Graduate School of Education

Across Harvard, building managers and University leaders are responding to the urgent need to address climate change by renovating and constructing greener buildings that cut energy use and are healthier, happier places for staff to work and students to learn.

When you’re working away in your dorm or office trying to implement sustainability initiatives, it can often feel overwhelming.  It shouldn’t be that way, especially when there are so many impassioned students, staff and faculty throughout Harvard dedicated to making Green the new Crimson!

For the third year in a row, HGSE had the highest participation rate at the University! The green team took the cue from the level of participation this past fall and has geared their campaigns and monthly green tips to help reinforce some of the key points on the pledge, as well as other important sustainable efforts.

Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) participated in the Office for Sustainability's (OFS) Valentine’s Day cosmetics drive this past February. Together the HGSE community donated hundreds of toiletries to a local women’s shelter. Our bins filled up so quick we had to start an extra donation box. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Every year, Harvard produces over 24,000 phone books that are distributed across the University, but this year - 6,000 (25%) fewer phone books will be produced (about 6,300 lbs - the size of 7 male polar bears!).

The Graduate School of Education (HGSE) has the highest recycling rate at the university according to the annual Facilities Maintenance Operations (FMO) Recycling Services bag counts. We now recycle 68 percent of our refuse, up from 41 percent two years ago.

One of the things that the Graduate School of Education (HGSE) Green Team is most proud of is the fact that their recycling rate is so high; over 60% of the waste at the HGSE is recycled. In an effort to capitalize on the environmental ethos that so clearly pervades the school, the Green Team has a few events and collections to expand the program even more.

The average Sustainability Pledge rate at most Harvard schools is 22%, but not at the Graduate School of Education. The HGSE Green Team set an ambitious goal of breaking records this year, and they achieved it. This fall, over 560 people, or 45% of the school, took the Harvard Sustainability Pledge.