Sustainable Purchasing

Join us this winter at the Arboretum as we read and discover new things about the natural world. During this one-hour program for our youngest guests and their grownups, we will begin by reading a nature inspired story followed by a walk, activity, or craft to continue exploring the theme.

This Harvard Diversity Discussion is hosted by the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), Harvard South Asian Alumni Alliance (HSAAA), Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA), Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU), Harvard Kennedy School Black Alumni Association (HKS BAA), Harvard Kennedy School Women’s Alumni Network (HKSWAN), Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association (HKSNEAA), Harvard Business School Asian American Alumni Association (HBS AAAA), Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women (ANHW), Harvard Business School African-American Alumni Association (HBSAAA), Harvard Kennedy School Chicago Area Alumni (HKS-Chicago), Harvard Alumni for Black Advancement (HABA), Harvard Kennedy School New York Alumni Network (HKS-NY), Harvard Alumni for Education (HAEd), Harvard Law School Association Asian Pacific American Alumni Network (HLSA APAA Network), Harvard Alumni Anti-Racism Network, Harvard Club of Ireland (HCI), and Harvard Women in Defense, Diplomacy, and Development (W3D).

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.

Climate change is one of the biggest problems facing our world and there are countless ways to approach solutions. In this non-credit-bearing weekly online class, we’ll help you come up with an idea, test the viability of your idea, and connect with fellow climate entrepreneurs. “How to Create a Climate Venture” is open to Harvard students, alumni, faculty, and staff, and affiliates at Stanford, MIT, Dartmouth, schools in the ClimateCAP network, and schools in the Greentown Labs TEX-E Consortium (Rice, Texas A&M, UT-Austin, Prairie View A&M, and University of Houston). Apply for the spring 2025 class now!

Join us for a winter foraging walk to learn what wild plants can be foraged and brewed into tea. Visit some of the Arboretum’s tastiest winter plants, from sweet birch and juniper to sassafras and spicebush. You may even get to taste some of the teas yourself! Led by Manager of Adult Programming and Events Sarah Nechamen.

When gardens go dormant for the winter months, there are still certain species and cultivars that draw the eye with their bright berries, interesting seed pods, and spectacular bark. Join Warren Leach for a book talk on his new book, “Plants for the Winter Garden: Perennials, Grasses, Shrubs, and Trees to Add Interest in the Cold and Snow,” and discover all that a winter garden has to offer. Warren Leach has years of gardening experience in the cold Northeast and will be sharing all of his winter garden tips, from plant selection and placement, to pruning techniques, to structural components that complement the plants themselves. And if you decide to buy a book after the program, make sure to look for some references to the Arnold Arboretum’s own winter landscape!

The Arnold Arboretum has an over 150 year legacy of preserving native and exotic species in an ever changing global environment. This one hour tour will highlight some of the Arboretum’s successes with endangered historic trees, current initiatives to preserve threatened species among its collection of some 16,000 woody trees, shrubs and plants, and the work the Arboretum has underway to meet future challenges from climate and habitat loss.

Start your 2025 year list off on this easy 90-minute walk from the main gate to the ponds and back. In addition to looking for winter birds we will admire the Arboretum’s impressive woody plant collection.

Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the father of landscape architecture, designed some 500 public spaces in North America. The Arnold Arboretum is the only arboretum he designed, a National Historic Landmark, and a model for others around the world. Docent Bill Beizer, will identify the elements of the Arboretum that best reflect Olmsted’s philosophy and approach to landscape design.

Join the Belfer Center’s Environment and Natural Resources Program for an upcoming webinar, where we will present and seek input on our research that examines the intersection of climate and development finance.