Sustainability: Committed to Carbon Neutrality by 2040 Sustainability at Miami Miami University is committed to sustainability in our academic programs, physical campus and operations, and university mission by promoting environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability for current and future generations. This commitment is a collaborative effort that involves students, faculty, staff and external partners. Sustainability at Miami Miami University is committed to carbon neutrality by 2040 A commitment to carbon neutrality and our ongoing efforts toward a more sustainable campus are among the greatest gifts we can give future generations. Higher education institutions are essential in leading the charge for climate action and a more sustainable future.  - Miami University President Gregory Crawford Recent Sustainability News More Sustainability News Sustainability ‘Where earth, water, and sun meet purpose:’ Miami University’s Sharon and Graham Mitchell Sustainability Park dedicated 4/22/26 Sustainability EACC SUSTAIN 2026: Translating sustainability into strategy and competitive advantage 4/13/26 Sustainability Miami University receives Climate Luminary Honors for exemplary climate leadership 3/10/26 Decarbonizing campus -50% Utility-based carbon emissions reduction (2008-2025) -63% Utility-based carbon emissions reduction per building gross square foot (2008-2025) -12% Total Greenhouse Gas (MTCO2e; Scopes 1, 2, 3) reduction (PCLC baseline 2019-2025) Sustainability Dashboard The Miami 2040 Plan strategy to decarbonize our energy-based emissions is to further reduce energy consumption; complete the transition of building heating and cooling systems off steam; produce zero-emissions energy on-site; procure purchased electricity from renewable sources; and offset the remainder. View our progress toward decarbonization on the Dashboard. View the Dashboard New projects support Miami 2040 Plan Goals Sharon and Graham Mitchell Sustainability Park and Solar Fields Two ground mount solar panel installations, expected to produce more than 2,100 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity annually, will be completed by this fall. The solar fields will be part of the Sharon and Graham Mitchell Sustainability Park, made possible by a $5 million principal gift from longtime Miami and sustainability supporters, Sharon Janosik Mitchell ’73 and Graham Mitchell ’73, M.En. ’76. Read more: Solar field installations begin at the site of the Sharon and Graham Mitchell Sustainability Park North Geothermal Expansion North geothermal wellfield drilling is complete : 520 geothermal wells, 850 feet deep, were drilled in the south lawn of Millett Hall, for the North Chiller Plant Geothermal Conversion. The project broke ground in June 2024. Next phase: conversion of the North Chiller Plant to support the geothermal exchange. With completion by summer 2026, this project is Miami's next big step toward reducing carbon emissions. It will eliminate more than 5,810 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents in emissions (MTCO2e) annually. (Photo from September) Read more: "Expanding geothermal on Miami's campus" Sustainability Progress STARS Gold Miami achieved its third AASHE STARS (3.0) Gold rating in summer 2025 in recognition of sustainability achievements. View the STARS Report LEED Silver and Gold Certified Buildings Miami's 36 LEED Silver and Gold-certified buildings (such as Pearson Hall, above) account for 36% of the gross square footage of buildings on the Oxford campus (August 2024). LEED certified buildings list Waste management: Recycling Miami makes it easy to recycle: Single stream recycling allows plastics, cardboard, paper, metal, and glass to all be recycled together in one bin. Recycling: Check the list of acceptable and speciality items 5 Ways to reduce your waste on campus Composting in Armstrong Student Center Academic programs 100% of Miami's Oxford campus academic departments offer sustainability-focused or sustainability-inclusive courses. Sustainability Courses Miami Plan: Signature Inquiry on Sustainability and Resilience Students can choose from one of the five Miami Plan Signature Inquiry areas, including Sustainability and Resilience. Institute for the Environment and Sustainability The Institute for the Environment and Sustainability (IES) houses Miami's Master's of Environmental Science (M.En.) degree program and four sustainability-related co-majors. 46 Oxford campus departments out of 46 offered Sustainability-focused or inclusive courses in 2023-2024 170 More than 170 Sustainability-focused or sustainability-inclusive courses offered in 2023-2024 Sustainability Courses Community Partners Promoting sustainability and climate action across the Oxford and Miami communities GreenHawks GreenHawks student reporters are devoted to increasing awareness about sustainability on campus, in Oxford, and beyond. Read their stories in The Miami Student. City of Oxford's Climate Action Plan The city of Oxford adopted a Climate Action Plan in September 2023. This plan acts as a road map for the Oxford community to achieve carbon neutrality and to ensure Oxford remains thriving despite the changing climate. Oxford Sustainability Monthly Monthly roundup of sustainability news and opportunities in the Oxford community. Get involved Join a student organization, explore the Miami University Natural Areas, take part in research. Join a student organization EcoReps promote sustainable living in Residence Halls through specialty recycling, educational programming, the water bottle project, trash audits and more. Follow them on Instagram @muecoreps. Zero Waste Oxford and the Food Recovery Network are some of the nearly 10 other active sustainability-oriented student organizations on campus. Take a hike, bird watch, explore Miami's Natural Areas Did you know nearly half of our 2,000 acre campus is designated as forest? With nearly 1,000 acres and 23 miles of trails in our backyard, the Miami University Natural Areas are an invaluable resource for recreation, teaching, and research. Timeline: Sustainability Commitments and Goals - Pillars Miami University's first Sustainability Commitments & Goals (SCAG) were developed in 2010 with broad stakeholder input. The Sustainability Committee established an updated SCAG in 2016. In 2021, the SCAG, having been met or exceeded, were replaced by a set of three Sustainability Pillars.