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How We Operate

Discover the ways we are operating sustainably

Harvard is accelerating new systems that enable healthier, low-carbon living—creating systems that can be scaled and adopted more broadly.

 

The systems that form the foundations of how we live—from how we get around to how we eat—often perpetuate unsustainable practices. More than 34 million Americans are food insecure, lacking access to healthy nourishing food. Across the globe, transportation accounts for 37% of CO2 emissions from end-use sectors.

 

Harvard is approaching these challenges by developing new systems and practices, and modeling sustainable operations that lead to healthier, more equitable communities.

Pink graphic illustration of vehicles, people walking, trees, a cafe, a person biking.

Prioritizing action

Scope 3 Emissions

Harvard is addressing Scope 3 emissions, also known as value chain emissions, which are caused by activities such as construction, business travel, food, and purchasing.

 

Learn more about Scope 3 emissions.

Graphic of an isometric plane that displays an aerial view of life at Harvard, highlighting which activities produce Scope 3 emissions (flights, construction, cloud storage, commuting, dining), as well as Scope 1 and 2 emissions (power sources on and off campus).

Sustainable Purchasing Guide

The Sustainable Purchasing Guide is a reference to help people who have influence over departmental purchases make informed choices that will contribute to a more sustainable future.

Sustainable Meetings and Events

Take your meeting to the next level by checking out this Sustainable Meeting and Event Tips, developed by a team of students and staff from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Office for Sustainability.

HARVARD’S

Sustainability Action Plan

View the full plan

Screenshot of the cover of Harvard's Sustainability Action Plan against a background of solar panels.

October

05

Thursday
6:00 pm-7:00 pm GMT+0000

Protecting the World’s Penguins

conservation
Harvard Museum of Natural History
ocean

Join Dr. Pablo Borboroglu, the 2023 Indianapolis Prize Winner for animal conservation, as he recounts his lifelong journey to save penguins. Dr. Borboroglu will highlight the challenges of conservation work, from protecting 32 million acres of ocean and coastal habitat to cofounding the Global Penguin Society, an international conservation coalition for the world’s penguin species. Hear about the risks and rewards he has experienced while trying to save penguins in some of nature’s wildest places.

October

13

Friday
4:00 am-5:30 pm GMT+0000

Future of Cities: Extreme Heat

climate change
extreme heat

Future of Cities: Extreme Heat, the third installation of OVPIA’s Future of Cities series, will showcase a panel discussing concerns around environmental justice and public health as global average temperatures rise.

October

03

Tuesday
9:00 am-2:15 pm GMT+0000

Open to the Public

Feeding the Future: Food Sustainability and Climate Change

climate change
Food
radcliffe
April

09

Tuesday
12:00 pm-1:00 pm GMT+0000

Open to the Public

HGSE Green Team Meeting

green team
Harvard Graduate School of Education
HGSE

All HGSE students, faculty, and staff interested in making our school healthier and more sustainable are encouraged to join the HGSE Green Team!

January

18

Thursday
12:00 pm-1:00 pm GMT+0000

Open to the Public

HGSE Green Team Meeting

green team
Harvard Graduate School of Education
HGSE

All HGSE students, faculty, and staff interested in making our school healthier and more sustainable are encouraged to join the HGSE Green Team!