Day and join your Harvard community members and friends for a Charles River Clean-up on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2026 from 10 am to 12 pm! The Charles River Conservancy will be providing a brief education on the local watershed and provide tools and training for the morning.

April

15

Wednesday
9:00 am-12:00 pm GMT+0000

Open to Harvard Community

HKS Hosting Bike Repair Day and Breakfast

Bicycling
Earth Month 2026

As part of 2026 Earth Month, the Harvard Kennedy School will host a bike repair day and breakfast on Wednesday, April 15th from 9 am-12 pm.