Sustainability Resources
At Harvard, we are incorporating sustainable practices and initiatives at all schools and administrative units on campus. Explore our resources and guides to learn how you and your office can become more sustainable.
Sustainability resources
Explore Harvard’s sustainability guides, standards, and resources:
- Sustainability Action Plan
- Green Revolving Fund
- University Sustainability Standards
- Sustainable Labs
- Sustainable Meeting and Event Guide
- Sustainable Office Guide
- Sustainable purchasing guidance
- Sustainability Guide for Student Groups
- Waste Signage
Engage with sustainability at Harvard
Connect with Us
Whether you are a student, staff member, alum, community member or simply want to learn more about sustainability at Harvard, there are many opportunities to get involved.
05
Multi-day Event
ISCN Photo Contest
The International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) is launching an extended edition of the “Biodiversity on Campus” Photo Contest, and we warmly invite members of the Harvard community to take part.
The contest highlights biodiversity measures and nature-positive moments on university campuses. Participants submit one photograph and a few details that bring the image to life: together, images and additional information form powerful, engaging narratives that help us think — and act — together for a resilient future.
Submit your photo by February 28, 2026.
03
Tuesday
12:00 pm-1:30 pm GMT+0000
Harvard Hand-Me-Down Collective
The Harvard Hand- Me-Down Collective
Kid’s Clothing, Kid’s Clothing, Toys, and Books
Tuesday, March 3rd 12PM – 1:30 PM
Smith Campus Center – Commons Room
Near Kome Sushi
Drop off what you no longer need and take home what you do.
Yes, it’s free.
For questions email meg_curley@harvard.edu
04
Wednesday
11:00 am-2:00 pm GMT+0000
Spring 2026 Freecycle at Science and Engineering Complex (SEC)
Join us at our Freecycle in the SEC Atrium! 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.
05
Thursday
6:00 pm-8:00 pm GMT+0000
Careers in Climate Action Speaker Series Spring 2026
Join the Salata Institute at Mignone Center for Career Success for an evening that explores scientific creativity and tangible career opportunities in Denmark. Learn how you can build a meaningful career in a thriving, collaborative research ecosystem through Danish Technical University and Science Hub Denmark. Discover how your next research step could take you to the heart of Europe’s green and bioscience transition. This session features Andreas Worberg, Head of the Center for Biosolutions at Danish Technical University, and Charles More, interdisciplinary thinker and founder of Imaginative Philosophy. Together, they will share perspectives on how cutting-edge bioscience, biomanufacturing, and creative scientific thinking translate into real-world climate and planetary health solutions. Speakers will highlight career pathways within Denmark’s collaborative research landscape, including opportunities supported by Science Hub Denmark, and discuss how researchers can move from early-stage inquiry to applied impact. Attendees will gain insight into how their next research step could place them at the heart of Europe’s green and bioscience transition—working across disciplines, sectors, and borders to address urgent climate challenges.
07
Saturday
2:00 pm-3:30 pm GMT+0000
Science Spotlights: The Case of the Immortal Chemicals & Learning about the Deep Past from Ancient DNA
Meet up-and-coming scientists and learn about questions at the forefront of research today in this series of short talks.
2:00–2:30 pm – The Case of the Immortal Chemicals
Speaker: Ethan Sontarp, Graduate Student with the Sunderland Group
There’s a mystery that needs to be solved: where does invisible pollution go when it is released into the environment? Scientists use chemical fingerprinting to do detective work, uncovering why certain man-made pollutants are so resistant to breaking down and where they like to go. By following this trail of clues, researchers can learn how to stop pollution from entering our food and drinking water. Join Harvard scientist Ethan Sontarp to discover how environmental detective work can help protect the world around us.
3:00-3:30 pm – Learning about the Deep Past from Ancient DNA
Speaker: Daniel Tabin, PhD Student in the David Reich Lab
Writing has only been around for about 6,000 years. This means that the stories of people who lived before that time were never recorded for future generations. Thankfully, these stories are not lost forever. How can we learn about the adventures, relationships, and challenges of people who lived long before anyone ever put words on a page? Join Harvard scientist Daniel Tabin to discover how ancient DNA can help us piece together the lives of people who lived thousands of years ago—and hear about the remarkable stories he has helped bring back to light.
20-minute talk followed by 10-minute Q&A session. Recommended for ages 10 and up.
Regular museum admission rates apply.
Presented by the Harvard Museum of Natural History and Harvard Museums of Science & Culture
01
Wednesday
11:00 am-2:00 pm GMT+0000
Spring 2026 Freecycle at Smith Campus Center (SCC)
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.
15
Wednesday
9:00 am-12:00 pm GMT+0000
HKS Hosting Bike Repair Day and Breakfast
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.
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.
22
Wednesday
10:00 am-12:00 pm GMT+0000
Charles River Clean-Up 2026
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.
22
Wednesday
12:00 pm-2:00 pm GMT+0000
Earth Day 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.