University to begin installing solar power sites on campus

Featured Initiatives

Image of native plantings from Lurie Engineering Garden.

Sustainable Grounds

Bees, goats, prairies, and fire: see how U-M manages land sustainably.

Image of zero waste event set up featuring donuts and signage.

Zero Waste Events

We offer step-by-step advice and materials to minimize waste at your events.

Campus Farm Composting

A pilot is underway to try composting stadium waste at the Campus Farm.

Annual report

Geo-exchange, on-campus solar, expanded leadership, and more FY24 highlights.

OCS staff member performs a lab walkthrough with a member of the lab staff

Sustainable Lab Summit

U-M researchers, gather on Feb 4 to learn and share about advancing lab sustainability!

Why Composting Shouldn't Be Your First Choice

Composting is great!
But there's more to the story.

sustainability goals progress

As efforts toward university-wide carbon neutrality progress, U-M continues to work toward its 2025 Ann Arbor campus sustainability goals, established in 2011 with a 2006 baseline. OCS collaborates with units across U-M on efforts to reach these goals and is responsible for tracking and reporting progress.

GOAL: reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25%
Achieved in 2022
GOAL: reduce vehicle carbon output per passenger trip by 30%
Reduction: 0% due to pandemic impact
GOAL: reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill by 40%
Reduction: 14%
GOAL: increase U-M food purchased from local and sustainable sources to 20%
Purchased: 19%
GOAL: reduce chemical applications to campus landscapes by 40%
Achieved in 2019