The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is at the forefront of research addressing the most pressing global health and environmental issues facing us today. The Harvard Chan School community strives to minimize the School's environmental impact through the adoption of sustainable business practices.

Community Engagement

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health community contributes in numerous ways to creating a more sustainable campus.

EcoOpportunity

A truly sustainable campus requires the cooperation and inclusion of everyone in the community, and in this spirit the community formed The EcoOpportunity Team, Harvard Longwood Campus Green Team. This collaborative forum for knowledge creation and transfer, fosters an environment where sustainable initiatives are developed and executed.

The EcoOpportunity team works hard to brainstorm new ideas or campaigns to educate and inspire individual behavior change among the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard School of Dental Medicine communities. 

Mission

The mission of the EcoOpportunity team is to institutionalize sustainability practices on the Harvard Longwood Campus (HLC). This group will:

  • Serve as the primary point of communication for sustainability efforts on campus.
  • Work with the Facilities and Operations groups to establish best practices, policies, and/or standards for sustainable design and operations on campus, where appropriate.
  • Identify and prioritize resource conservation opportunities in offices, labs, and residential buildings.
  • Inspire the HLC community to reduce environmental and health impacts, and help HLC become a leader in campus sustainability efforts.

EcoOpportunity has the participation of many administrative and academic departments around the three Schools.

Contact: Ecoop@hsph.harvard.edu

Harvard Longwood Bicyclists

The Harvard Longwood Bicyclists (HLB) was created to unite and advocate for bikers around the Longwood campus. Started by the EcoOpportunity Team’s Bike Subcommittee under the leadership of David Havelick, HLB is a great example of One Harvard in action. The group is comprised of staff, students, and faculty from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

Two bike repair stations have been added near the bike cages on the Harvard Longwood Campus thanks to David and the HLB.

Learn more

 

 

Sustainable Campus

The Operations Office collaborates with the Harvard Office for Sustainability, the Harvard Longwood Campus Green Team EcoOpportunity, the Harvard Chan faculty members, and other groups from across the University and beyond to provide a healthier and more sustainable campus.

Energy and Utilities

Operations Office personnel understand the importance of managing the School’s building systems portfolio in an energy-efficient manner, as part of the University’s strategy to be fossil fuel-free by 2050 and fossil fuel-neutral by 2026.

The team is committed to conserving energy and natural resources with careful consideration of the indoor environmental quality of the School's built environment. These initiatives are also beneficial to the Harvard Chan School community in prudent financial management.

The Harvard Chan School energy efficiency initiatives include:

  • Standardization on high efficiency lighting fixtures at the School, including the Building 1 LED retrofit that resulted in an estimated annual kWh reduction of 57%.
  • Enhancements to buildings operations systems, making Automation System Upgrades in four buildings that significantly reduced energy consumption.
  • Installation of energy-efficient equipment.
  • Continuous commissioning of energy consuming building systems.

Operations Office personnel will continue to monitor energy consumption real-time and maintain accurate energy consumption and cost documentation.

Health and Wellness

Reducing the community exposure to toxic chemicals

For the renovations of Shattuck International House, home to Harvard Chan School students, the Harvard Chan School Operations team addressed harmful chemicals in purchased furniture. Apartments as well as common areas were equipped with chairs, desks, tables, and other pieces of furniture in compliance with the Healthier Hospitals Initiative.

Tobacco-Free campus

Harvard Chan School has established a Tobacco-free policy, aligned with the School’s research on the negative health impacts of smoking.

Food

Sebastian's Café was the first Green Restaurant Certified at Harvard.

Learn more aboutHarvard University Dining Services sustainability efforts

Transportation

CommuteWorks

As the Transportation Management Association for the Longwood Medical and Academic Area (LMA), CommuteWorks helps employees and students better plan their commutes with information about MBTA, ridesharing, shuttle, and walking/biking options. Learn more

Shuttle

MASCO provides a Cambridge-Longwood Campus Shuttle Service. SEE schedule and more information

Bikes

Check out Harvard Longwood Byciclists webpage for more information and resources, including where to park bikes on campus

Waste Reduction

The Harvard Chan School community has made remarkable strides to reduce waste on campus.

Reuse

The Reuse Room accepts a variety of items that can be reused by students, faculty, and staff.

Located in the basement of Building 1, next to Mailing and Receiving, the Reuse Room is managed and staffed by the Harvard Longwood Campus Green Team, EcoOpportunity.

For more information, contact Ecoop@hsph.harvard.edu

Composting

In 2009, Sebastian's Café at Harvard Chan School introduced a post-consumer composting program. The Café offers compostable plates, cups, cutlery, and to-go containers. Learn more

Recycling

Harvard Chan School also employs single stream recycling campus-wide. Learn MORE

The School has also implemented e-waste and other recycling programs. Learn what can be recycled: 

  • E-waste

Please recycle all dry cell batteries, cell phones and chargers, MP3 players, PDA's, handheld electronic devices, and inkjet cartridges in the blue collection tubes. 

Contact HSPH Facilities at 617-432-1152 to have your larger used electronics (e.g.: computers, monitors, office equipment) picked up for recycling.

  • Styrofoam

Styrofoam recycling in labs is campus-wide at Harvard Chan School. For effective recycling of EPS (Styrofoam) coolers, tube racks and packing materials, please follow the guidelines below:

  • Only dense, white polystyrene can be recycled
  • Remove coolers from inside cardboard boxes and place beside cardboard for recycling pickup
  • Remove ice packs, stickers & other materials from coolers
  • Smaller materials such as packing peanuts, can be bagged and left beside cardboard for pick up

  • Millipore Cartridge 

  • Toner and Ink Cartridge

For more information, contact Ecoop@hsph.harvard.edu

If you have lab equipment you would like to donate or recycle, please contact sustainability@harvard.edu.

Environmental Groups, Resources, and Academic Programs

Center for Health and the Global Environment

HSPH Department of Environmental Health

Harvard NIEHS Center for Environmental Health

HSPH Nutrition Source