Frequently Asked Questions

Sustainability is everyone's responsibility! But Tufts Office of Sustainability is here to help! We act as a resource, catalyst, and advocate for environmental sustainability at Tufts. Learn more about us here.

To view Tufts’ Commitments click here.

Yes. A detailed list of the faculty and staff researchers at Tufts who are engaged in sustainability research can be found here. 

Yes, Tufts offers multiple degrees in sustainability and environmental studies, which you can browse on this page.

A full list of classes that include climate change or sustainability can be found here.

Tufts has a Green Fund that funds campus sustainability projects every year. Learn more here.

The recycling, compost, waste diversion, and waste reduction programs at Tufts are a joint initiative between Facilities Services and the Office of Sustainability. For related inquiries and requests, please contact recycle@tufts.edu. 

Visit the Recycling at Tufts page on Access Tufts to learn about how to recycle at Tufts and in the state of Massachusetts. 

Visit the Composting at Tufts page on Access Tufts to learn more about how to compost at Tufts. 

Please view the Waste Reduction page on Access Tufts a comprehensive list of key information or email recycle@tufts.edu with your question.  

Yes, some. The university gets most of its electricity from the grid, purchasing the energy from Direct Energy. Approximately 13.9% of Tufts electricity purchases are from renewable energy sources. More information on Tufts STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, & Rating System) renewable energy credit.

Tufts has eight buildings with solar arrays on the Medford/Somerville campus and a whole field of solar panels on the Grafton campus. These solar arrays help make the power grid greener. They also help Tufts save money: the university spends about 60 percent less for solar-generated power than it does to purchase electricity from National Grid. Read about these projects here.

The metrics that show concrete progress are the measurements of direct impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions, water use and solid waste generation. A campus has made progress when these numbers decrease and therefore show the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives. Additionally, Tufts reports every 3 years to AASHE STARS, covering all aspects of sustainability (e.g. academics, education and outreach, energy, buildings, water use, diversity and equity, etc.). Check out the Tufts' STARS report.

LEED Buildings and solar panels are strategies to implement greenhouse gas reductions, but are not sufficient. Far less glamorous strategies often make deeper reductions such as: high-efficiency boilers and chillers, controls, steam system upgrades and high efficiency motors and lighting.

Energy data can be accessed on the Operations Division Energy Dashboard at the bottom of this page. Due to our interconnected energy infrastructure, some buildings at Tufts do not have separate metering.

Why yes it does! You can see it here.

Yes, Tufts can divest from fossil fuels. Fossil fuel divestment refers to selling financial holdings in the fossil fuel industry. Institutions have divested from fossil fuels for a number of reasons, including ethical or political reasons, to reduce risk, to avoid being complicit, or to make a statement, among others. Many educational institutions, faith-based organizations, pension funds, NGOs, and even entire cities and countries have already divested from fossil fuels. For a list of institutions that have divested from fossil fuels, click here.

Fossil fuel divestment has been the subject of significant student activism at Tufts, primarily led by Tufts Climate Action. This activism led to the activation of the Responsible Investment Advisory Group (RIAG), a committee of trustees, students, faculty members, and administrators tasked with making a recommendation on divestment to the Board of Trustees’ Investment Committee. See more details on the Investment Office's website.

Yes, as of fiscal year 2020, Tufts has reduced its 1990 baseline emissions by 23%. This only takes into account building energy and fleet, since that is all Tufts was measuring in 1990. This meets a goal the university set in 2003 as part of the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers Climate Change Action Plan, to be at least 10% below 1990 GHG levels by 2020.

See our progress page. If you want data on a building by building basis, please email us at sustainabilityoffice@tufts.edu.

SustainableCORE (Cultivating our Resilient Environment) Fellows foster a culture of sustainability at Tufts by engaging in inclusive community building that emphasizes sustainable action, equity, and celebration. As a cohort, the SustainableCORE Fellows serve as a bridge, connecting the mission of the Office of Sustainability to the larger Tufts community.

As a program, our goal is to change the culture of sustainability at Tufts. When students come to college they are living on their own for the first time and we are here to encourage students to adopt sustainable behaviors that they will carry with beyond university. These actions that we are encouraging may seem small at first, but they are an attainable entryway for students into a sustainable lifestyle.

Contact information for the responsible university office is here on our website and depends on your primary campus. 

Tufts has a discounted MBTA student pass through the MBTA’s Semester Pass Program. This program does not cover the summer months. 

Please visit the Tufts Access Commuter Benefits page. 

C&W services provides cleaning services for the University. C&W uses green cleaners as part of its Green Cleaning Program. 89% of their purchases on cleaning products and janitorial paper products meet LEED certification, and 55% of these purchases are third-party verified.

According to Tufts Dining’s most recent calculation, nearly a quarter of all our foods are grown or processed within 250 miles of campus.