Case Studies
Introduction
AASHE’s case study library contains hundreds of detailed case studies on a wide variety of higher education sustainability initiatives from faculty development programs to whole campus energy retrofits to community partnerships. All case studies are entered in the annual AASHE Awards Program.
At a Glance
Total Resources
Organizations
Countries
U.S. States & Territories
Canadian Provinces
Bars in graphs can be clicked to view resources that align with a particular category. Because a resource may be listed under multiple topics and disciplines, graph data may include higher total counts than what is indicated in total resources above.
New Resources
University of Wisconsin- Madison Organic Land Management Pilot Project
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
- Re:wild Your Campus (TX)
In the fall of 2022, students at UW-Madison were selected to participate in the Re:wild Your Campus Fellowship, and began advocating for an end to the use of synthetic pesticides …
- Posted Jan. 24, 2025
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Holistic Inclusive Education On Climate Change
- The American College of Greece (Aghia Paraskevi)
The American College of Greece (ACG) is committed to advancing climate action and sustainability through an inclusive, multi-faceted approach to education. Under the umbrella of Holistic Inclusive Education on Climate …
- Posted Jan. 24, 2025
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The ASU Eco Reps Program
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Coca-Cola (GA)
The Eco Reps program is a student sustainability engagement joint initiative between Coca-Cola and University Sustainability Practices with additional funding from internal units. Spring 2025 marks the sixth semester of …
- Posted Jan. 14, 2025
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Student Education for Environmental Development (SEED)
- McGill University (QC)
Student Education for Environmental Development, or SEED, is an initiative that brings free, interactive environmental education lessons to schools in Canada and the US with a focus on underprivileged students. …
- Posted Jan. 7, 2025
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FRESH to Table: A Homegrown Dining Initiative
- Boston College (MA)
Boston College (BC) seeks to foster the ethical and personal formation of its students to prepare them for citizenship, service, and leadership in a global society. In addition, as a …
- Posted May 31, 2023
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Resilience Cohort, Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
The Resilience Cohort (RC) is a program of the Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI) at Indiana University (IU) that helps Indiana city, town, and county governments to measure and reduce local …
- Posted May 31, 2023
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The Community Action Center Project: Where Food Shelves Meet Carbon Offsets
- Carleton College (MN)
In the city of Northfield, MN, uneaten food typically ends up as waste in the landfill. As this food decomposes, it releases methane—a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon …
- Posted May 31, 2023
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Sustainability into Action: Undergraduate Certificate Catalyzes Sustainability Progress
- University of Saskatchewan (SK)
A generation of students faced with a sustainability crisis have the appetite to learn how to "do sustainability" and put their learning into action. We developed an innovative interdisciplinary program …
- Posted May 31, 2023
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Food Waste to Energy: From Pilot Scale Biogas to Grid Tied CHP on a Campus Farm
- Dickinson College (PA)
The Dickinson College Farm is culminating a multi-year project to convert campus food waste to sustainable energy through a grid-connected biogas system. Biogas is a carbon neutral, renewable alternative to …
- Posted May 31, 2023
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USC’s Single-use Plastics Elimination – Beverage Bottles Policy
- University of Southern California (CA)
The University of Southern California (USC) established the Single-use Plastics Elimination – Beverage Bottles Policy in July 2022, prohibiting the purchase or use of single-use plastic beverage products across the …
- Posted May 31, 2023
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Bottle Filling Stations at UCI 2023
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
UCI Facilities Management in collaboration with the Campus as a Living Lab class brought together interns to embark on the revitalization of the bottle filling stations program. The pandemic halted …
- Posted May 31, 2023
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Yale Undergrad Confronts the Emanating Climate Threat of Refrigerant Leaks through the Yale Refrigerants Initiative (YRI)
- Yale University (CT)
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many (if not all) universities’ sustainability offices had to reimagine what engaging with their communities looked like and how they’d meet campus sustainability …
- Posted May 31, 2023
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Cities Need Trees
- Boston University (MA)
Over the past year, I have dedicated myself to promoting sustainability in Boston, Massachusetts by advocating for an increased urban forest to combat climate change and rising summer temperatures. The …
- Posted May 31, 2023
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Student-Led Organic Pilot Project at Emory University
- Emory University (GA)
- Re:wild Your Campus (TX)
Emory University, in partnership with Re:wild Your Campus, launched an organic pilot program to transition the campus away from synthetic weed-killers and towards organic land management. The Emory student leaders …
- Posted May 31, 2023
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Addressing the Social Pillar of Sustainability by Enhancing Racial Equity of Minorities in STEM Higher Education through the CREaTE Pathway
- El Paso Community College (TX)
- University of Texas at El Paso (TX)
The Center for Research in Engineering and Technology Education (CREaTE) is a national center for research in engineering, science, and technology education at The University of Texas at El Paso …
- Posted May 31, 2023
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The Working Farms Fund: Partnership to Build a Sustainable Local Food System and Support a Diverse New Generation of Farmers
- Emory University (GA)
- The Conservation Fund (GA)
Emory University has partnering with the national non-profit The Conservation Fund (TCF) to support a diverse new generation of farmers in rural Georgia and help build the local food supply …
- Posted May 16, 2023
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Creation of a Pollinator Garden at Farmingdale State College
- State University of New York at Farmingdale (NY)
In the Spring of 2023 Farmingdale State College's Office for Sustainability partnered with the college's Horticulture department to design an on-campus pollinator garden. The site is currently a 100 square …
- Posted May 8, 2023
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Enhancing Students’ Environmental Skills Through A Solid Waste Sustainability Hub
- University of South Alabama (AL)
The objective of this project is to establish a solid waste sustainability hub that promotes environmental stewardship and education by focusing on waste reduction, recycling, reuse, and rethinking. A team …
- Posted May 2, 2023
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Engaging with Indigenous Communities for Climate Action: The Bayano-McGill Reforestation Project
- McGill University (QC)
The Bayano-McGill Reforestation Project is an initiative that is at the leading edge of carbon offsetting projects in higher education. The multi-faceted initiative, financed by the University, provides benefits to …
- Posted May 20, 2022
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EchoWorks: An Electronics Recycling College-Community Partnership
- Western Dakota Technical College (SD)
There are more than a thousand toxic substances associated with electronic waste (e-waste), and improper disposal can lead to soil, water, food, and air contamination. E-waste is the fastest growing …
- Posted May 20, 2022
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Institute for Constructive Advocacy and Dialogue (ICAD): Community conversations for a sustainable and equitable future
- James Madison University (VA)
With a mission to “inspire dialogue and deliberation that shapes engaged and inclusive communities and informs sound policies,” the Institute for Constructive Advocacy and Dialogue (ICAD) at James Madison University …
- Posted May 11, 2022
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Zero waste policy evaluation of college campus. A case study of University of Florida
- University of Florida (FL)
Waste generation and disposal of that waste is as big of an issue as climate change. Different factors come into play in developed and developing world. In developing countries litter …
- Posted Sept. 23, 2021
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SDG Undergraduate Research Group
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
Launched Fall 2020, SURG (SDG Undergraduate Research Group) is an undergraduate research group affiliated with the UC Berkeley Office of Sustainability and guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We …
- Posted May 26, 2021
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Inclusive Sustainability: Collaborative Approaches through UC Santa Cruz’s People of Color Sustainability Collective
- University of California, Santa Cruz (CA)
The People of Color Sustainability Collective (PoCSC) works to make the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) a leader in sustainability and environmental justice, in recognition of our changing demographics …
- Posted May 26, 2021
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Redefining Environmental Aesthetics at Emory University
- Emory University (GA)
- Re:wild Your Campus (TX)
Emory defines sustainability as relating to the quality of life, emphasizing the necessity of community health, wellbeing, and happiness. In approaching sustainability, Emory has created a comprehensive strategy to foster …
- Posted May 26, 2021
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Prairie Grass Restoration Project
- Grinnell College (IA)
- Re:wild Your Campus (TX)
Located in central Iowa, Grinnell College, once a prairie itself, is now indistinguishable from any other college, its land covered in swaths of fresh cut, herbicide-coated sprawling green lawns. In …
- Posted May 26, 2021
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Virtual Energy Treasure Hunt Event
- Suffolk County Community College (NY)
In April 2021, Suffolk County Community College hosted our first US Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Treasure Hunt Event. The DOE describes the Treasure Hunt as “One of the best …
- Posted May 26, 2021
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Equity, Diversity, Justice, Inclusion Task Force, Catawba College
- Catawba College (NC)
The Equity, Diversity, Justice, and Inclusion (EDJI) Task Force at Catawba College aims to build a campus community where all members thrive by working to cultivate critical conversations and practices …
- Posted May 25, 2021
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Climate Action Plan Sustainability Ambassador Course
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
The Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) ambassador course was piloted in the spring 2021 semester as an opportunity for students to have a direct role in assessing and recommending building-level …
- Posted May 21, 2021
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Central Sustainability
- Central Michigan University (MI)
Prior to 2020, Central Michigan University (CMU) lacked an Office of Sustainability, or any structures which ensured the pursuit of sustainability initiatives on campus and in the community. Two student …
- Posted May 21, 2021
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Glass Recycling at a Rural Georgia College Campus
- Georgia College & State University (GA)
Glass has quickly become a hard to recycle material in many places in the U.S. and around the world. This is especially true for geographically rural areas with an already …
- Posted May 21, 2021
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Glass Recycling at a Rural Georgia College Campus
- Georgia College & State University (GA)
Glass has quickly become a hard to recycle material in many places in the U.S. and around the world. This is especially true for geographically rural areas with an already …
- Posted May 21, 2021
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Planting the Pond
- Western Dakota Technical College (SD)
For this project, Western Dakota Tech formed an interdisciplinary team comprised of Environmental Engineering, Controlled Environment Agriculture, Electrical Trades, Computer-Aided Design, and Farm and Ranch Management students to design and …
- Posted May 18, 2021
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Greenspace Sustainability Design Town Halls and Make-A-Thon: A model for empowering campus communities to lead the design of sustainable spaces and places
- University of Central Florida (FL)
A team of students at the University of Central Florida (UCF) (Orlando, Florida) led a partnership between UCF Student Government, the UCF Office of Sustainability Initiatives, and UCF Landscaping and …
- Posted May 20, 2020
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Herbicide-Free LMU
- Loyola Marymount University (CA)
- Re:wild Your Campus (TX)
The project represented in this case study is Herbicide-Free LMU, a campaign I started at LMU under Herbicide-Free Campus. With a slow beginning as the sole campaign leader, I worked …
- Posted May 18, 2020
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Committing UC Berkeley to the Strongest Plastic Ban in the Country
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
- CALPIRG Students (CA)
CALPIRG Students, a student-run public interest nonprofit, ran and won their campaign to commit UC Berkeley to eliminate all non-essential single-use plastic by 2030. This is the strongest plastic ban …
- Posted May 18, 2020
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Herbicide-Free Campus: UCSB
- Re:wild Your Campus (TX)
This project sought to reduce synthetic herbicide use on the UC Santa Barbara Campus. There were three main aspects of this project: meeting with groundskeepers, passing resolutions in the student …
- Posted May 18, 2020
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Priming the Sustainability Talent Pipeline: Indiana Sustainability Development Program
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
- Indiana University Kokomo (IN)
- Indiana University South Bend (IN)
- Indiana University Indianapolis (IN)
The Indiana Sustainability Development Program (ISDP) is a privately funded sustainability workforce development initiative led by Sustain IU (the Office of Sustainability at Indiana University), which pairs students with organizations …
- Posted May 18, 2020
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Building Trust and Community: The Transformative Experience of the Green Revolving Fund at Agnes Scott College
- Agnes Scott College (GA)
- Sustainable Endowments Institute (MA)
- Second Nature (MA)
- City of Decatur (GA)
Agnes Scott College initiated the college’s Green Revolving Fund (GRF) in 2011 as a practical solution to a common challenge shared by colleges and universities that have committed to a …
- Posted May 18, 2020
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“#ACGGoesPlasticFree Campaign: ACG Cares for a plastic-free future!”
- The American College of Greece (Aghia Paraskevi)
The #ACGGoesPlasticFree Campaign is an ongoing project that was launched in July 2018 by the ACG Center of Excellence for Sustainability (CES) which operates under the Office of Public Affairs, …
- Posted May 15, 2020
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EchoWorks: An Electronics Recycling Community Partnership
- Western Dakota Technical College (SD)
EchoWorks is a social enterprise that recycles electronic waste and employs people with disabilities. Located on the campus of Western Dakota Tech, a community college in Rapid City, South Dakota, …
- Posted May 15, 2020
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Loyola University Chicago's Student-run Biodiesel Lab
- Loyola University Chicago (IL)
The Searle Biodiesel Lab is a student-run initiative within Loyola University Chicago’s Institute for Environmental Sustainability (IES). Since 2007, the lab has produced biodiesel and BioSoap(Loyola’s all-natural, alternative hand soap) …
- Posted May 15, 2020
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PSRF Final Project Report: Climate Community
- Swarthmore College (PA)
Mission
The Climate Community President’s Sustainability Research Fellowship (PSRF) project is dedicated to generating an engaged and purposeful climate community at Swarthmore College. This means breaking the mold of climate …
- Posted May 15, 2020
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Grand Valley State University - Water Sustainability
- Grand Valley State University (MI)
Abstract - Grand Valley State University - Water Sustainability
Having success in reducing energy consumption and costs, Grand Valley State University (GVSU) located in the state of Michigan, looked at …
- Posted May 15, 2020
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Gold Tree Solar Farm - Innovatively Advancing the Academic Mission
- California Polytechnic State University (CA)
Cal Poly's 4.5 MW Gold Tree Solar Farm demonstrates how collaboration between Facilities and academics can transform campus buildings and infrastructure into more impactful academic assets. In addition to the …
- Posted May 15, 2020
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“Box to Farm to Compost”: A Paradigm Shift from an Extractive Culture to Regenerative Culture
- Iowa State University (IA)
As a land grant university with a student population of over 30,000 students and about 6000 faculty and staff, there are enormous packaging items that make its way to campus …
- Posted May 1, 2020
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From the Classroom to the COP: Equipping Emory Students to Become Climate Policy Leaders
- Emory University (GA)
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took effect in 1994, and its main objective is to lessen the impact of human interference that threatens the Earth’s climate …
- Posted May 20, 2019
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CU Boulder Animal Bedding Compost
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
Animal vivariums on college campuses generate a significant amount of animal bedding waste every day. CU Boulder houses only small animal vivariums (mice, rats, etc.). The animal bedding generated at …
- Posted May 20, 2019
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