Active citizenship and community engagement are important parts of the Office of Sustainability's mission.
Our main goals are to:
- Educate people about the different areas of sustainability.
- Inform people about actions they can take to incorporate sustainability into daily life & mitigate climate change.
- Educate people about the Office of Sustainability, its projects and its partners.
We focus our efforts on educating students , staff and faculty on campus and beyond.
| Students | Faculty and Staff | Beyond Tufts |
Work with the OOS
Over two hundred fifty students have been involved in projects related to the Tufts Climate Initiative ’s emission reduction commitment. Faculty in various departments throughout the university have sponsored projects. The OOS plans to expand this precedent into diverse areas of campus and community sustainability.
The Office of Sustainability (OOS) regularly offers internships for graduates and undergraduates.
Please e-mail tina.woolston@tufts.edu to inquire about internship possibilities.
The OOS also offers the opportunity for student research projects.
Please e-mail sarah.creighton@tufts.edu to inquire about student research projects.
The MTC Green Building Case Studies is one such research project. In 2005, the Tufts Climate Initiative collaborated with several graduate students from the Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning Department in researching four noted green buildings in the greater Boston area. With a grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, the students did an in-depth analysis of the green features used in the buildings and the design processes that helped guide the implementation of energy-efficiency and other sustainability features.
Join Student Groups
- Is there a campus issue that's not getting addressed? Start your own group.
Undergraduate students who are working on education outreach to the community and within Tufts related to climate change. Contact Adam Frank for more information.
Environmental Consciousness Outreach (ECO)
The OOS and Tufts Climate Iniative work closely with ECO, an undergraduate student group, to promote environmental initatives such as Do it in the Dark! and Get Clean! Power your Room Green!
Energy Security Initiative (ESI)
An undergraduate student program focused on inquiry, research, and discussion regarding the military, political, economic, and environmental security aspects of energy.
Tufts Mountain Club (TMC)
A student-run group that organizes both local and overnight hiking, biking, skiing, canoeing, and other outing trips. Many of the club's activities are based in and around the Loj, an old farm house located in Woodstock, NH. Popular campus-based activities include weekly rock climbing and mountain biking trips.
Tufts Mystic Waterwatch
Provides a link between Tufts University and the communities of the Mystic River Watershed by collaborating on education initiatives, environmental health assessments, and encouraging community activism in order to promote recreational opportunities and improve watershed health.
Volunteer at Oxfam Café, a student-run vegetarian cafe.
PANGEA
PANGEA is dedicated to cultivating a community aware of global issues, with a spirit of commitment to people around the world and a readiness to use its knowledge and experience to lead our generation in creating a more just world.
RA Community Building Events
The Office of Sustainability works closely with Residential Facilities and the Residential Directors and Residential Assistants (RAs) on educating students about environmental topics. OOS provides RAs with a list of topics and information packages designed for their community building educational events.
Courses and classes
Tufts University has a longstanding commitment to deepen and broaden environmental literacy of its students. Each semester, the university offers several courses in science, policy, economics, and engineering focused specifically on climate change-related issues. The Office of Sustainability has worked closely with several faculty members to introduce climate change and other aspects of sustainability into their curriculum.
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Collaborate with the OOS
The OOS also offers the opportunity for collaboration between faculty and students on research projects. Please e-mail sarah.creighton [at] tufts.edu to inquire about research projects.
Integrate Sustainability Into Your Courses
Be active in greening your office purchasing
Speaking Engagements
TCI and OOS staff are regular speakers at conferences and workshops all around the US.
Workshops and Trainings
The OOS works with TCI to organize speakers, workshops and conferences on wide ranging topics pertaining climate change. Examples include:
- The Science of Climate Change
- Green building and energy efficiency
- Climate Change and the Media
- Solar and Wind Energy
- Sustainability in Higher Education
Home Energy Seminars
Through collaboration with the Stockholm Environment Institute, the Office of Sustainability can arrange for a free 1.5 hour seminar on saving energy & money in your home. More...
TCI 5-year report
This report summarizes work that took place through TCI during 2000-2005.
Download report as pdf.
Letter to President Bush
In May 2001, Tufts University President John DiBiaggio sent a letter to President Bush that was co-signed by 41 other university presidents, urging him to revise his energy policy to place greater emphasis on conservation and finding alternatives to fossil fuels.
Office of Sustainability Downloads
OOS makes many of its resources freely available. Many of our reports, research papers, and educational materials can be downloaded. More...
