Princeton University
EN-3: Student Life

There are a number of student groups dedicated to sustainability and related issues at Princeton. Most Sustainability Groups are registered under the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students (ODUS), the Pace Center for Civic Engagement, or the Office of Sustainability. 

BEE Team - The Princeton BEE Team is a Princeton University student group for those interested in beekeeping, the environment, or who just want to learn about bees! They are located at the Forbes Garden.

Cyclab - The Cyclab is Princeton’s very own bike co-op, student-run and supported by Rockefeller College. They work to rehab broken bikes through preventative care and DIY repair. Bike repair is free of charge to the campus community.

Geosciences Society (PUG) - The Princeton University Geosciences Society (PUGS) is a community welcome to all students interested in the earth sciences!

Greening Dining - Greening Dining works to make the food at Princeton better for health and for the environment, and to educate students about the sustainability of food options on campus. They work regularly with Campus Dining as well as representatives from the Office of Sustainability to reach our goals. In recent years, the biggest projects have included creating The Definitive Guide to Being Plant-Based at Princeton, reducing food waste in the dining halls by rethinking the dish and food drop-off areas, conducting weigh-ins of food waste, producing a monthly newsletter, and pushing for more plant-based options on campus.

Natives at Princeton - Natives at Princeton (NAP) provides a support network for and empowers American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and other Indigenous students. NAP works to increase the visibility of Native peoples and ideas, as well as to foster greater awareness and understanding of Native issues - of which sustainability and the expansion of green energy are critical. Violence toward Native and Indigenous peoples is consistently perpetuated by extractive fossil-fuel industries.

Princeton Birding Society - The Princeton Birding Society is Princeton’s only organization dedicated to the art of bird-watching. PBS hosts bird walks and other events to encourage students to discover the wide world of avian wonders both on- and off-campus. Anyone of any ability level is welcome!

Princeton Conservation Society - Princeton Conservation Society (PCS) is Princeton University’s home on campus for all things conservation and environment, from biodiversity to climate change. Throughout the year, PCS hosts events on campus open to the entire University community, from guest speakers to trail repair, Earth Day 5K, and our annual documentary trip to locations across the world. Their aim is for conservation to be more diverse and a more accessible opportunity than it’s known to be.

Princeton Corporate Sustainability Initiative - Princeton Corporate Sustainability Initiative (PCSI) is Princeton’s student organization dedicated to exploring the intersection of business strategy and sustainability. PCSI provides a platform to stimulate education and engagement on endeavors related to corporate sustainability, including sustainable investing and ESG initiatives within the corporate sector.

Princeton Environmental Activism Coalition - Coalition of environmental activists igniting conversation and inspiring action within the student body and administration of Princeton University. Committed to environmental justice and intersectional activism.

Princeton Student Climate Initiative - A group of Princeton undergrads and graduate students aiming to provide an outlet for students to learn about, engage with, and have a positive impact on climate-related issues.

Princeton University Energy Association - Princeton University Energy Association (PUEA) is dedicated to exploring the energy field from every approach imaginable. Run entirely by undergraduate students from various majors, PUEA brings exciting opportunities every week for students to learn from energy experts, executives and scholars, and participate in energy-related conferences and community service. Their weekly newsletter, the Power Surge, provides over 500 community members a rundown of the week’s energy and environment-related events, career opportunities, and global news.

Sustainable Engineering and Development Scholars - The goal of SEADS is to untangle exactly what “sustainable” means in today’s world, and to explore ways of constructing an environmentally resilient future. Through weekly discussions between professors and a cohort of students, SEADS hopes to foster leaders who are aware of the complexities of responsible development (whether through engineering projects or policy initiatives), stimulate productive dialogue and activism on campus about humanity's relationship to the environment, and inspire students to make sustainability a dimension of their scholarship and other activities.

UNA-USA - As a part of the Princeton’s Chapter of UNA-USA, Climate Change focuses on connecting students to opportunities to become more involved in international efforts to combat climate change. This includes increasing their awareness about ongoing initiatives through speaker events, fundraisers, and interactive programs.

Princeton Garden Project at Forbes College
The Princeton Garden project is a student-run initiative overseen by the Office of Sustainability. The group’s mission is to educate the campus about the American food system and its implications for the environment, health and nutrition, culture and the future. The garden is maintained by paid student managers throughout the academic year, and by paid interns during the summer.

The Seed Farm - The Seed Farm sits on 3.5 acres of land where students, scholars, and community partners come together to learn from each other to grow rare, culturally-meaningful seed crops and pursue relevant research questions about the art and science of heirloom plants.

The High Meadows Foundation Sustainability Fund looks for proposals that support the implementation of Princeton’s Sustainability Action Plan and contribute to creating a more sustainable, just and inclusive culture on campus, in service to humanity and the world. 

The fund welcomes proposals from across all disciplines for projects that use the campus and community as a living laboratory for teaching and research, and/or take direct action.

• Campus and Community as Lab Projects: Faculty research projects and enhancement of courses, and student research projects culminating in a junior paper, senior thesis, graduate thesis, or published work. All disciplinary approaches are welcome, especially those that combine the natural and applied sciences and humanities in creative ways.
• Direct Action Projects: One-time seed support is available for students, faculty, and staff to pilot and assess new program components, communications, technologies, products, and materials, among other initiatives. Modest support is also available for co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and student conference participation.

Successful applications will be those that: 

1. Test and evaluate interventions that solve for sustainability in personal and institutional decisions and behaviors on campus, with the potential for repeatability or scalability; and/or 
2. Create impactful, tangible experiences with sustainability so that students graduate with the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors to become effective ambassadors for advancing sustainability in their communities and spheres of influence. 

David Bradford Energy and Environmental Policy Seminar Series: This seminar series is named after the late Prof. David Bradford (1939-2005), who previously served as a director of the Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP) Program at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. inviting speakers to share their research on science policy topics. C-PREE continues to organize the seminar series each year, highlighting scholars and practitioners from various fields working on critical research related to environmental and energy policy. Since its inception in Fall 1999, this series has hosted hundreds of speakers who are influential in science & environmental policy.

HMEI Faculty Seminar Series: In 2015, HMEI created a new faculty seminar series to present the opportunity for HMEI associated faculty to provide insights into their latest environmental research discoveries. Topics include: sea level rise, carbon dioxide sequestration, biodiversity, infectious disease, urban transformation, health and well-being, environmental history, environmental chemistry, and biogeochemistry of the oceans. Four faculty seminars are scheduled for each semester.

Environmental Justice series: Office of Sustainability hosted events and workships. 2023-2024 featured Dr. Nicky Sheats and EJ activist Running Grass for a variety of events. 

Earth Day Festival: For several years, students have organized an Earth Day celebration featuring a wide assortment of student dancers, musicians, and improv comedy troupes. Some of the performers altered their usual set to include entertainment specifically related to sustainability.

The Geo-Expo Exhibit in spring 2024 spotlighted Princeton University’s transition to heating and cooling campus through the new geo-exchange system. The exhibit captured this singular moment in Princeton’s campus energy infrastructure transition from combustion-based to renewable-based energy. The transition advances Princeton’s goal to achieve a net-zero carbon footprint by 2046. This event was a chance for students, faculty, and staff to meet the partners behind this art-meets-science project and learn more about this exceptional transition.

Outdoor Action (OA) is Princeton University’s outdoor adventure and leadership development program administered by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students. Through adventure-based experiential education, the program seeks to provide educational and character development experiences that advance personal responsibility, health and well-being, community, leadership development, civic engagement, and stewardship for Princeton University and the natural world. During the academic year, OA offers trips and events open to the entire Princeton University community through activities like hiking, backpacking, canoeing, rock climbing, speakers and films, instructional classes on outdoor skills, and leadership development workshops. 

Outdoor Action is firmly committed to Leave No Trace principles set forth by the Center for Outdoor Ethics. Each year, Outdoor Action sends a group of student leaders to a Leave No Trace Master Educator Course. 

Mend
Mend's mission is to encourage sustainable attitudes and reduce waste surrounding clothing and fashion by teaching Princeton University community members how to repair, reuse and upcycle clothing. Mend Leaders have the knowledge to help you with all your repair needs and share information and spread awareness of the environmental and economic impacts of the fashion industry.

Cyclab
Cyclab is a bike kitchen and a (loosely defined) co-op. We are a DIY-centered space! Show up during our open hours with (a) your bike, (b) having done a pit of poking around, and (c) a readiness to get your hands dirty and fix your bike.

The Princeton University Ecology Representative Program (EcoReps) was founded in 2004 and is hosted by the Office of Sustainability. The mission of the EcoReps is to promote the integration of sustainability into life on campus in alignment with the Sustainability Action Plan. Through their efforts, the EcoReps aim to see every Princeton student adopt at least one aspect of sustainable living into their daily lives, and to understand the value of sustainability for themselves, their communities, and the environment.

EcoReps
The Princeton University Ecology Representative Program (EcoReps) was founded in 2004 and is hosted by the Office of Sustainability. Its mission is to promote the integration of sustainability into campus life. Through its efforts, EcoReps aims to see every Princeton student adopt at least one aspect of sustainable living into their daily lives and understand the value of sustainability for themselves, their communities, and the environment.

The Office of Sustainability hires dozens of student employees throughout the year, including Communications Assistants, Alumni Outreach Assistants, Student Outreach Assistants, Data Assistants, Seed Farm Researchers, Forbes Garden Managers, MEND staff, SCRAP Lab Assistants (compost), and more.

Additionally, the Princeton Environmental Institute offers undergraduate internships to complement their academic interests with independent research and project experiences in the summer.