About the Pledge

History of the Harvard Sustainability Pledge

2002-2004

In 2002 the first annual pledge campaign "Go Cold Turkey" started, and about 1,000 Harvard students pledged each year to to turn off lights, computers, etc. over Thanksgiving Break.

2005

The annual campaign was expanded in 2005 to the "Harvard Sustainabilty Pledge", with a broader goal to encourage a culture of environmental sustainability on campus.

4,300 students, staff and faculty signed the pledge, resulting in a purchase of 4 million kWh of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECS).

2006

In 2006 over 7,000 students, staff, and faculty from across the campus pledged to reduce their own environmental impacts! A few examples:

  • 5,700 people pledged to turn off computers and lights at night.
  • 5,400 people pledged to enable sleep mode on their computer.
  • 3,700 people pledged to buy paper made with at least 30% recycled paper.
  • 4,600 people pledged to double-side when they make copies.
  • 3,821 people pledged to bring their own coffee mug or water glass instead of using a disposable one.
  • 31 buildings met the 50% pledge rate challenge, earning wind power to offset 10% of the building ghg emissions, and the resulting purchase of 6 million kWh of wind power will offset 56 million pounds of greenhouse gases.
2007

In 2007, over 8,200 students, staff and faculty from across the campus pledged to reduce their own environmental impacts!

The incentive changed a bit in 2007: for each staff, student, or faculty who pledged, Harvard put $1.50 toward renewable energy. The money was used for an on-site renewable project (2 solar thermal panels on 3 Sacramento Street), instead of purchasing wind power recs!

2008

In 2008, more than 8,600 students, staff and faculty from across the campus pledged to reduce their own environmental impacts! The prize money was awarded to the Graduate School of Education to install solar photovoltaic panels on Gutman Library.

2009

Our goal for this year is to reach 10,000 people at Harvard!

Partners

We thank our sponsors for their generous support!
  • Harvard Medical School
  • Harvard School of Public Health
  • Faculty of Arts and Sciences
  • HRES Graduate Housing
  • Harvard Law School, Graduate Housing
  • Harvard Business School, Graduate Housing
  • Harvard Kennedy School
  • Harvard Graduate School of Education
  • Harvard Divinity School