Sustainability Blog

Author: Lauren Furey

October is Campus Sustainability Month at Michigan Tech!

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October marks the start of Campus Sustainability Month, a time to celebrate sustainability in higher education. All month long, the Office of Sustainability and Resilience and a crew of passionate student orgs and campus offices are teaming up to put on a lineup of events to inform, engage, and ignite action around sustainability on campus.

Here’s what’s happening across campus:

  • Apple Cider Workshop – October 4, 2-4PM @21880 Woodland Rd
    Press apples and make your own cider
  • Clothing Swap – October 7 & 8, 11AM-3PM @ MUB Commons
    Give your wardrobe a refresh the sustainability way
  • Weigh the Waste – October 8 @ Wadsworth, October 22 @McNair, 11AM-1PM
    Learn how much food we waste in the dining halls and how to waste less
  • Green Campus Enterprise Info Sessions – October 9 & 23, 5-6PM, ChemSci 104
    See what student sustainability projects are brewing and drop in to a Green Campus session to hear mid-semester presentations
  • Sip ‘n’ Stitch – October 21, 6-8PM, Library Cafe
    Bring your clothing items that need a fresh design and let’s embroider together. Chill vibes, tea, and embroidery supplies provided (bring a clothing item or a few)
  • Keweenaw Youth for Climate Action Panel – October 24, 4PM, Fisher 139
    Let’s talk divestment and climate justice

And don’t miss the big event…

Sustainability Fest – A celebration of all things green and sustainable!
Wednesday, Oct 29 | 5:30–7:00 PM | Library East Reading Room

  • Teaching Kitchen hosted by Husky Eats – make pickled vegetables and fridge pickles. Register here for the Teaching Kitchen.
  • Lego Serious Play Session – build Lego models while considering your role in sustainability work
  • Husky Closet Collective – score some thrifted finds at our on-campus thrift store
  • Campus Bike Lab – learn what the bike lab is all about and what they can do for your two-wheeled ride
  • Sustainability Orgs – check out the student orgs involved in sustainability work
  • Free Food & Giveaways!

Come for the Legos, stay for the good vibes – and leave with new ideas, cool connections, and maybe even a fridge pickle.

Follow Sustainable MTU on Instagram and add the MTU Sustainability Events to your Google calendar to stay up to date on all things sustainability at Michigan Tech!

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Husky Exchange Fall 2025

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August is just around the corner – and that means it’s almost time for Husky Exchange, Michigan Tech’s green move-in program!

Need a fan? Another shelf? Maybe an extra pool noodle to spare your forehead from your lofted bed? We’ve got you. Whether you’re missing the basics or looking for a few extras to make your room feel like home, Husky Exchange is the place to be.

What is Husky Exchange?
Each spring, generous Huskies donate gently-used and no-longer-needed items during spring semester move out. We collect it all and bring those items back in the fall so you can score dorm and apartment essentials – for free or at super low prices. Keeping costs down and items out of landfill? Sounds like a win-win to us.

So stop by Wadsworth Hall during move-in weekend and see what you can find. It’s first come, first serve – and cash only!

Location: Wadsworth Hall, Room G41

Hours:
Sunday, August 17th 2 – 5 PM
Monday, August 18th 10 AM – 5:30 PM
Tuesday, August 19th 10 AM – 2 PM

Email sustainability@mtu.edu with any questions and follow us on Instagram (@sustainablemtu)

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Sustainable Dorm Living Guide

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Ever wonder how to make dorm living a little more green? Students in TreeHouse, Michigan Tech’s sustainability learning community, wondered the same thing and developed a Sustainable Dorm Living Guide as a solution during their Sustainable Living Practicum spring course!

Packed with tips, tricks, and resources, the Sustainable Dorm Living Guide is a great reference tool that can help make on campus living more sustainable. The guide has tips for a sustainable move-in experience, advice for how to get involved on campus, ways to lower your carbon footprint, and so much more.

The TreeHouse Sustainable Learning Community offers first-year students from all majors the opportunity to live and learn together in shaping a more sustainable future. Nestled on the fifth floor of East Wadsworth Hall overlooking campus, this dynamic living-learning community offers immersive experiences through seminars, field trips, community-building opportunities, and volunteer projects. Join your fellow students as you transform your sustainability curiosity or passion into action.

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Michigan Tech Scores Big with Inaugural Zero Waste Hockey Game

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On January 11th, Michigan Tech hosted its inaugural Zero Waste Hockey Game, achieving remarkable sustainability milestones. This initiative was a collaborative effort among MTU Athletics, Husky Eats, and the Office of Sustainability and Resilience.

Student volunteers and Office of Sustainability and Resilience staff pose for a picture after their waste sorting efforts.

By the end of the game, 188 pounds of waste were collected for recycling and composting. Notably, in the stands and suites, Husky fans contributed to diverting an impressive 98% of post-consumer food and packaging waste, resulting in only 4 pounds of waste being sent to the landfill. This success was achieved by fans diligently sorting their unwanted items into designated bins for compost, recycling, liquids, or trash.  Fans also tested their sustainable and recycling knowledge by answering trivia questions between periods and a few select fans participated in an on-ice “Tricycle Recycle” sorting game, competing for a prize. 

This event highlights the significant environmental impact achievable through community collaboration. With the active participation of fans and the dedication of over 30 game day volunteers, the Husky community created a greener game day experience. Building on this success, Michigan Tech plans to continue its waste reduction efforts and implement zero waste initiatives at future games, demonstrating the power of collective action in fostering environmental sustainability.

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2025 CISR Funding for Early Career and New Research Directions

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The Center for Innovation in Sustainability and Resilience (CISR) is accepting applications for the Sustainable & Resilient Communities Early Career and New Research Directions Award.

These awards are designed to complement start-up packages for early-career faculty or to support established researchers who are pursuing new ideas or topics around sustainability and resilience themes. Funds are provided by the Tech Forward Initiative on Sustainability and Resilience. Award eligibility requires being an affiliate of CISR (open to anyone on campus) and contributing to the CISR research community through future external funding proposal submissions.

The application deadline is April 1, 2025, but rolling submissions and inquiries are encouraged.

Early Career and New Research Directions Award

In the range of $3,000 – $5,000, this award complements start-up packages for early career faculty or supports established researchers who are pursuing new ideas or topics around sustainability and resilience themes. We anticipate making four to six awards. View the Early Career and New Directions Award Request for Proposal. 

Proposal narratives, budgets, and budget justifications should be submitted as a single document via email to Chelsea Schelly, cschelly@mtu.edu. Potential submitters are encouraged to reach out with questions or to pitch ideas before developing a proposal. CISR looks forward to receiving your inquiries and applications!

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