The Ohio State University
EN-3: Student Life

American Conservation Coalition - The American Conservation Coalition is changing the narrative on environmental discussions through promoting a mix of market-based, pro-business, and limited-government environmentalism in legislatures, college campuses, the political arena, and beyond.

Bike Club (or Bike OSU) provides resources to student cyclists to create a strong, safe cycling community. Cycling clinics, repair workshops, and bike tours are offered to students as well.

OSU Precious Plastic - Devoted to solving "the plastic problem". Outreach team educates Ohio State students and the Columbus community and the design team creates machines to shred plastic waste, then mold it into new products.

Buckeye Solar Racing - Is a student-run organization that designs, builds, and races solar electric vehicles. Our goal is to provide students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with real-world engineering applications, project management exposure, and business expertise. We aim to push the limits of alternative energy, through innovation, in hopes of a more sustainable future.

Carbon Capture Club - Our goal is to create a social and academic hub for students and faculty across all majors where they can learn how to implement sustainable practices both on Ohio State campus and beyond. Our organization's main area of focus is researching and developing Carbon Net Negative technologies and systems to help fight back against global warming.

Cultivate Columbus – Connects Ohio State students and the larger Columbus community with the resources to start and maintain sustainable, organic community gardens using the Columbus land bank program.

Eco-Peace - Eco-Peace is an Ohio State club that represents the standard of excellence that students feel toward the love of the Earth and their campus. Our mission is to work towards a greener OSU through clean-ups, sustainability practices, and environmental social encouragement

Ecological Engineering Club - Works with Ohio State community to advance ecological justice through community-led EcoE projects, to educate ourselves and others about ecological engineering (EcoE) and its potential uses, to develop our potential as ecological engineers, to develop EcoE awareness in the broader community, and to influence local and global sustainability.

Energy and Environmental Law Society - Promotes awareness of legal, policy, and regulatory issues that affect the environment, our natural resources, our energy systems, and their legal and social implications.

Engineers for a Sustainable World - Realize a world in which engineering fosters environmental, social, and economic sustainability to improve both the quality of life and the condition of our planet.

Food Recovery Network - Food Recovery Network is the largest student movement against food waste and hunger in America. The organization aims to unite OSU students to recover the surplus, unsold food from campus dining halls, local farms, and local businesses to donate to food banks and charities around Columbus.

Garden Club - To spread the fun hobby of gardening and other plant related hobbies, to provide students with new plants and gardening materials, and to explore nature, local plant shops, arboretums, and greenhouses.

Global Energy and Sustainability - Educate students on what different countries are doing to combat climate change through renewable energy and sustainability measures. Students will have the opportunity to learn about global initiatives around clean energy, green building, ecosystem restoration, and sustainability efforts from local and international professionals.

Growth Internation Volunteer Excursion (GIVE) - GIVE's mission is to inspire growth, empower global citizens, and ignite sustainable change worldwide. Ohio State GIVE is one chapter of many in place to uphold this mission all over the country. We raise funds to support volunteers and our overseas projects, support volunteers before and after their trips, and do service projects in the Columbus area.

Know Food Waste - Educate the The Ohio State University community on food waste. To provide the community with the “know-hows” for reducing and re-purposing research-driven and personal food waste in the academic setting. Develop and execute food waste reduction and re-utilization initiatives to close the loop on food waste.

Leadership of Environmental Athletes for Sustainability - Provides opportunities for student-athletes who are eager to create positive sustainable changes within their team, which in turn develops their leadership skillset for future endeavors through informative education, professional development, and growth, and facilitated project work.

Net Impact - introduce members to the many areas of sustainability, facilitate professional development, and provide real sustainability project experience. Our chapter is connected to the National Net Impact Organization, allowing our members to network with over 80,000 students and professionals world wide.

Plant Futures Initiatives - Address the climate crisis directly and urgently, prevent and heal diet-related chronic diseases, and ease nutrition insecurity. Plant Futures Initiative aims to meet students at an opportune moment in their lives, helping them to become enlightened eaters and advocates for positive food systems transformation, and bridging education, advocacy, and right livelihood

The Sierra Student Coalition - The Sierra Club Student Coalition at Ohio State is a student organization dedicated to educating the public of important, timely environmental concerns and to encourage green policies on campus and in the local community.

Simply Green - Raise awareness on composting and sustainability at an individual and larger level. This includes but is not limited to, education on sustainability, the environment, energy, recycling, composting, and keeping the earth healthy and clean, with a specific focus being OSU's campus.

Students for Recycling - Build a coalition of student organizations to promote recycling, to raise awareness about recycling on campus, to raise money to assist the already established Ohio State Recycling Program, and to provide education on the impact of waste disposal.

Students for Sustainable Fashion - serves as a way for students interested in environmental science and fashion to focus on educating themselves on how to be more environmentally and socially responsible consumers.

Sustainability in Medicine - Dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of the Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine directly through sustainable initiatives and indirectly through education on sustainable personal practices.

Time for Change - Transform The Ohio State University into a model of modern global citizenship by mobilizing the community to actively participate in environmental stewardship and compassionate social responsibility

Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Sustainability Committee - This sub-committee of USG is committed to shaping the entire Ohio State community as a sustainable entity through the implementation of projects, policies, and educational initiatives. The group works closely with faculty, staff, and students in the sustainability community at Ohio State to undertake the responsibility of evolving campus culture into one of higher environmental commitment.

Vegetarian and Vegan Society – The Vegetarian and Vegan Society brings together students to explore the health, ethical, and environmental benefits of animal-free diets. They engage in community service and explore Columbus restaurants.

Wellness Advocacy at Ohio State - Promote and advocate for the Ten Dimensions of Wellness to be a centralized part of the student experience as well as create a space for wellness-related organizations to collaborate and partner on various projects and events.

The Ohio State Student Farm was created to strengthen the movement towards sustainable agriculture and biodiversity through the education and involvement of students. This student run farm is a hands-on approach to educating students and raising awareness across campus about food and agricultural issues. It has begun to include a small-scale composting system to show students sustainable farming methods.

Global Gallery is a non-profit, retail organization that focuses on providing living wages to our producers, developing long-term relationships between producers and consumers, and promoting sustainability locally and worldwide. Global Gallery has an assortment of hand-crafted merchandise from various places around the world, including fairly traded jewelry, cards and notebooks, home decor items, a few clothing items, and more! This non-profit is operated by Ohio State Consumer Science interns.

• The Ohio State Sustainability Fund was established to support improvement of
the sustainability profile of the university — through efforts that improve campus operations and lead to increased learning and innovation or more sustainable behaviors in the university community. The Sustainability Institute (SI) manages the Ohio State Sustainability Fund (OSSF). Since 2010, the OSSF has invested over $10 million in a variety of project types. In FY 2021, the OSSF provided over $300,000 in project and new research support, which included projects that extended beyond the fiscal year calendar. Funding requests were presented to the President and Provost’s Council on Sustainability (PPCS) for discussion prior to any final funding decisions.

FY21 OSSF Report- https://si.osu.edu/sites/default/files/FY21%20OSSF%20Report%20092721.pdf

• Earth Month: Each year, Ohio State celebrates Earth Month for an entire month, culminating on Earth Day. During this month, there are many different sustainability focused activities on campus hosted by various student groups and administrative units, including lectures, clean-up efforts, a music concert, and topical film series.

• Time for Change Week: This week is a student-led collaboration between student organizations, and university units to increase environmental awareness. Events include hiking, panel and dinner on environmental issues, pop-up gallery, greenhouse tour, reusable water bottle giveaway, pop-up thrift shop, sustainable fashion show, environmental poetry session, concert and community service day, etc.

• Environmental Film Series: Weekly film showings and discussions are held on the impacts of different environmental issues affecting all people.

The Wexner Center for the Arts is committed to using sustainable resources and supporting art that addresses current environmental issues and sustainability practices. The center hosts an Arts & Environment course for high school students and has an exhibition of the artwork of these students that may be attended by Ohio State students.

Coca-Cola Student Sustainability Grant project provided funding for the HOME art project. The artwork was created by an on-campus student organization that collaborated with at-risk youth near campus to bring awareness about waste disposal and about homelessness in the off-campus area.

The Outdoor Adventure Center sponsors trips with the intention of providing powerful group building experiences that help participants develop new friendships, learn lifelong wilderness skills, develop leadership qualities, increase interpersonal skills, and expand appreciation and concern for the environment. These trips follow Leave No Trace principles.

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The Students Understanding Sustainability and Taking Action to Improve Nature and Society (SUSTAINS) Learning Community focuses on helping students explore and engage with sustainability topics and human interaction with environmental problems. Through discussion, service and hands-on learning, students who are members of this community will learn about best practices for sustainable living and have opportunities to explore how sustainability relates to their lives and the lives of others.

• Sustainability Chairs represent each residence hall. This is a student selected from the residence hall’s student government. The chair’s main duty is to promote sustainability practices among the residents of his/her community.

• Dump and Run: Each year, students collect materials for donation during summer move-out and offer them for sale during fall move-in. A portion of the profits from the sale are donated to a local non-profit.

• BuckeyeClothesOut: During the month of December, students are encouraged to donate their gently used end-of-semester clothing and household items at multiple locations on campus. This program is a collaboration with Goodwill Columbus and promotes sustainability through responsible donation and elimination of waste from the landfill.

• Recyclemania – Go Bucks, Go Recycling: Ohio State participates in a suite of recycling awareness events in February and March, including recycling competitions between residence halls, and education campaign geared towards the entire student population through social media, flyers, and direct outreach. Games and giveaways promote recycling, and encourage students to help the university achieve Zero Waste.

• The Environmental and Sustainability Career Expo is an annual career expo hosted by Ohio State with a variety of sustainability-related employers present. This is a great opportunity for any student interested in a career involving the environment and sustainability to gain connections and internship or employment opportunities.

• Student internships are available through the offices of: FOD - Sustainability, the Sustainability Institute, and Student Life’s Energy Management & Sustainability.

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